Quality vs ...?

So, today when I got back from my run today I realized just how long these have been with me and how well they have lasted. Brooks Aquator 1/4 Zip and tights.

I purchased these at an RMP sale 20 years ago when I was training for the Around The Bay Race.

20 years of rain, sleet, snow, salt - Running, and Cycling. The zippers, front and back, have never failed. No holes anywhere not even on the seams. No calls to customer service, no complaints.

Now, over the last few years, I have purchased some items online that did not work or had issues that developed where I had to call Customer Service. Broken zippers and seams coming apart. Electronics that have not worked properly or are not compatible due to descriptions being inaccurate.

The answer I get is usually favourable and simple. They issue a prepaid label, I send it back to get a refund or sometimes they offer to repair it.

That’s great but sometimes I end up not buying from the online merchant or even the brand for a while

So I take time to repack the package and label it, hop in the car drive to the depot drop of the package where another truck takes it to somewhere…too possibly somewhere else, then… Who am I kidding, I am not sure where it ends up after that but I do know that this can’t be great for Carbon reduction initiatives.

So what's the solution?

EASY - > BUILD BETTER PRODUCTS - > BUY BETTER PRODUCTS!!

"You may say I am a dreamer, but I’m not the only one, I hope someday you’ll join us”

Have a great weekend! Jeremy