Jack's My dog wrote:To this point and the stories I have seen about LL bean, after you brought them to my attention-I think you definitely can cross a line and be taking advantage of a a solid warranty program. The stories of people going to rummage sales and thrift shops and buying second hand with the specific purpose of returning them for an upgrade clearly crosses said line for me. But I guarantee companies that allow this have run the numbers and feel the warranty program benefits their bottom line in one way or another.
I may be mistaken but I think I have heard stories of Dillon helping out second hand owners with warrantying products from time to time as well.
I am sure they have definitely run the numbers and understand the cost of returns and warranty work. That those companies stay around for a ling time says something about their quality and that their liberal return policies will not bankrupt them.
I have worked for a while in engineering for a few manufacturing firms. I am glad I am not the one Okaying warranty work. It is amazing what customers try to get away with.
One of our machines was on a truck bound for Iraq with Saddam's retreating army from Kuwait after the first gulf war. A decision was made to void the warranty on that unit. Another of ours, in a shipping container, went off the side of a ship bound for China. We figured if they were able to make a salvage that that one as well would not be serviced.