We have always thought Bottega Veneta pieces were investments to last a lifetime, but now the fashion house is proving that is 100 percent the case.
As unrealistic as it may sound, an indefinite guarantee does exist, and Bottega Veneta is its creator.
The Maison has introduced a new service offering customers a ‘Certificate of Craft’ that entails a lifetime warranty for their iconic bags starting in November.
Leo Rongone, CEO of the fashion house, expressed himself by describing the solution as a symbol of their quality:
“Our vision remains consistent with one of our founders. They wanted Bottega Veneta to represent luxury’s most elevated and refined form. We count days, not hours, to make our products. They are designed to last forever”
The “Certificates of craft”: Let’s see how it works
The innovative key to the ‘certificate of craft’ is the free maintenance and repair service.
This model allows anyone who buys a Bottega Veneta bag to keep it forever, as they can update it an infinite number of times.
The certificate will be available in two formats, both physical and digital. There will be a unique correlation based on the bag’s serial number.
To access a repair, the purchaser will only have to present the card handed in at the time of purchase.
The only problem is that to date, there is no retrofit program, and the maintenance system only applies to new objects.
What are the main drivers that pushed the company to follow this path?
Work Ethic: Bottega Veneta’s new mission is to create a vision in which ethics and aesthetics go hand in hand.
The growing commitment to quality and luxury is embodied in a lifetime guarantee program for its bags.
To what advantage? Differentiating itself from other brands, which, preferring profits, created products of increasingly inferior quality that began to deteriorate after only a few years.
Sustainability: This policy testifies to their belief in quality and craftsmanship, but not only, but it is also a way of showing themselves to be more sustainable and interested in protecting the environment, an issue that no one today can afford to leave behind.
Indeed, this solution is a much more sustainable alternative in the luxury fashion industry, ensuring that all bags are used for as long as possible, reducing the need to buy new ones.
Customer Engagement: At Bottega Veneta, a customer is forever.
They will probably sell fewer bags, but by bringing the customer closer to the brand they will be able to make him feel part of a community and offer various ancillary services, which were unthinkable with the new business model.
The community business model is a trend that many brands follow, as it leads the brand to have much more loyal customers, who speak well of the brand and are its advocates.
Is Bottega Veneta the only one that offers a lifetime guarantee?
Hard to answer.
Bottega Veneta is the only luxury brand that offers a true lifetime solution.
Lifetime guarantees’ are an elusive concept that can mean the life of the customer, the product, or the manufacturer. Terms and conditions should make the distinction clear, but sometimes the distinction needs to be better explained.
Many high-end brands guarantee replacements, maintenance, and refunds “for life”, but the life is that of the product (later defined by the brand) and not of the person.
Updatable Digital product passport
Can the digital passport be an improvement?
Unequivocally yes, let’s see why.
The main feature of the MyLime digital passport is its updatability.
It gives the product the skill to have all the events of one’s life certified in Blockchain, making it effectively guaranteed for life.
It makes the information of each asset transparent enhancing the circular economy.
Can it be considered a lifetime guarantee?
Definitely yes.
The reasons are mainly three:
Brand relationship: A system such as a lifetime guarantee is a way for the brand to create a long-lasting relationship with the customer, pro-creative for both.
The digital passport is the best tool to create this kind of relationship as it allows the user to access guaranteed information and has a dedicated customer service that sends information in-app.
Each service will be registered and done at an authorized point, bringing the customer closer to the brand, which will perceive it as a point of reference.
Circular economy: If keeping the good in their ex-new state in the name of a more sustainable world is the goal, the digital passport is the essential tool.
It can be applied to promote (through an incentive system) the registration of as many events as possible relating to the asset life like insurance, maintenance, and change of ownership, ensuring that the state of the asset is always optimal.
Guaranteed second-hand: the buyer, thanks the digital passport and the information written on the Blockchain will always be sure of the state and history of the asset.
It is an incentive for the customer to buy a used asset guaranteed for life.
Conclusion
We generally think of products like watches and jewelry as family heirlooms that are passed down from generation to generation, but now Bottega Veneta wants your handbag to be considered as well. And with the new ‘Certificate of Craft program’, bags will be as good as new, regardless of their age.
Will the digital passport take the heritage experience even further?
We think so.
Let’s get ready for the age of lasting value.
