Zeiss "Lifetime" Warranty - refusal to stand behind its product

[Happy Antelope]

I can assure you Nikon hasn't gone out of business and where did you get the information that some Meopta optics are assembled in Phillipines and China?

Sorry should have been more clear, Nikon Rifle Scopes is gone sorry.

 

[Happy Antelope]

Worth a read also regarding their warranty.

https://rokslide.com/forums/threads/zeiss-warranty.261890/

 

[Thinkingman]

Sorry should have been more clear, Nikon Rifle Scopes is gone sorry.

True.
For the record, I received excellent responsiveness and compensation from Nikon last year when I had an issue with a Monarch riflescope.
I've been using their Monarch line for 20 years and it's the first time I've had to use their warranty.
I wouldn't hesitate to buy their HG binos.

 

[Summitdog]

Worth a read also regarding their warranty.

https://rokslide.com/forums/threads/zeiss-warranty.261890/

Happy Antelope, that’s fine that some people have had good experiences with Zeiss warranty and repair. My experience (as well as several others) was very different.

Zeiss does make great optics. That is one reason why I have over $9,000 of Zeiss optics. Nonetheless, I imagine you can understand my disappointment the first time I request warranty/service.


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[Happy Antelope]

True.
For the record, I received excellent responsiveness and compensation from Nikon last year when I had an issue with a Monarch riflescope.
I've been using their Monarch line for 20 years and it's the first time I've had to use their warranty.
I wouldn't hesitate to buy their HG binos.

That's great to know and super cool I thought maybe they weren't doing anything.

 

[Summitdog]

They are not doing anything of value. As I noted, they offered to sell me lower end optics at a “deal price” that is higher than what I would pay with my “Pro Deals”.


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[SomeJackassOnAForum]

It doesn't take a high IQ to understand that Zeiss is taking the low road in handling these types of warranty claims. "Lifetime" is easy to understand.....it means lifetime, forever, period. If they do not want to say Lifetime, and not mean Lifetime, they need to include an asterisk or better yet elaborate on what Lifetime means to them so there's no misunderstanding. This isn't that hard to say "lifetime of the product cycle" or such.

Zeiss ranks right up there with Bass Pro Shops in screwing customers out of the warranty coverage they were originally sold.

I mean, the word "Limited" is right in front of the word "Lifetime"

 

[Summitdog]

"Limited" does not mean that the manufacturer can set arbitrary limits as it suits the interest of the manufacturer. The Zeiss terms ad conditions n relevant section section:

ZEISS Sports Optics Optical Systems are warranted against defects in workmanship and materials for the life of the Product, with the exception of the Limited Warranty Conditions listed below. The Optical System means (a) all the components between and inclusive of the optic’s objective and ocular lens. (emphasis added).

The "Limits" to the warranty are:

Conditions not covered under this warranty:
• Accidental damage.
• Normal wear and tear.
• Damage determined to have been caused by unauthorized repair or modification, misuse, abuse, neglect, failure to follow the product instructions or user guide, or improper lens care.
• Damage caused by natural disasters, acts of terrorism

The issue with my ocular is that material from inside the fully sealed ocular, probably grease that was used by Zeiss, formed a spot on the lens withing the ocular. At no point did Zeiss ever assert that the ocular was "damaged".

Wear and tear: Wear and tear can be defined further as deterioration that can be reasonably expected to occur. Joe Israel acknowledged that the condition of my ocular was not what one would reasonably expect to occur with such a high end optic. Nonetheless, Zeiss is steadfast in not honoring the Limited Lifetime Warranty.

See Zeiss' Terms and Conditions attached.

 

[Macintosh]

Not one word about what they expect or interpret the “life of the product” to be. In other words…we have NO IDEA what their warranty period actually is based on all those words. Quantifying that expectation would solidify it for me. Without quantifying what the life of the product is expected to be they are free to arbitrarily interpret it (and change their interpretation any time they want). So they can market a “limited lifetime warranty” without actually making any concrete commitment to a customer. Im sure in many cases they err on the side of the customer, but despite a fancy-sounding “policy” there is hardly anything resembling a concrete commitment should any real problem arise. Sounds like a pile of hot air to me.

 

[Rob5589]

"Limited" and "life of the product," seemingly give them an out. Unfortunately for the consumer, only Zeiss knows what that is.

 

[JGRaider]

Bottom line it's a bush league move by Zeiss. It's no wonder Swaro has been kicking their assses for decades now.

 

[nobody]

This has been interesting to follow. Unfortunately, from what I’ve seen in my own life, not surprising at all. I used to hunt with a guy who had some older discontinued Zeiss binos, and they needed some TLC. He tried for over a year to get zeiss to even talk to him and was continuously met with radio silence. Multiple emails, voicemails, and requests were ignored for a long time. I have no idea if he ever got them to take care of him, but I wasn’t impressed with their “customer service.” It soured me on them for sure.

It’s disappointing that the “Big 3” are riddled with such spotty customer service track records. I’ve never been so burned on a warranty claim (actually a defective product out of the box and sent back on day 1 of ownership) as I was by Swaro. Then add in the horror stories from Zeiss and Leica that are so common it makes a guy think twice about his “alpha” purchases. Warranties don’t do you any good on the hill, I’m a firm believer in that. But mechanical devices fail from time to time, and having the peace of mind that a company will take care of you means a lot. And it seems like it’s more and more common the “alpha” companies are looking for loopholes to avoid taking care of people anymore.

Good luck to the OP, it sucks to feel like your money is just being shredded before your eyes.

 

[Winnie]

Just an idea on my part, but I wonder if these companies put Lifetime warranty language in with the best of intentions. Then pressure comes to be more profitable. Then some head warranty guy is hired who sees a way to lessen warranty claims and make himself look better so he creates a culture of ducking claims. The bottom line improves (at least temporarily) and he is looked upon favorably by the company. Not saying this directed towards any company in particular, but in general. I think the pressure of profits and shareholder return are trumping areas they shouldn't be trumping!

 

[fatlander]

I think the issue comes with companies that market their products as the absolute best on the market, built to last a lifetime, with a serious financial investment from the customer.

If this was a 500 bushnell scope, lasting 7 years then a limited lifetime warranty would be fine. We’re talking about a scope that costs more than the most Americans bring home in a month.

No one buys top tier glass expecting it to fail. If you did, you could save yourself some money and buy a vortex. I plan on keeping my swaro’s for decades, and I know swaro NA will take care of me.


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[Thinkingman]

They are not doing anything of value. As I noted, they offered to sell me lower end optics at a “deal price” that is higher than what I would pay with my “Pro Deals”.


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Nikon?
I got full retail value(almost twice what I paid for the scope) to use in their online store. When I politely asked for a check instead, I had it in a week.

 

[Matt G.]

This is the stuff that scares me. You finally pony up to top tier optics expecting them be best optics quality and if fail or you do something stupid, you could get them fixed at a reasonable cost. I don't have zeiss but 1 part of me wants to sell the top tier and buy mid tier so it can just be replaced. I could also buy two pairs for just this 1 pair of binos.

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[Bluumoon]

OP if it is a transferable lifetime warranty I’ll give you a few $ for the spotter and take them to claims here. I live in bumble, would love to see Zeiss send someone out here.

 

[Trial153]

Maybe just me but I think that lifetime warranty on things like optics, fly rods, clothing, packs Ect Ect have inflated prices and overall hurt more people then they help. Most things optics include have a useable life span.

 

[big44a4]

Maybe just me but I think that lifetime warranty on things like optics, fly rods, clothing, packs Ect Ect have inflated prices and overall hurt more people then they help. Most things optics include have a useable life span.

Just to play the other side:

How many years or looks through a set of binos should you get before they are no longer usable? Can you use “years” if joe blow uses his every day and Billy Bob only uses his one week out of the year? Same for a rifle scope sitting in the gun safe for 350 days out of the year. It’s not a tire on a vehicle or electronics on a rangefinder. Too many variables to appropriately give a usable life for optics without electronics. Sure you can GUESS wear and tear etc to come up with a rough number.

 

[Trial153]

Just to play the other side:

How many years or looks through a set of binos should you get before they are no longer usable? Can you use “years” if joe blow uses his every day and Billy Bob only uses his one week out of the year? Same for a rifle scope sitting in the gun safe for 350 days out of the year. It’s not a tire on a vehicle or electronics on a rangefinder. Too many variables to appropriately give a usable life for optics without electronics. Sure you can GUESS wear and tear etc to come up with a rough number.

Play devils advocate with the guy that sends his vortex in every 5 years hoping for a replacement. And then explain that to the other 9 guys that paid 1500 for a pair of 800 binoculars be cause a company needs to stay afloat and cover the margin losses on life time no question asked warranties.