Post by robeiae on Feb 27, 2018 9:06:54 GMT -5
Ever bought from LL Bean? My parents have been buying from them for decades, especially for winter coats, boots, and the like. One of the great things about LL Bean was their lifetime return policy. I don't think my parents ever used it, but I know it always impressed them that the option existed. I, myself, have five or six LL Bean things. I've had them for years and never have thought about returning them. Why should I? They're well-made, in good shape, and do exactly what they're supposed to do.
But now, the lifetime return policy is a gone: www.npr.org/sections/thetwo-way/2018/02/09/584493046/l-l-bean-scraps-legendary-lifetime-return-policy
Why? Well, as one might be able to guess, a bunch of douchebags have ruined it for everyone. They've turned the return policy into a business (not unlike the garage sale hustlers out there) by seeking out old LL Bean products at thrift shops, garage sales, and grandma's attic, then sending them in for full credit.
Numbers:
A lot of people--who claim to be loyal LL Bean customers are pissed off. Like this one, who has filed a lawsuit. But from what I see, LL Bean is standing by the lifetime guarantee if the issue is a defect or the like. They've tried to craft a policy to weed out the scammers. Yet, they're getting slammed for this, it seems.
From the CNBC piece:
Yet, Baer--a "marketing expert"--also says this:
I find that tangentially interesting with respect to the idea of entitlements: doesn't matter a whit if a policy (that is of an entitlement sort) makes sense or is workable, once it's in place. Because at that point, it can't be removed without howls of outrage.
Anyway, thoughts?
But now, the lifetime return policy is a gone: www.npr.org/sections/thetwo-way/2018/02/09/584493046/l-l-bean-scraps-legendary-lifetime-return-policy
L.L. Bean's outdoor gear — including its signature Bean Boots prized by campers and hipsters alike — is no longer guaranteed for life.
In a letter to customers Friday morning, the company said it has updated its return policy to give customers one year to return purchases, with a receipt. The previous lifetime guarantee, which enabled customers to return products years — or even decades — after purchase, has long been a selling point for the company.
In a letter to customers Friday morning, the company said it has updated its return policy to give customers one year to return purchases, with a receipt. The previous lifetime guarantee, which enabled customers to return products years — or even decades — after purchase, has long been a selling point for the company.
Numbers:
In a follow-up conversation with Outside, an L.L. Bean spokesperson elaborated that in the last five years, the percent of returns that violate the guarantee policy—which was designed to protect customers who received defective products—had doubled to 15 percent, costing the company approximately $250 million. “The financial impact is remarkable,” the spokesperson says. “It’s not fair to the customers who honor the original spirit of the guarantee, and it’s certainly not sustainable from a business perspective.”
From the CNBC piece:
"The amount of revenue they were losing on these somewhat bogus returns was exceptionally large, or they decided, perhaps incorrectly, that customers don't care that much about a lifetime warranty," Baer said. "Perhaps they've miscalculated."
And clearly, the move has infuriated L.L. Bean's customer base. "There's a lot of customer comments on their Facebook page and on their Twitter account that say, 'We no longer have a reason to shop at your store versus everybody else who sells essentially the same goods," Baer said.
And clearly, the move has infuriated L.L. Bean's customer base. "There's a lot of customer comments on their Facebook page and on their Twitter account that say, 'We no longer have a reason to shop at your store versus everybody else who sells essentially the same goods," Baer said.
Yet, Baer--a "marketing expert"--also says this:
"The funny thing about this is, if this was a "start-up company with a one-year return policy, no questions asked, and lifetime for defects, we would be praising them for the generosity of this policy," Baer said.
"What makes this difficult and what bothers people is that they've taken something away," he added.
"What makes this difficult and what bothers people is that they've taken something away," he added.
Anyway, thoughts?