After getting nowhere with Nike directly, I forwarded my issue to Ellen Roseman of the Toronto Star. Thanks to her help, my complaint was escalated at Nike and I eventually received a satisfactory resolution. I still have issues with a process that only attends to a very squeaky wheel but my hope is that Ms. Roseman's column in today's Toronto Star will cause Nike to think about how they might better administrate their warranty program.
TheStar.com
Business
Nike shoe warranty runs back to plant floor
March 28, 2009
Ellen Roseman
Craig Hirota, a personal trainer, owns two pairs of Nike Free 7.0 running shoes. One was purchased a year ago and the other three months ago.
Both started tearing at a crucial seam and one pair started shedding parts of its sole.
"Keep in mind that I walk a carpeted gym floor in these shoes. I have never used them for trail running or court sports," he says.
He went back to the store, which said he had to call Nike Canada.
That's when he found out that Nike has a two-year warranty going back to the manufacturing date – not the purchase date.
Since his first pair of shoes was manufactured in 2006 – though he bought them brand-new – they didn't qualify for warranty coverage.
Luckily, his second pair of shoes, manufactured in 2008, were covered. But he had to ship them back to Nike at his own expense.
I often hear complaints about warranties running out just ahead of a major repair.
But this is the first time I heard about a warranty clock that starts ticking before you buy the product.
Hirota figured it would take at least 45 days from departure in China until receipt at a Nike warehouse in Ontario.
"Any shoes purchased will likely already be 60 to 90 days into their warranty period before you even have a chance to wear them – and that's at their freshest," he told me.
Jane Shaw, a spokesperson for Nike Canada Corp., said it's always recommended that consumers return their products to the original place of purchase.
"Our return program is set as a backup to our retail partners' return policies," she added.
Nike's customer affairs team contacted Hirota and recommended a different training shoe that would work better than what he bought.
Obviously a good negotiator, he worked out a deal to get 125 per cent of the value of the one pair of shoes still under warranty.
"My reasoning was that the original pair was still useful to walk in," he says.
"Nike was saving me shipping and loss of use by letting me exchange the newer pair at their flagship store in Toronto.
"So rather than a refund for both shoes (200 per cent), I felt a reasonable compromise was 125 per cent."
Nike Canada says on its website that customers with concerns about a recent purchase should go back to the authorized retailer. Most have a guarantee of two to three months and can provide immediate replacement.
Hirota has a couple of suggestions for Nike on its warranty policy.
Customers who have the original receipt – as he did – should be covered for two years from the time of purchase (not manufacturing date).
And if the defect is related to Nike's design or materials, a three-year warranty is more appropriate.
"When paying $120-plus for a pair of shoes, I think it's reasonable to expect them not to fail before they're worn out."
Saturday, March 28, 2009
Monday, March 9, 2009
Pet Peeves and Misconceptions, Part 1
When I first entered the health and fitness industry 20 years ago there were pet peeves and misconceptions but they were more of the gym etiquette variety--things like using the power rack for curls, putting a towel on a piece of equipment to 'hold it' while doing something else, or men wearing spandex pants and tank tops while working out.
Nowadays, there are newer, far more insidious pet peeves and misconceptions that do far more damage than simply irritating other gym users.
Pet Peeve #1
Those that kneel at the altar of "the fat burning zone." Do these people who spend hours every week on the elliptical machine or the stairmaster realize the misinformation on "the fat burning zone" was created over 30 years ago? Study after study has proven that interval training is a far more effective modality for changing body composition than the old, "Fit or Fat" strategy that Covert Bailey prescribed back in 1978.
Pet Peeve #2
People with fat loss goals who don't keep a diet journal. This is literally the simplest step one can take that has proven to be incredibly effective. Write down what you eat and drink and when. Studies have shown that people who keep a diet journal lose twice as much weight as those who don't. source: http://www.ajpm-online.net/article/S0749-3797(08)00374-7/abstract
Pet Peeve #3
Anyone who says their program creates "long muscles". Physiologically impossible. Muscles don't get "longer" or "shorter", they just get bigger or smaller. The length of your muscle bellies is fixed in your DNA. You know what really makes the "long muscle" look? Genetics and a low level of bodyfat. If you don't have long limbs and low bodyfat, you simply aren't going to look like a ballerina. You will look fit and strong and vital and lean but whether or not someone thinks you have long muscles is entirely dependent on your genetics. You know how not to get "long muscles" even if you have the body structure to achieve such a look? Train with light weights and high reps. This pet peeve is closely related to the oft-used saying by the ignorant, "weight training will make you musclebound."
Misconception #1
Mistaking a great workout for a great program. Just about anyone with a modicum of experience in the gym can put a neophyte through a workout that kicks their butt. The problem is, feeling dead tired after a workout and sore to the point of not being able to get out bed the next day is a poor indicator of whether or not the trainer can truly help you reach your long-term goals. Why is the trainer doing what he or she is doing? How does it relate back to your fitness goals? How is progress measured? What is the progression plan and is the program properly periodized? Has your trainer properly assessed your basic movement patterns and mobility? There is a lot more to a successful program than feeling like you need to drag yourself home. Don't fall for the hype, feel isn't always real.
Misconception #2
Relying on thirst to satisfy hydration needs. Relying on thirst to satisfy your body's needs for water is a great way to stay alive but a poor way to meet optimal hydration levels. Drinking more water is always one of the first things I instruct my clients to do. If one is active, up to 3-4 litres a day or more might be required to maintain optimal hydration levels. Metabolism is optimal when hydration is optimal. It's amazing how many clients notice increased perspiration once they start to meet their body's true hydration needs. Others notice reduced hunger or reduced cravings. It is simply amazing how something as simple as drinking more water "turns on a switch" and improves how the body functions.
Nowadays, there are newer, far more insidious pet peeves and misconceptions that do far more damage than simply irritating other gym users.
Pet Peeve #1
Those that kneel at the altar of "the fat burning zone." Do these people who spend hours every week on the elliptical machine or the stairmaster realize the misinformation on "the fat burning zone" was created over 30 years ago? Study after study has proven that interval training is a far more effective modality for changing body composition than the old, "Fit or Fat" strategy that Covert Bailey prescribed back in 1978.
Pet Peeve #2
People with fat loss goals who don't keep a diet journal. This is literally the simplest step one can take that has proven to be incredibly effective. Write down what you eat and drink and when. Studies have shown that people who keep a diet journal lose twice as much weight as those who don't. source: http://www.ajpm-online.net/article/S0749-3797(08)00374-7/abstract
Pet Peeve #3
Anyone who says their program creates "long muscles". Physiologically impossible. Muscles don't get "longer" or "shorter", they just get bigger or smaller. The length of your muscle bellies is fixed in your DNA. You know what really makes the "long muscle" look? Genetics and a low level of bodyfat. If you don't have long limbs and low bodyfat, you simply aren't going to look like a ballerina. You will look fit and strong and vital and lean but whether or not someone thinks you have long muscles is entirely dependent on your genetics. You know how not to get "long muscles" even if you have the body structure to achieve such a look? Train with light weights and high reps. This pet peeve is closely related to the oft-used saying by the ignorant, "weight training will make you musclebound."
Misconception #1
Mistaking a great workout for a great program. Just about anyone with a modicum of experience in the gym can put a neophyte through a workout that kicks their butt. The problem is, feeling dead tired after a workout and sore to the point of not being able to get out bed the next day is a poor indicator of whether or not the trainer can truly help you reach your long-term goals. Why is the trainer doing what he or she is doing? How does it relate back to your fitness goals? How is progress measured? What is the progression plan and is the program properly periodized? Has your trainer properly assessed your basic movement patterns and mobility? There is a lot more to a successful program than feeling like you need to drag yourself home. Don't fall for the hype, feel isn't always real.
Misconception #2
Relying on thirst to satisfy hydration needs. Relying on thirst to satisfy your body's needs for water is a great way to stay alive but a poor way to meet optimal hydration levels. Drinking more water is always one of the first things I instruct my clients to do. If one is active, up to 3-4 litres a day or more might be required to maintain optimal hydration levels. Metabolism is optimal when hydration is optimal. It's amazing how many clients notice increased perspiration once they start to meet their body's true hydration needs. Others notice reduced hunger or reduced cravings. It is simply amazing how something as simple as drinking more water "turns on a switch" and improves how the body functions.
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