Liberty sport Lifetime warranty?

[rdcoach5]

What happened to the lifetime warranty? Used to be , in the very rare case a Liberty sport frame broke, we sent it back to the lab and they replaced it -at no charge. Now ,we have to ship it back to Liberty at our cost,$5.95 and pay Liberty a handling fee of $19.95 plus another shipping fee of $5.95. What happened?

[DragonLensmanWV]

One of the many reasons I stopped using Liberty - they are now giving you the same exact warranty they give the end user. And haven't you had someone come in yet where they've seen the exact same frame at WM for the same price as you buy them from Liberty?

[bob66hall]

Some companies play fast & loose with "lifetime warranty" offers. Sooner or later, their CPA takes notice, reminds them of GAAP (Generally Accepted Accounting Principles), and points out the proper financial reserves they must book to recognize such lifetime warranty exposures. For example, 7eye offers a limited lifetime warranty on its NXT lenses, against breakage. But that warranty is backed by PPG, a $15B NYSE company...so it has real meaning. 7eye frames carry a prudent one-year warranty, which makes sense in the "real" world of GAAP, and is an honest approach...no marketing "puffery" about unrealistic warranties that will cause heartache for retailer and manufacurer alike down the road. My advice? Beware claims that are too good to be true, and the companies that boast them!

[PAkev]

Had a similar experience with Costa Del Mar sunglasses and now they also impose a $19.95 minnimum charge. My biggest peave is that in their advertising they convey their lifetime warranty covers accidental wearer induced damage but when the customer sends them in they decline responsibility of the warranty saying the damage was not caused by a manufacturers defect; therefore imposing an additional significant cost on the patient for repair/replacement. Guess the warranty folks were on vacation when the marketing folks let that horse loose.

In many cases (not all) a "lifetime" warranty is an excuse not to make a product with the highest quality standards in the first place.

With exception:
Remember DIAMONEX lenses ... circa late 80's ?
I found them to be a great product and almost as indestructable as advertised. However I believe their "Lifetime" warranty is what put them under. From my observation, consumers believed they had made an extra investment for the quality as their lenses truly held up to scratching. Therefore folks believed they get more mileage out of their eyewear and also knew the "lifetime" RX warranty could be exercised if they needed replacement. However the biggest looser in all this was Diamonex and retailers as we missed the purchase cycle of many diamonex consumers.


Moral of Story......Lifetime Warranties may be a short term marketing hook but don't really benefit retailers or manufacturers over the long term.

[bob66hall]

Could not agree with you more! Better to bring attention to true features of quality, and as you say, beware the claims of the marketing folks!