This week’s Fabulous Friday is about the excellent service by Tumi Japan, where I suddenly faced a dilemma when one wheel of my Tumi cabin bag disintegrated and needed urgent repair.
Even though the wheel was still turning for the time being, it would have made it very difficult to continue traveling to further destinations with this suitcase, which is the only one I’m currently using.
This unfortunate mishap occurred just as I was walking down the jetbridge to my connection flight from Tokyo-Haneda to Osaka-Itami when I suddenly heard a weird cracking noise followed by the repetitive “klack, klack, klack” of a defective wheel turning.
When I inspected the bag as I was putting it into the overhead bin, it became clear that this needed a repair as soon as possible:
After that much time in use and experiencing temperatures from +40 to -20 degrees, the previously soft rubber wheels turned into a consistency of hard plastic over time. No surprise that at some point, this material would fail.
In addition to the broken wheel, which was really a pressing issue, I already had to troubleshoot a broken handle with some power tape earlier this year:
While I was settling in for my short flight I immediately looked up the contact details for Tumi Japan and wrote them an email asking them where I could get this taken care of in Osaka.
The answer came within 30 minutes:
Thank you for contacting us.
If you are in the Osaka area, the only TUMI store that may be able to assist with your repair request is our TUMI Daimaru Shinsaibashi Store.
However, before visiting the store, please be aware of the following:
TUMI suitcase wheels come in various types depending on the model, wheel position, and production specifications.
The store may not have the required replacement wheel in stock for your particular suitcase.
If the necessary part is unavailable, it will need to be ordered from our Repair Center in Fukushima Prefecture.
In some cases, additional damage may be found during inspection. For example, the screw holes inside the suitcase may be broken, or the wheel mounting screws may be damaged.
If the damage is more extensive than expected, the repair may not be possible at the store level and the suitcase may need to be sent to our Repair Center in Fukushima.
Even when handled as urgently as possible, repairs requiring shipment to the Repair Center generally take at least two weeks. Under normal circumstances, repair turnaround times are approximately 6 to 8 weeks.
If you understand and accept the above conditions, please bring your suitcase to the following store for inspection:
TUMI Daimaru Shinsaibashi Store
Daimaru Shinsaibashi Main Building, 6th Floor
1-7-1 Shinsaibashisuji, Chuo-ku, Osaka 542-8501, Japan
Tel: +81-6-6227-8650
Business Hours: 10:00 AM – 8:00 PM
We appreciate your understanding and look forward to assisting you.
Excellent news: This store is literally down the street from the W Osaka, so it was very easy to facilitate this for me. At this point, I was only concerned about the wheels and exchanged a few pictures with the service center.
The service agent was very proactive and professional:
… Thank you very much for sending the photographs and additional information. We appreciate your cooperation and understand how important it is for you to have your luggage repaired as quickly as possible while you continue your travels.
After reviewing the information you provided, we regret to inform you that the replacement wheel for your particular two-wheel carry-on model is not available at the TUMI Daimaru Shinsaibashi Store.
To assist you as quickly as possible, we immediately contacted our Repair Center in Fukushima Prefecture and confirmed that the required wheel parts are currently in stock. We have therefore instructed the Repair Center to ship the necessary replacement parts directly to the Daimaru Shinsaibashi Store.
In addition, based on the photographs you provided, it appears that the top carry handle may also be damaged. To avoid any unnecessary delay, we have asked the Repair Center to arrange the required replacement parts for the handle as well.
According to the Repair Center, the parts are scheduled to be shipped tomorrow. Consequently, the earliest they are expected to arrive at the Daimaru Shinsaibashi Store would be the following day.
For this reason, even if you were to visit the store today, the repair unfortunately could not be completed at this time because the required parts would not yet be available.
Once the parts arrive, the store may be able to provide a quick repair service, depending on the condition of the suitcase and the final inspection performed by the store staff. We have also shared the details of your case with the Daimaru Shinsaibashi Store so that they are aware of the situation in advance.
We sincerely understand that this may not be the immediate solution you had hoped for, especially while traveling. While we are doing everything reasonably possible to expedite the process, there are unfortunately limitations to what we can arrange before the required parts arrive and the suitcase can be inspected in person.
We would be grateful if you would kindly consider bringing the suitcase to the Daimaru Shinsaibashi Store on or after the day the parts arrive. We will continue to do our utmost to support you and help minimize any inconvenience to your travel plans. …
Regarding the repair cost, we have confirmed the following estimated charges with our Repair Center:
Wheel replacement: JPY 7,150 per wheel (JPY 14,300 for two wheels) Top carry handle replacement: JPY 3,300
Therefore, if both wheels and the top carry handle require replacement, the maximum estimated repair cost would be JPY 17,600.
Please note that the final repair requirements and costs can only be confirmed after the suitcase has been inspected in person by the store staff. If fewer parts need to be replaced, the actual cost may be lower than the amount above. …
The general condition of my Tumi (which I purchased ~ 11 years ago) is still excellent, and aside from the wheels / handles, it looks like you just took it from the shelf. I would have no problem whatsoever paying these 17,800 Yen (100 Euro) to fully restore it.
Not only that, but Tumi also shipped a loaner bag to the store, which I would be able to swap out again later in Tokyo just in case this couldn’t be fixed in the store and had to be sent to Fukushima. Excellent service!
The parts arrived 36 hours after my first email to Tumi Japan and I visited the store:
What I didn’t expect is that it wouldn’t be just the wheels to be popped off and replaced but the entire side panels that come with the wheel integrated.
It’s not the center screw in the middle to be removed, as I initially thought, but the eight small, black screws that hold the panel. Once they were taken out, the part was popped off, and the new one added. The shop was short-staffed, and instead of doing the work in the back, I helped the associate a bit, and we did it in the front. The handle was also replaced by removing four screws. All in all, the repair process for everything took 35 minutes.
With this repair, my trusted carry-on should be ready for another decade, provided nothing else, like the telescope handle, breaks down.
Although I was initially quoted 17,800 yen, the service turned out to be free of charge. Amazing!
The service was really good, so I went down to the Gourmet Market and gave a small tip to two store associates from one of the bakery vendors, and they seemed genuinely happy about it.
Conclusion
After a sudden mishap with my Tumi carry-on suitcase where one of the wheels broke, I was seriously blown away by the professional and expedient service of Tumi Japan. This is truly the place to have something like this happen because it couldn’t be any better and is once again proof that spending money on quality luggage is usually worth it, especially when it comes to repairs or in the worst case, compensation by airlines.
This model is no longer being sold by Tumi, and I prefer the two-wheel rollers as they don’t suddenly take off when a shuttle bus or train makes a sudden move.
Maybe the fact that they haven’t sold these for quite a long time contributed to the fact that they were willing to give away the replacement parts for free in order to clear them out.
The Tumi warranty is five years, so this would have been long out. I’d have been happy to pay either way. All in all, 48 hours after I arrived in Osaka, my bag was as good as new and ready to go. First Class Service!