No More Lifetime Returns at LL Bean

[notadoc]

"Increasingly, a small, but growing number of customers has been interpreting our guarantee well beyond its original intent. Some view it as a lifetime product replacement program, expecting refunds for heavily worn products used over many years. Others seek refunds for products that have been purchased through third parties, such as at yard sales," Gorman said. "Based on these experiences, we have updated our policy."

Same reason as REI

http://www.businessinsider.com/ll-bean-kills-lifetime-return-policy-2018-2

 

[hightower]

Yeah, I think it's sad people can't behave with a little more integrity.  Seems to be a lot more greedy a**holes these days.  Obviously LL Bean and REI started these return programs as a "show of good faith" to highlight their commitment to bringing quality products to people.  They sort of expected people to behave like reasonable adults and not just try to take advantage of them.  The honor system apparently means nothing anymore and that's kind of sad.

[jz]

Primo  example of elitism. The original  policy reveals that LL Bean executives live in a happy little bubble,  unexposed to the ruffians beneath them.

[G]

I had a friend of a friend who literally returned his skis every year to REI because he "didn't like the way they skied" or somesuch nonsense.  I find that REI is still liberal about accepting returns for non-ridiculous reasons.

[MPMD]

Don't blame them at all.

I returned a 6 or 7 year old Patagonia R4 and they were super cool about it, but apparently they had a lot of the same issues with that piece.

Also returned a backpack I had in college to Eddie Bauer for a zipper failure.

I do love my Bean Boots though, and I was wearing them way before it was cool, and I'll wear them long after it isn't cool anymore.  

[jfoxcpacfp]

Yep, I got my notice this morning. I guess Eddie Bauer is the only retailer that I know of that still honors lifetime returns. Once again, the actions of a tiny minority (with no scruples) ruin a good thing for the vast majority.

[Rando]

jfoxcpacfp wrote:

Yep, I got my notice this morning. I guess Eddie Bauer is the only retailer that I know of that still honors lifetime returns. Once again, the actions of a tiny minority (with no scruples) ruin a good thing for the vast majority.

Click to expand...

Orvis still has a 100% lifetime guarantee as well.  I had a leather jacket that had the lining wear out after a few years (quite a bit more rapidly than I'd expect, it's not like I was bull-riding with it on) and they cheerfully exchanged it for a new one.

[Kamban]

Same reason Costco changed its policy.

[spiritrider]

jz wrote:

Primo  example of elitism. The original  policy reveals that LL Bean executives live in a happy little bubble,  unexposed to the ruffians beneath them.

Click to expand...

Nice theory if it wasn't totally backwards.

Your so called "ruffians" are the ones who used the policy as intended. The working classes valued the quality of LL Bean products and appreciated what they essentially considered a flexible extended warranty policy.

So they might return a product after 2-3 years that failed to live up to their experience that an LL Bean product should last several years to decades.

As someone who has lived in Northern New England for several decades. I can tell you that 3-4 generations of family, friends, and acquaintances who would more likely cut off their legs than abuse LL Beans generous policy.

Now on the other hand after LL Bean started getting trendy, I can't begin to tell the times that six-figure colleagues and their wives boasting about abusing LL Bean's policy. I can only imagine the abuse rendered by hipster Millennials.

P.S. Yesterday morning I used my LL Bean Boots purchased more than 4 decades ago to snowblow my driveway. Sitting in my LL Bean slip-on Storm Chasers as I write this.

[Craigy]

Kamban wrote:

Same reason Costco changed its policy.

Click to expand...

http://fortune.com/2018/01/11/woman-returns-dead-christmas-tree/

[jz]

@spiritrider, It was a failed policy.  Res ipsa loquitur.  We can quibble about the reason it was a failure. I say LL Bean execs are bubble dwellers who don't understand human nature.   What say you?

[artemis]

Once again, dishonesty and greed ruin something good.

Returning an item because it's defective and failed prematurely or because after you tried it a few times in the field you realized it's not going to meet your needs is one thing.  But returning an item because you just plain wore it out, or because it doesn't fit any more because you gained/lost weight, that's simply wrong.

[spiritrider]

What says I.

Well, I am certainly not impressed with someone who quotes Latin to try and make a point about bubble dwelling elitists.

You are absolutely right. There is no reason to quibble about a reason for a failure that does not exist. A policy that defines a brand for a century and allows them to grow to a substantial iconic business is not a failure because of a minority of customers without honor or integrity.

Also, just how are LL Bean executives living in a happy little bubble? The only reason for this thread is because they determined that the policy is no longer the best choice.

The only failure here is that of your premise.

 

[wideopenspaces]

LL Bean is trendy? Like in an ironic, normcore kind of way?

[Ryan]

Reminds of of this guy trying to return a table tennis table

• https://consumerist.com/2010/02/23/even-costcos-return-policy-has-limits/

Was this guy wrong to try to return a rusted 10-year-old outdoor table tennis table? Should the lifespan be > 10 years?