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Analysis of Luggage Customer Complaints and Professional Procurement Guide
2025-09-19
Luggage is an essential travel item, and its quality, functionality, and design directly impact the consumer's travel experience and brand reputation. For professional purchasers, deeply understanding the pain points and concerns of end consumers is key to making successful procurement decisions. This article will provide a comprehensive analysis of luggage procurement from two dimensions: consumer complaint focus points and professional procurement considerations.
Part 1: The Six Most Common Luggage Customer Complaints
Consumers are the best inspectors of products. Their complaints collectively reflect the weaknesses in product design, production, and quality control. The main complaints include:
Wheel Problems (Most Common)
Complaints: Wheels not rolling smoothly, loud noise, prone to jamming, or even falling off or breaking completely during travel.
Root Cause: Poor wheel material (e.g., hard plastic), rough bearing structure, insecure installation. The flexibility and durability of multi-directional spinner wheels (360° rotating) are paramount.
Telescopic Handle Problems
Complaints: Handle sticks or is jerky when extending/retracting, doesn't lock at the desired height after pressing the button, feels loose and wobbly, or even breaks entirely.
Root Cause: Insufficient strength of handle material (e.g., poor-quality aluminum alloy), faulty internal spring mechanism, thin tube walls, flawed structural design at the connection point with the suitcase body.
Shell Damage
Hard Shell: Cracks, dents, or even complete shattering upon impact or pressure, especially at the corners.
Soft Shell: Fabric tears, seam splitting, ruptures at the connection points with the hard frame.
Root Cause: Material lacks impact resistance/abrasion resistance (e.g., inferior ABS, weak fabric), unreasonable shell structure design, lack of reinforced protection on corners.
Lock and Zipper Failures
Complaints: Combination lock fails and won't open, TSA lock jams; zipper doesn't close tightly, puller comes off, or the zipper bursts open under stress, spilling contents.
Root Cause: Low precision in the lock's internal mechanism; poor zipper material (e.g., non-brand zippers), zipper size mismatched with suitcase size (small zipper on a large case).
Internal Structure and Accessory Issues
Complaints: Cheap lining fabric, rough stitching, torn dividers, broken tie-down straps, damaged accessory pouch zippers.
Root Cause: Manufacturers use inferior materials and craftsmanship for internal details to reduce costs, assuming "unseen areas" can be compromised.
Lack of Design and Practicality
Complaints: Suitcase is too heavy itself, inefficient compartmentalization, lack of external quick-access pockets, uncomfortable handles, inability to stand upright.
Root Cause: Product design is disconnected from actual usage scenarios, sacrificing functionality for appearance.
Part 2: Key Focus Areas for Professional Procurement
As a buyer or procurement specialist, your task is not just to find products, but to find products that strike the best balance between cost, quality, and market acceptance. When procuring hard-shell cases, carry-ons, and soft-sided luggage, you should systematically focus on the following issues:
I. Core Universal Concerns (Regardless of Hard or Soft Shell)
Market and Positioning First:
Who is the target audience? (Business travelers, students, families, luxury travelers?)
What is the sales channel? (Online, offline, gifts?)
What is the price positioning? (Value, mid-range, premium?)
Once positioned, all procurement decisions should revolve around it.
Materials and Craftsmanship are the Foundation:
Hard Shell: Study material properties deeply.
ABS: Low cost, high hardness, but brittle, prone to cracking in cold temperatures.
PC: Excellent flexibility, lightweight, impact-resistant, the mainstream choice for mid-to-high end.
PC+ABS: Balances flexibility and hardness, a cost-effective option.
Aluminum-Magnesium Alloy: High-end, sturdy, stylish, but heavy, prone to scratches, high cost.
Soft Shell: Focus on fabric quality.
Oxford Fabric: Abrasion-resistant, tear-resistant, good value.
Nylon (e.g., Cordura): Lightweight, high strength, excellent abrasion resistance.
Polyester: Common, performance depends on yarn density and coating (process).
Craftsmanship: Check for even seams, burrs, and the durability of prints/coatings.
Scrutinize Key Components:
Wheels: Prioritize silent spinner wheels. Confirm brands , test smoothness and quietness. Check wheel material, TPE/TPU rubber wheels are superior to hard plastic wheels, offering better wear resistance and shock absorption.
Telescopic Handle: Test lifting and lowering dozens of times; it must be smooth without sticking and have minimal wobble. Aluminum alloy is the preferred material, with sufficient thickness.
Zippers: YKK is a guarantee of quality. Check zipper smoothness and how tightly the teeth mesh. Large cases must be equipped with large-size, high-strength zippers.
Locks: Must have official certifications (e.g., TSA locks for US routes). Test the feel of operation for reliability.
Structural Design and Functionality:
Check if the shell structure is neat and if R-angles (corners) have reinforced protection.
Assess the material and workmanship of internal compartments, lining, straps, and buckles.
Is the design user-friendly? Features like expansion systems, front pockets, wet/dry bags, laptop sleeves.
Supplier Evaluation and Compliance:
Factory Audit: Evaluate production lines, QC processes, R&D capability, and social responsibility (labor rights).
Certifications and Qualifications: Check product quality inspection reports to ensure materials are non-toxic and harmless (e.g., RoHS certification).
Minimum Order Quantity (MOQ), Lead Time, Payment Terms: Core elements of commercial negotiation.
After-Sales Service: Clarify procedures for defective products and restocking cycles.
II. Category-Specific Concerns
Procuring Hard-Shell Luggage:
Focus on impact resistance (request drop test, tumble test videos from suppliers).
Check surface finish: plain, matte, glossy, micro-diamond texture, etc., and susceptibility to scratches.
Seal tightness and uniformity of gaps after the case is closed.
Procuring Carry-Ons / Cabin Luggage:
Dimensions must strictly comply with IATA and airline carry-on standards.
Weight is critical; prioritize ultra-light materials (like pure PC).
Portability: Comfort of handholds, inclusion of a removable shoulder strap.
Procuring Soft-Sided Luggage (Fabric):
Pay attention to the performance of water-resistant and stain-resistant coatings on the fabric (request water spray test videos).
Check stitching: is it neat, dense, and uniform (stitch density), especially are stress points reinforced?
Compared to hard shells, pay more attention to its deformability; test if the case bulges or deforms unnaturally when fully packed.
Conclusion
For procurement experts, an excellent piece of luggage is the culmination of precise market positioning, rigorous materials science, excellent industrial design, and strict quality control. Successful procurement starts with a deep insight into consumer pain points and is achieved through precise control of every link in the supply chain. Only in this way can one procure luggage products that win market reputation and bring commercial value.
Company Name: Dongguan DWL Travel Products Co., Ltd.
Address: Room 203, 303, No. 11, Guansui Road (Zhongtang Section), Zhongtang Town, Dongguan City, Guangdong Province, China.
Contact Person: SherryPhone: +86 13926878219
Email: Sherry@dg-tivoli.com
Website:https://www.dwluggage.com
Business: Producer & Designer of luxury travel case & luggage systems You are also welcome for product showing & cooperation talking.
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