Lifetime warranties

+1 I've long thought hi-end hi-fi should explore alternative business models.  Certainly at this level of cash outlay, you can lease a car or even mortgage a house!  I think it makes total sense to lease a hi-fi. They would make money on the financial services, extra warranties, and control the 2nd hand market, which they now loose out on. "Certified Pre-Owned by Naim"  I'm sure some financial services company would also like to get ahold of Naim's customer list. Why not a Naim loyalty credit card?

Maybe someone has tried and has lost their shirts on this, but seems worth a try.

Lifetime warranties have a cost guys. It can be calculated. Since Naim is not catorgorized as a charity for tax purposes my suspicion is that the cost would be passed on to prospective buyers who already whine about the costs that result from the policy of tight parts tolerances, performance repeatability, and ongoing support for older products for which the brand is well known.

Clay,

The OP clearly proposes a Lifetime Warranty as an optional "Product" ie it comes at a cost to the purchaser of the original piece of equipment - nobody else.

Cheers

Don

Yes they do have a cost, but it's also about spreading the risk. If a number of users take up the option, all users will not have to have all replacement pieces, and the cost base is consequently lowered.

Should also bear in Mind this could be marketed as an added value option.

Price and value are 2 distinct and seperate things.

Peace of mind, etc

This is the problem with joining a forum with a bunch of smart people..................they always have an answer. Don, CBR 600 ( I hope you actually own one!) your points are well taken. It's my guess, and my knowledge extends to only to a guess, that even offered in the manner you suggest,it would be very costly for those selecting the option. In addition, I can't help thinking that offering the option, even to some percentage of buyers, would cause Naim to incur some additional production and planning costs of a nature not identifiable to just the warranty choosers but to total production. But at this point I'm going on life experience and intuition. That can go wrong very quickly!

I'm also speaking as an American. As a whole, our cultural tendency is to like more, bigger, and cheaper. We don't like junk but we're happy with good solid value product.Remember, we invented planned obsolescence. Warranties as you discuss might be more saleable in Europe where the concept of fewer possessions but possessions of quality is more commonly accepted.

And I do get the point about that cache that would come to a manufactuer offering a lifetime warranty.

Cheers 

Hi clay, some good comments. Yes I do own a cbr600 and also aBMW R1200gs.

I am a lifelong bike enthusiast (a mature 54), and enjoy the odd sunny day biking.

One of the comparators I was trying to make was around where Naim see their brand. Hopefully as top end kit. When looking at say -- Ferrari, they have some top end cars where you buy the car, but they actualrestating the car and bring it to tracks fr you, etc, and they maintain there top branding with such offerings.

I would certainly have an Interest in buying a lifetime warranty, knowing I could return the amp years later for service/refit to maintain its spec and performance.

Ishave not managed to get o the top 500 series kit yet, but if I had a 17000 amp, I would certainly want to protect its status

On the same vein, they might consider an offering with assured buy back value, which could link ino their upgrade strategy, so you could retain value in your kit as you trade it in the upgrade process.

Lets open our minds to better Naim loyalty options

Clay,

Good points about possible differences between Europe and N America. Perhaps could launch the concept in Europe then expand into N America if there was enough interest ?

Cheers

Don