Item becomes faulty just outside of warranty period

techno79

Hi. Just over 3 years ago I decided to purchase an expensive (about £50) and high quality wallet with the understanding that they would hugely outlast the cheaper wallets I had been using up until then. However, the wallet has now become faulty (the zipper teeth won't stay locked so zip is useless and things fall out). The wallet lasted as long as cheaper wallets but was 10 times the cost. I wasn't expecting it to last 10 times but lasting the same time is extremely annoying.

I contacted the supplier who basically said it's outside the 3 year warranty and just washed their hands with it. They then have the nerve to say that they hope it hasn't persuaded me from buying another wallet of their brand.

Any product that only lasts 3 years is pretty rubbish. The wallet is an item that is meant to be used daily so it should be designed to last a reasonable length of time.

Anyway, I was looking on this page: https://www.moneysavingexpert.com/insurance/cheap-free-warranties

According to consumer rights, the product must "be of satisfactory quality, fit to do the job intended and last a reasonable length of time". Given I have strong rights for up to 6 years, what can I do? I realise I may not get a favourable outcome but I'm willing to try a few things that wouldn't be a huge time sink.

TIA

bris

Do Armani jeans last longer than Primarks? You pay for the label, quality is a secondary consideration.


You don't have strong rights for up to 6 years, what you have is the right to prove your case by getting an expert to say this is not wear and tear and the fault was inherent at time of purchase. Good luck with that on an item that is used every day.

lincroft1710

Sorry but the most practical thing to do in the circumstances is.......











Buy another wallet, but one which costs less than £50.

unholyangel

You say you contacted the supplier, was that the same party who you purchased the item from?

As a practical solution, have you googled how to fix the zip issue?

techno79

Sorry for delay replying back. I love the general design of the wallet I have as it's perfect for what I need to store in it. I carry about 8 cards with me and the wallet is just big enough to hold these cards, plus folded notes. I've struggled to find a similar design wallet from cheaper price range but I've taken a punt with something vaguely similar. It's less than 1/10th the cost of my current wallet so not expecting it to be high quality but if it can last even a year then it'll be worth it.

Yes, I contacted the same company who made the wallet (Bellroy). The wallet I purchased is this: https://www.amazon.co.uk/Bellroy-Leather-Pocket-Wallet-Steel/dp/B017S4VZ04/

I'll try to see if there is a local shop that would replace the zip, it might be possible and that would be a great solution but otherwise I'll stick with the cheaper wallet.

unholyangel

techno79 wrote: »

Sorry for delay replying back. I love the general design of the wallet I have as it's perfect for what I need to store in it. I carry about 8 cards with me and the wallet is just big enough to hold these cards, plus folded notes. I've struggled to find a similar design wallet from cheaper price range but I've taken a punt with something vaguely similar. It's less than 1/10th the cost of my current wallet so not expecting it to be high quality but if it can last even a year then it'll be worth it.

Yes, I contacted the same company who made the wallet (Bellroy). The wallet I purchased is this: https://www.amazon.co.uk/Bellroy-Leather-Pocket-Wallet-Steel/dp/B017S4VZ04/

I'll try to see if there is a local shop that would replace the zip, it might be possible and that would be a great solution but otherwise I'll stick with the cheaper wallet.

But did you purchase direct from them? If not, their only obligation is the warranty they offered on the terms they offered it. Your contractual & consumer rights are with the party who sold it to you.

Sometimes zips can be fixed rather than replaced. Try googling for whats wrong with it and if its easily fixed, there will likely be a lot of websites/videos showing you how to do it.

techno79

unholyangel wrote: »

But did you purchase direct from them? If not, their only obligation is the warranty they offered on the terms they offered it. Your contractual & consumer rights are with the party who sold it to you.

Sometimes zips can be fixed rather than replaced. Try googling for whats wrong with it and if its easily fixed, there will likely be a lot of websites/videos showing you how to do it.

Bellroy have an Amazon Marketplace presents so I bought it from Bellroy via their Amazon Marketplace store. Either way, it's over 3 years old and out of warranty. I've since seen plenty of videos on YouTube that shows how to fix a zipper that doesn't secure the teeth properly. Going to give this a try, if it works then I'll be really pleased.

techno79

Okay all sorted, I managed to find a YouTube video that described how to fix exactly this problem (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GtXWGDb2ppo). Shame I didn't think about this before I purchased my cheap wallet replacement but I'll keep that as a spare. Tried the fix last night and it worked a treat.

Wallet is wearing away at the corners so may not last more than a year or two anyway but I'm happy with that overall.

Thanks for the help.

unholyangel

techno79 wrote: »

Okay all sorted, I managed to find a YouTube video that described how to fix exactly this problem (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GtXWGDb2ppo). Shame I didn't think about this before I purchased my cheap wallet replacement but I'll keep that as a spare. Tried the fix last night and it worked a treat.

Wallet is wearing away at the corners so may not last more than a year or two anyway but I'm happy with that overall.

Thanks for the help.

Thanks for the update.

To look on the bright side, at least you didn't buy an expensive replacement

techno79

unholyangel wrote: »

Thanks for the update.

To look on the bright side, at least you didn't buy an expensive replacement

Indeed. As I have now learnt, all zips have the same weakness. Overtime the zip will loosen as per video. If you don't use the zip much then you may never see it but zips that are used a lot or in a harsh way (e.g. wallets, purses or holiday luggage) are all likely candidates. An easy fix for such a problem.