A Yelp Review on a Blog

Let's have a positive story today, shall we?

This is a photo of my spiffy new Eddie Bauer travel bag.  Half rolling luggage, half duffel bag.   Very neat.

And it comes with a story.

I've had good success with Eddie Bauer luggage in the past.   My huge rolling suitcase lasted me almost 20 years.   The first 15 years of that tenure came with cross country travel every six weeks.   It held up beautifully.   The last five years, however, showed us the results of that wear and tear.   It got indented this way.   It got indented that way.   Beat up like an alley mugging.

Last September, I was returning from NY and the final blow came as my bag came down the conveyor belt at LAX.   The handle you pull on to roll the suitcase was...well...not there anymore.

It was time.

I first went to an Eddie Bauer store to see what constituted as luggage these days.   There was nothing like my old bag, but what you see above would be perfect.   

To take advantage of my Eddie Bauer membership status and a 40 percent off sale, I ordered it on-line in December.

In late January, it had its maiden voyage on a trip to NY.   I loved the item.   It was easier to manage.   It seemed lighter even though I was able to seemingly cram more clothes in there.

I was smitten.

When I got back home, I started to unpack.   I opened one of the zippers to the back compartment.    An 8 x 10 card fell out.

Homeland Security had been there.

I tried to unzip the other zipper and it would not open.   The inner lining had been caught in the mechanism probably when TSA was trying to close the bag.  The result was a five inch tear in said lining.

I was heartsick.   It was just one trip and the luggage was already damaged.

I called Eddie Bauer customer service mainly to find out their suggestions for how to have the rip mended.   Imagine my surprise when...

...they offered to replace the bag at no cost if I simply returned it to an Eddie Bauer store.

I was dumbfounded.   And so grateful.   Oh, sure, the manager of the store was a little snarky with me because they don't like to process returns from items bought on-line.  But, nevertheless, I was an Eddie Bauer customer for years.   I will now continue to do so now for decades.   

BTW, the photo above is of the new bag in my possession.   Now if only Homeland Security could be a little gentler...

Dinner last night:  Leftover pasta and salad.