Old school customer service from LL Bean

[a23fish]

This summer I dug out my old LL Bean wading boots for a short fishing trip. Much to my dismay, one boot basically completely delaminated itself while I was "up the creek." The other boot was perfectly fine, as shown in pic #2. Hummm, must be a manufacturing defect, perhaps LL Bean will address it.

For background, although these boots were pretty old, they had very little use, as you can tell by the sharp edges on the tread & writing shown in pic #1. I spent most of my fishing time since the original purchase fishing from boats or trying to wear out a pair of cheap and equally old Hodgman wading boots, which I eventually did.

So, I contacted LL Bean regarding a warranty claim, credit, or some other consideration. In response to their initial questions, and as required in their return/warranty policy, I also explained that I did not have the original receipt, but probably bought them at an LL Bean store about 50 miles from my house and probably used a credit card. I did provide them with photos, and model & item number on the boots. They provided an RMA and I sent them back for repair or replacement. Upon receipt, they determined the boots could not be repaired.

Much to their credit, they continued to research my purchase. Turns out I bought them 17 years ago! Even more to their credit, they were able to determine the exact date I bought them, purchase price, and even the invoice number. In addition, they gave me a LL Bean gift card for the full amount of the original purchase price. Wow!! That is going the extra mile.

For the record, the long term warranty policy was I believe changed in 2018 for items purchased that year or later. I can understand that, but LL Bean certainly came through for me.

 

[Canoetripper]

Thanks for the post and story. I have four pairs of the L.L.Bean Boots that I wear out constantly because of the soft rubber soles. They always replace the rubber soles for a reasonable fee.

The ones with the Gore-Tex liner are more expensive but the only way to go to keep your feet dry from the outside. I am not a big man@ 6'/165 lbs., but my feet sweat a lot, which is why I am constantly interchanging my boots.

I have a pair of L.L. Beans waders that I think are now leaking. I will send them back along with two pair of boots and see if I get the same kind of customer service.

I work outdoors and have a lot of L.L. Bean outdoor clothing. I think that they will give me the same kind of customer service that I got from Orvis when I broke a fly rod but forgot to fill out the warranty card. They replaced it with out a problem.

 

[ryansheehan]

17 year old boots that fail are NOT defective, they are just old. People returning stuff that is seventeen years old is the reason Bean changed their policy.

 

[a23fish]

Yes the boots were old, both the same age in fact. That doesn't explain why one completely delaminated and fell apart while the other remained in perfect condition.

I was not trying to take advantage of LL Bean, as seems to be implied, but I didn't make the policy.

 

[dryflyguy]

This is very interesting to me.

I bought those same bean boots quite a while ago.
Don't think it was quite 17 years, but pretty close to that I'm sure.

Didn't use them a whole lot, because the traction wasn't as good as I expected.
But they were fine for spring creek - which is easy to wade - and on small streams.

Later on, when mud snails were found in spring creek, I used them only there. And didn't have to mess around cleaning them for use elsewhere. My "mud snail" boots

Earlier this summer, after I had fished my way upstream quite a ways, the sole came completely off one of them - just the same as yours did apparently.

And it was a complete blowout. I had to walk very gently back to the truck with only my neoprene bootie under that foot.
Never had the whole boot bottom come completely off like that before.

Those boots lasted me a lot longer than I would have ever expected, though
And I had no thoughts of a warranty claim

Kudos to Bean for standing by their old guarantee, I guess

 

[pcray1231]

That's a common way for boots to fail. The fact you are puzzled that one boot did it and the other did not intrigues me. Once it lets loose a little, it will progress quickly. One has to go first, no? The surprise would be if both did it at the exact same time, that'd take some coincidence.

 

[tomgamber]

I had the same boots. Used them A LOT. then i didn't for a couple years. Kid needed a pair so I let him use those after sitting around. same thing. One fell apart (at the Jam as a matter of fact). just like a car. worst thing you can do is not use them. Still wouldn't call it a defect. Neglect maybe? You had a 50/50 shot. Some times you get the bear, sometimes the bear gets you.

 

[Bamboozle]

One of the ways to accelerate the separation between the sole/midsole and the shoe upper is to use the toe of one foot to push off the other shoe at the heel/sole. That puts stress on any stitching or bond between the upper & sole and exacerbates any beginnings of separation.

It seems most folks who do this, do it more with one foot than the other, for example pushing off the right boot with toe of the left but pulling off the left shoe with their hand because the left shoe is easier to get off or vice versa because of flexibility issues.

That may explain why it happened with one shoe and not both…

That being said and to prevent it from happening AGAIN to a pair of MY wading shoes, I now carry one of these in my wader bag.

BTW, those little nubs they build into the heel area of some shoes can rip off and you are back to pushing off at the heel/sole while a boot jack goes above your heel meaning you put no pressure on the bond between the shoe & the sole.

Try one, you will amazed you got along without one…

 

[tomgamber]

gotta admit I had to watch a video to see how that thing works.

 

[laszlo]

Cripey, some of those fancy ones are nearly $300

 

[McSneek]

ryansheehan wrote:
17 year old boots that fail are NOT defective, they are just old. People returning stuff that is seventeen years old is the reason Bean changed their policy.

+1000

 

[drossi]

Consider yourself blessed. I had a 10 year old pair of Bean Ultralight wading boots fail. I called them to see if there were any warranty options, the rep told me since they had 10 years of hard use that there was nothing they could do. I figured as much going in, just shrugged my shoulders and moved on. After 10 years of use I was in the plus side of the ledger anyways.

 

[Fjp110]

I wish I cold get 17 years out of a pair of any footwear

 

[goose54cdd]

+2000 That's exactly why LL Bean Changed its policy. Also agree that after 17 years they are not defective. I once knew a guy that sent his LL Bean waders back for new ones every two years. He claimed they were defective and LL Bean never questioned it, they just sent him new waders. I told him he ought to be ashamed. I'm sure you're a nice guy that just didn't think it through.

 

[a23fish]

My intent was, and still is, to give credit to LL Bean for their impressive customer service. I never expected them to do extensive research and give me a full refund. But I'm still puzzled why one boot destroyed itself while the other showed no signs of wear whatsoever.

Kudos to LL Bean. I did however replace those old boots with a pair of Orvis Clearwater wading boots, which in their initial 5 or 6 outings fully meet my expectations.

 

[Bruno]

Have a listen to this :

Reporter Sara Corbett looks into what happens when a company makes this promise: if you’re not 100% satisfied by our product, bring it back. Any time, for any reason; no questions asked. She finds a returns bin that says a lot more about the customers than the products.

https://www.thisamericanlife.org/591/get-your-moneys-worth/act-two-0

 

[ryansheehan]

a23fish wrote:
My intent was, and still is, to give credit to LL Bean for their impressive customer service. I never expected them to do extensive research and give me a full refund. But I'm still puzzled why one boot destroyed itself while the other showed no signs of wear whatsoever.

Kudos to LL Bean. I did however replace those old boots with a pair of Orvis Clearwater wading boots, which in their initial 5 or 6 outings fully meet my expectations.

The boot was destroyed because it was 17 years old, the other one wouldn't have been far behind. I've never had a pair of wading boots last more than three years much less 17 but I have worn through alot of them in my fishing career. I've never had them both blow up at the same time, one is always ahead of the other. It doesn't mean they are defective.

All that being said llbean gives you great customer service, replaces a pair of 17 year old boots and how do you reward the company, by buying some orvis boots??!!??

I just don't know what else to say, I'm stunned and out on this one.

 

[TwoDogs]

All that being said llbean gives you great customer service, replaces a pair of 17 year old boots and how do you reward the company, by buying some orvis boots??!!??

I just don't know what else to say, I'm stunned and out on this one.

Yup ... couldn't have said it any better.

 

[a23fish]

Just for the record, those 17 year old boots saw the water maybe, maybe, one dozen times since they were purchased. I wore out two pair of Hodgman wading boots over that period, since that's what I had at time I bought the LLBean boots. I was not trying to get a refund on old worn out abused boots from LLBean.

I listened to the broadcast Bruno listed above and that contained some stunning stories. I was not one of "those people." As for "rewarding LLBean" by buying a pair of Orvis boots, believe me, I have spent that refund with LLBean, plus a lot more.

Next time I will temper any posts regarding exceptional customer service.

 

[joebamboo]

Customer service is not the issue. It matters not how many times they were used, they were still 17 years old. Unethical at best.