FREEPORT, ME (WBTW) – Friday morning, L.L. Bean Executive Chairman Shawn Gorman emailed customers regarding an update to the company’s long-standing replacement program. The letter was posted to the company’s Facebook page and the new return policy is getting mixed reviews from customers.
“Since 1912, our mission has been to sell high-quality products that inspire and enable people to enjoy the outdoors,” the letter begins, “…Increasingly, a small, but growing number of customers has been interpreting our guarantee well beyond its original intent.”
L.L. Bean has long been known for its promise to replace a defective product over the course of the item’s life, but leaders in the company say a select few are taking advantage of that promise. The letter goes on to explain that some consumers expect refunds for “heavily worn products used over many years” or refunds for products bought at yard sales or other third party outlets.
Gorman says the company has updated its return policy based on the abuse of a small portion of customers.
“Customers will have one year after purchasing an item to return it, accompanied by proof of purchase,” the letter confirms. “After one year, we will work with our customers to reach a fair solution if a product is defective in any way.”
Gorman says the updated return policy still stands as “one of the best guarantees in retail.”
An hour after the letter was posted to Facebook, more than 700 people have commented on the change.
“I completely understand this decision, but it still makes me a little sad,” comments Cathy.
Others were not so understanding of the change.
“Looks like you just lost a lifetime customer. This policy was the only thing that kept me coming to LLBean,” posts Heather. “I paid higher prices for the piece (sic) of mind that if it broke in a time I thought it shouldn’t that I could return it. Without this policy its (sic) totally not worth paying your inflated prices for sub par quality.”
Read L.L. Bean’s return policy online.