Bag repair / Louis Vuitton quality question

[Jereni]

Hi all, I don’t post in this forum much as I only have one LV bag but I was hoping to get some advice / thoughts on something.

In ~March of this year, I purchased the multi pochette bag, in canvas with the pink/ blush strap. I wore it once or twice and then ended up putting it away for a little while, no particular reason.

In November, I brought it with me as the one bag on a business trip, so I wore it for about 3 days straight, and the zipper on the smaller pouch stopped functioning correctly. The kind of problem where you go to zip it and it doesn’t connect properly and leaves a gap behind it. Try as I might, I cannot get it ‘back on track’.

I contacted LV customer care for a repair, and received a ‘quote’ back for $180 to fix the issue.

My gut reaction, admittedly, is WTF. It’s a $1900 bag that I’ve worn about 5 times, and with this issue it’s basically worthless. Now I have to pay $180 to fix it?

Is this normal for LV? If I go in and push for this to be covered by them, do I have any leg to stand on? Do they stand by their products at all?

Thanks for your thoughts, either way.

 

[indiaink]

Hi all, I don’t post in this forum much as I only have one LV bag but I was hoping to get some advice / thoughts on something.

In ~March of this year, I purchased the multi pochette bag, in canvas with the pink/ blush strap. I wore it once or twice and then ended up putting it away for a little while, no particular reason.

In November, I brought it with me as the one bag on a business trip, so I wore it for about 3 days straight, and the zipper on the smaller pouch stopped functioning correctly. The kind of problem where you go to zip it and it doesn’t connect properly and leaves a gap behind it. Try as I might, I cannot get it ‘back on track’.

I contacted LV customer care for a repair, and received a ‘quote’ back for $180 to fix the issue.

My gut reaction, admittedly, is WTF. It’s a $1900 bag that I’ve worn about 5 times, and with this issue it’s basically worthless. Now I have to pay $180 to fix it?

Is this normal for LV? If I go in and push for this to be covered by them, do I have any leg to stand on? Do they stand by their products at all?

Thanks for your thoughts, either way.

Do you have a local LV store that you could take it in to and show them in person…

 

[Jereni]

Do you have a local LV store that you could take it in to and show them in person…

Yes I do - the boutique I bought it at. Either way I will probably take it in to them, was just sort of wondering what to expect if I challenge the repair cost, which I most likely will try to do.

 

[indiaink]

Yes I do - the boutique I bought it at. Either way I will probably take it in to them, was just sort of wondering what to expect if I challenge the repair cost, which I most likely will try to do.

So you haven’t been in to the store yet … I would imagine you’d fare much better in person. LV has many, many years of quality behind that name - I’d certainly play the insulted patron and get your repair handled. From the LV web site:

Louis Vuitton products are made to the highest specifications and should provide clients with many years of enjoyment. While we do not provide a leather goods warranty for our products, complimentary repair or alternate resolutions may be offered based on the specific assessment of your item if it displays an issue specifically related to the way it was crafted.

 

[boyoverboard]

I would imagine they would fix this for you for free, possibly even in store. Something similar happened to my toiletry pouch and they fixed it, no charge, while I waited.

 

[Jereni]

Well, at the boutique now and they were still singing the $180 song and dance, so that was disappointing.

I asked to speak to management, and lol they came back and offered to waive the fee, thank goodness. I probably could have dealt with a smaller fee, but it’s nice to have it waived overall.

Ugh, I hate having to go into a brand and play games like this.

 

[indiaink]

Well, at the boutique now and they were still singing the $180 song and dance, so that was disappointing.

I asked to speak to management, and lol they came back and offered to waive the fee, thank goodness. I probably could have dealt with a smaller fee, but it’s nice to have it waived overall.

Ugh, I hate having to go into a brand and play games like this.

Good for you for holding your ground!

 

[boyoverboard]

Well, at the boutique now and they were still singing the $180 song and dance, so that was disappointing.

I asked to speak to management, and lol they came back and offered to waive the fee, thank goodness. I probably could have dealt with a smaller fee, but it’s nice to have it waived overall.

Ugh, I hate having to go into a brand and play games like this.

Glad that you got it resolved, though it’s a shame that you had to fight for it. Their customer service really is lacking sometimes. It’s really not acceptable that their products develop faults so quickly and they’re not immediately willing to stand behind them. I’ve had it happen with glazing peeling, and they’ve been reluctant to make things right. I treat all my things with care, and I’ve had products from much less expensive brands which have never given me any problems. Of course, things can go wrong with any product, the important thing is that the brand do the right thing for its customers. I kind of frustrate myself that LV is still my favourite brand, and I love their items (at least the ones I already own, and especially older items which are of outstanding craftsmanship) but I’ve received customer service a thousand times better from other brands.

 

[Jereni]

Glad that you got it resolved, though it’s a shame that you had to fight for it. Their customer service really is lacking sometimes. It’s really not acceptable that their products develop faults so quickly and they’re not immediately willing to stand behind them. I’ve had it happen with glazing peeling, and they’ve been reluctant to make things right. I treat all my things with care, and I’ve had products from much less expensive brands which have never given me any problems. Of course, things can go wrong with any product, the important thing is that the brand do the right thing for its customers. I kind of frustrate myself that LV is still my favourite brand, and I love their items (at least the ones I already own, and especially older items which are of outstanding craftsmanship) but I’ve received customer service a thousand times better from other brands.

Thanks for your reply. Yeah it’s good that they are making it right in the end, but it does leave an unpleasant taste in the mouth, so to speak.

And like you said, it’s not *because* there was an issue - I’ve been big into Chanel for several years and have haunted those forums enough to know there’s tons of quality issues there and in many luxury brands.

But to have something be defective with barely any use - I don’t expect brands to have no-questions-asked lifetime warranties, but if someone comes in and has their receipt and the bag has obviously barely been touched… just fix the bag, people.

But again - at least they are. And now I know I need to make sure to use an LV bag a bunch in the first 3 months of owning it - the SA alluded to that time period as what they’d normally consider for free repairs.