I bought a pair of boots from LL Bean. I hardly wore them and the soles literaally fell off. I called and they said they could mail them back and they would return them. More than a month later someone contacted me and said they couldn't find any record of my purchase and that they would not repair them. Even though they had an unconditional satisfaction guarantee when I bought them guarantee when I bought them, they tried to say that because they had decided to do away with that and said so in their newest catalog they didn't have to honor that. They then tried to tell me that it was actually 'ordinary wear and tear" the boots were hardly used, the soles were almost new! If this is representative of LL Beans standard of quality and integrity, I WILL NEVER DO BUISNESS WITH THEM AGAIN! And I would recommend to anyone considering buying Bean products that they shop somewhere else as well.

I was a loyal LL Bean customer for over 40 years and I am sad to loose this option for quality products and company integrity has died.

I wrote a 5-star product review for their website and submitted it thusly:

"I was lucky to find two pairs of these on a different website that sells used items. It's love. I wanted to comment on the complaints that the pants don't go up high enough in the waist. Very true. For me, they come up the perfect height in front but are an inch or two too low in the back, so when I sit, I feel like I'm showing some... ahem... Well, let's just say they don't come up far enough in the back when I'm seated. (I don't notice an issue while standing.) It's not likely to bother me because I always wear a top that goes down several inches below the top line of my pants. So these pants may or may not work for you, but it can't hurt to try them out! I don't feel that my fat tummy is hanging over the elastic in front. I was worried about that, but the pants do come up high enough to prevent that (for me, anyway). The quality is nice and I like the snapped pockets. (I'm a huge snaps fanatic.) And oh, by the way, I wear petite because even though I'm 5'8" tall, I have a long torso and short legs. The petite Large fits me perfectly. I'm excited to wear these come autumn! I wish they had a bit more flare in the ankles/calves, but it's not a huge issue."

And I got an email from them saying:

"Please give your review another try. Unfortunately, your feedback does not meet our guidelines.

We really want to hear what you have to say, so please check out the tips below. Thank you!

DO:
- Use the item before reviewing it
- Share specific details and features of the item (fit, performance, color, etc.)

DON'T
- Include your name or personal contact information.
- Focus on customer service of shipping. Our customer service team is happy to answer those questions.
- Use obscenities, discriminatory language or make negative comments about other reviewers.
- Post advertisements, "spam", references to other products, companies, offers, or websites.
- Include specific price information, promotional discounts or other information that is subject to change."

And I'm like, what the freak did I do wrong?! I didn't break any of those rules. Did I? I'm offended.

That's the basis of giving them three stars, but it's one star for their rejecting my review, averaged out by a five-star rating on their wonderful clothing. Hmmph.

My grandfather introduced us to LLBean with the famous boots. All of us have them, loved them and wore them for years. Bean has been the family go-to for generations. All my dad's hunting coats were Bean. My first backpacking tent in 1979 was Bean. My son's first down sleeping bag was Bean. My wife's blouses were Bean. My twin daughters' early outdoor gear was Bean. Our LLBean credit card annual review showed we averaged $6000 a year (maybe more earlier when I bought outdoor gear). It was good stuff.

My wife made our first returns ever to Bean last year - the quality white cotton blouses she had bought for years were now almost see-through and looked like they were made from tissue paper. She returned the two blouses. Bean gave her a hard time, but gave her a store credit and she tried others. Twice more, and the quality was so poor she asked for a refund, which after 60 days was grudgingly credited back. This weekend my daughter was out in the snow and sitting around a campfire with friends, just like the LLBean ad. The Jacket started smoking - her friends hollered at her - the jacket side melted! No one else had a problem sitting around the campfire!

My wife called Bean customer service to return the coat and Bean refused, with "Susan" from customer service saying "It would be common sense you don't wear our coats near a campfire." Really? The coat was purchased before Bean did away with the "guaranteed for life" promise. "You have our word on it." With hundreds of Bean products in our household, we believe the current operations of Bean have destroyed a good company. We will move on to Deluth Trading, MooseJaw, and hell, even JCPennys is better.

We still have the receipt. The coat is Primalft Pckaway Hooded Jacket TC*******. Don't buy this. Don't buy from them at all

I sat on this before writing and posting, but it's still just not right.

I just had the most HORRENDOUS "customer service" experience of my lifetime with VICKI, a customer service research representative. Apparently, this makes her something special at L. L. Bean since I quote she "wasn't going to back down" to me. I will say everyone up to this point was at least cordial.

I was gifted for my late dog the absolute WORST dog bed insert ever made, they have no business even providing dog products in their assortment. He was euthanized in 2017 (WAY before they changed their lifetime warranty). I provided documentation, I jumped through hoops to try to make this as smooth as possible for them. Smooth, it ABSOLUTELY WAS NOT! When I initially called, the representative wouldn't even help me locate the order and wouldn't provide a return label or instruct me on how to get one on the website. I had no clue. She never told me I could drop off at an L. L. Bean store near me and I incurred a $51.55 charge for USPS Priority Mail.

After WEEKS of no word I had to call numerous times, which VICKI was very quick to tell me how she could see how much documentation there was in the matter. Apparently VICKI has better things to do! I was denied the merchandise credit due to a nonstop run around about not being able to locate the original order WHICH WAS A GIFT BTW HELLO! I then was arguing for my return shipping since I was never notified that I could have dropped off the bed or gotten a label online that would have cost me $6.50. Well, now VICKI wants to see the postal receipt that I got rid of because they told me that they knew the amount I paid in my initial call. A big gigantic circle and the only one out of luck is me!

Oh, and VICKI also tried to educate me on the fabric and the nature of retail when I'm a fashion buyer and I have sat at every fashion week in every major fashion capital of the world. She said "well good for you", Yes dear VICKI it is good for me!

This ain't your parent's L. L. Bean. Sellout, quality is crap & customer service is a JOKE! All this for private label garbage they manufacture for pennies!

NEVER EVER EVER EVER EVER EVER AGAIN! E V E R!