Except when it's not. If the warranty "lifetime" and reads like "free replacement if they ever break, crack, or fail", then expecting to be able to use that war

Except when it's not. If the warranty "lifetime" and reads like "free replacement if they ever break, crack, or fail", then expecting to be able to use that warranty is fine. Really, I'd expect the warranty to be more like "free replacement due to defects in material, assembly, or craftsmanship; excludes natural wear, abuse, natural disaster, fire, …". The department store, Nordstrom, has a reputation for "no questions asked; no management approval needed" policy. They're reputed to pay for professional cleaning if someone spills something on you in their café (in addition to the usual apologies and maybe free meal/dessert some eateries might do), and allow free replacement of things bought any amount of time ago (even if obviously something they never sold). They seem to account for it all in higher prices. Yes, I would regard "exchanging" an old coat from another store there as abusive, but by all accounts given to me, they see as a cost of being so accommodating that people become diehard fans.