One of John Edmunds’ new American Tourister bags is defective. Does he have to ship it to Texas at his expense, or can he get an exchange?
Question
Last summer, I bought two pieces of American Tourister luggage: a 24-inch and a 28-inch Pirouette NXT.
On the second trip with the luggage, the stitching that holds the zipper mechanism to the luggage frame started pulling loose on the 24-inch piece of luggage. Suspecting this was a manufacturing defect, I went to the American Tourister website for a resolution.
Apparently, my only option is to ship the luggage to San Antonio, Texas, the nearest repair facility, at my cost.
I’ve checked with UPS and FedEx and it will be over $50 to ship the luggage to San Antonio, mainly due to the size. I feel like I should not have to pay this exorbitant cost to have a manufacturing defect repaired.
I’ve tried to contact American Tourister via its website to pursue a solution, with no success. Can you help me get this luggage defect repaired? — John Edmunds, Oklahoma City
Answer
The Pirouette is a well-reviewed softside spinner that should have lasted more than two trips. I can’t find any reports of a similar problem on this model, but you may have received a defective bag.
The best way to avoid this problem is to carefully inspect the bag before you buy it (if you buy it in a store). Take a look at the stitches, the wheels, and the handle. Make sure everything looks normal. You might have spotted the problem before you left the store. (Related: Problem with luggage: I waited too long to file a claim with my airline!)
But let’s say you ordered the luggage online and only discovered the problem after your second trip. Good thing American Tourister has a 10-year warranty that guarantees all its products against any manufacturing defects.
This issue with your American Tourister luggage is probably a one-off (then again, maybe not). I’ve covered the luggage industry for decades, and I can tell you that if any manufacturer made luggage that fell apart after two trips, they’d be out of business in no time. (Related: Do you have luggage rage? Here’s how to know — and what to do about it.)
The question is, should you have to pay $50 to ship the luggage to Texas? Maybe. If you’d had your American Tourister luggage for a few years, then sending it over might be a reasonable request. But this luggage was brand new, and I think the company should have considered replacing it with a new bag. I publish a guide on how to resolve any consumer dispute on my advocacy site, Elliott.org.
I contacted American Tourister on your behalf. A representative reached out to you and offered to exchange your defective bag for a new one at no additional cost to you.
