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Henry Krinkle

(208 posts) Fri Feb 9, 2018, 12:14 PM Feb 2018

This is why we can't have nice things - LL Bean changing its return policy [View all]

Can't say I blame them one bit.

FREEPORT, Maine (AP) — L.L. Bean’s generous return policy is going to be a little less forgiving: The company, which has touted its 100 percent satisfaction guarantee for more than a century, is imposing a one-year limit on most returns to reduce growing abuse and fraud.

The outdoor specialty retailer said returns of items that have been destroyed or rendered useless, including some purchased at thrift stores or retrieved from trash bins, have doubled in the past five years, surpassing the annual revenue from the company’s famous boot.

“The numbers are staggering,” CEO Steve Smith told The Associated Press. “It’s not sustainable from a business perspective. It’s not reasonable. And it’s not fair to our customers.”

https://www.boston.com/news/business/2018/02/09/ll-bean-return-policy-change

33 replies

= new reply since forum marked as read

Highlight:

This is why we can't have nice things - LL Bean changing its return policy [View all] Henry Krinkle Feb 2018 OP

I don't blame them either. It's a shame when some people ruin it for everyone by being ridiculous. politicaljunkie41910 Feb 2018 #1

I was going through my closet, a bunch of tagged items. I could have been a dick and returned them. TheBlackAdder Feb 2018 #23

People suck. Codeine Feb 2018 #2

Yeah, good PR but I'm sure folks abuse it. Hoyt Feb 2018 #3

Wonder if it's a little bit of sabotage... Zoonart Feb 2018 #4

According to this, that is not true. spooky3 Feb 2018 #9

Perhaps they. have changed their policy... Zoonart Feb 2018 #12

That is what people were doing with Costco's generous return policy on electronics that Costco had still_one Feb 2018 #5

Agree. And it helps keeps costs down for honest consumers. spooky3 Feb 2018 #6

"it's not reasonable. and it's not fair to our customers" lol unblock Feb 2018 #7

I disagree. If you have to pay $40 rather than $37 for jeans because spooky3 Feb 2018 #13

i'd agree if it worked like that, but it doesn't. unblock Feb 2018 #17

Disagree. All product returns affect the costs of operations. spooky3 Feb 2018 #20

this is true in markets that are highly competitive commodities. unblock Feb 2018 #24

So you are arguing that LL Bean is not in a competitive market? spooky3 Feb 2018 #26

i just think they have enough product differentiation, specialization (outdoors) and branding unblock Feb 2018 #29

It does not matter how "big" they are. It matters how much market concentration there is, and spooky3 Feb 2018 #30

well it's just my opinion, i haven't done an econometric study in a long time ;) unblock Feb 2018 #31

Respectfully disagree GulfCoast66 Feb 2018 #22

see post #24. unblock Feb 2018 #25

I did GulfCoast66 Feb 2018 #32

i'm not arguing that it's a blanket disconnect. it depends on the market and the business. unblock Feb 2018 #33

It is not fair to customers that they have to pay higher prices unitedwethrive Feb 2018 #15

see reply #17 unblock Feb 2018 #18

It's not fair to the honest customers. LisaM Feb 2018 #27

Your Post Title Is Apt ProfessorGAC Feb 2018 #8

Some people just plain suck in general. It's taken me years to get that through my RKP5637 Feb 2018 #10

A year is way too long. former9thward Feb 2018 #11

also agree Angry Dragon Feb 2018 #14

The policy works only when people are honest..... Historic NY Feb 2018 #16

I will never understand people. madaboutharry Feb 2018 #19

Im also a long term customer. The only item I returned spooky3 Feb 2018 #21

Wonder when REI follows suit? MontanaMama Feb 2018 #28