Alpina answers my question

[Rodbelan]

Sheesh. So they basically said: “thank you for choosing Alpina boots. We are not sorry that the boots don’t last. Good luck shopping.”

Good luck shopping... elsewhere indeed...

[phoenix]

A very poor response to be sure. For a more responsible reply, I would call the North American distributor customer service/warranty department, as actually talk to someone who, I'm sure, has fielded the question many times. I seem to recall they were pretty reasonable when I used to call about issues in my retail days.

Not sure it would have any result, but may not be as cold as the email response.

[Jurassien]

EDIT: "Now ya see me, now ya don't!"

"Aww, tough shit, man. Just go and buy another of our boots. We've got plenty more that break like that".

[GrimSurfer]

"Aww, tough shit, man. Just go and buy another of our boots. We've got plenty more that break like that".

[JohnSKepler]

A very poor response to be sure. For a more responsible reply, I would call the North American distributor customer service/warranty department, as actually talk to someone who, I'm sure, has fielded the question many times. I seem to recall they were pretty reasonable when I used to call about issues in my retail days.

Not sure it would have any result, but may not be as cold as the email response.

Keep in mind, this is likely not a native English speaker. Might even have put it through Google Translate. I don't know why the whole world doesn't just deep-6 their native tongue and just adopt English. It'd save so much time.

means: I'm kidding!. About English, that is. Translating can lower the temperature of any conversation.

[phoenix]

";) means: I'm kidding!. About English, that is. Translating can lower the temperature of any conversation."

Agreed. What I'm suggesting is that an actual verbal conversation might not be as abrasive as the translated email.

[Krummholz]

It seems to me they are saying “depends on the country and/or dealer where you bought it”. I don’t see if you ever posted the name of the business you bought it from. Have you contacted them?

Here in the US it can be either the business of purchase or the manufacturer. For some products I see in the documentation “Don’t take it back to where you bought it, call us (manufacture) if there is a problem.

[Jurassien]

Keep in mind, this is likely not a native English speaker........Translating can lower the temperature of any conversation.

"Oh, hudo sranje, stari. Samo pojdi in kupi še enega od naših škornjev. Imamo jih še veliko, ki se tako zlomijo."

[GrimSurfer]

";) means: I'm kidding!. About English, that is. Translating can lower the temperature of any conversation."

Agreed. What I'm suggesting is that an actual verbal conversation might not be as abrasive as the translated email.

A $20 voucher speaks in a universal language. Ha ha

The thing that surprises me (though it shouldn’t) is the casualness of the brush off. A really over the top response would have, perhaps, acknowledged the customer’s concern, expressed some sort of interest in doing better next time, maybe asked for the boots to be returned to the retailer (for onward transmission to the distributor for failure analysis) and some small token (redeemable on next purchase of an Alpina boot).

I know this is crazy, but it’s not like Alpina is catering to the entire level-low end. Granted, they’re not a custom boot maker from Verbier, but legends are created when companies show they care.

Anything Gortex has an almost forever warranty (I’ve returned leaking stuff over a decade later for some kind of exchange). It boggles the mind.

A had a pair of Rossi boots split after a few weeks of use. They were low end and I knew it, so I didn’t bother. But if either of my Alpinas prematurely went (~ 3 years is my expectation), I’d be kinda pissed. Not “jihad pissed” but enough to take an extended break from the brand.

[“depends on the country and/or dealer where you bought it”… well, I bought it in Kabul and for this transgression my beliefs require the loss of a hand. Ha ha]

It takes a dollar to keep a customer, ten bucks to win them back. There’s gotta be a better response than essentially “tough break, Chief”.

[JohnSKepler]

";) means: I'm kidding!. About English, that is. Translating can lower the temperature of any conversation."

Agreed. What I'm suggesting is that an actual verbal conversation might not be as abrasive as the translated email.

A $20 voucher speaks in a universal language. Ha ha

We still don't know how old these boots are, or to what horrors they may have been subjected. The Alaska has been around for awhile...

Ref:

@Rodbelan , Alpina has a number of boots. Which one is this, or did I miss it? How old is the broken item?

Alaska