Unhappy with LLBean backpack and their response

[surfergirl602]

Believe me, I was surprised and pleased! I also have one of their back packs that is for computers that I have had for about 10 years as well. They only made it for one year and I love it. Luckily it has really held up and is in excellent condition. If It ever breaks though, I dont know what I'll do because no one makes anything like it.

I buy a ton of stuff from them and Lands End and have never been displeased.

I still have and use my Bean backpack that I got in high school. I used it all through college, too. It is still in excellent condition. It's over 10 years old now.

 

[ExPirateShopGirl]

All the OP has to do is call LL Bean and say she's not interested in any of the replacements available and she'd like her money back. They will do so. No harm no foul. The OP is then free to buy the backpack of her choice...

 

[rparmfamily]

I've bought 2 backpacks from Ll Bean and both have served me well for years..IMO they are being reasonable about the OPs situation. I guess I really don't get why being charged a difference of $10 is a big deal, they no longer make the other backpack, the next closest thing is $10 more. I think I'd be fighting bigger battles than this one.

I agree. I've bought many things from LL Bean, and have dealt with them on the phone quite a bit, and have always been happy. They are a retail store, not a member of my family LOL.

Proud owner of 2 LLBean backpacks, going on 5 yrs for both my kids. I had mine from high school well into adulthood.

Maybe they are cracking down on returns because people abuse it. (as IMHO, some people have in this thread)

 

[Leajess99]

The commercial also states if your journey is a 'day' - wouldn't that also imply that a day's worth of use could be expected, as well? I would never take K-12 to mean the entire grammar school years of a child. That is ridiculous... I would take it to mean anytime during those years. How many kids are still carrying the same backpack as a senior they carried in Kindergarten? No self-respecting 12th grader....

Actually, I have had college classes with kids who have had the same LL Bean backpack from elementary school on. This was years ago when I was originally satisfied. The past couple of years is when I found the bad service.
It was always interesting to see the college kids and the different LL Bean backpacks. Shoot, when I bought my backpack for college (Deluxe, super deluxe, heck I am not even sure what type it even is) it came with an option to design it yourself for a little more. My son still has his LL bean backpack from when he was in elementary school and he is a senior now. That one is in great condition. Too bad their quality and service has gone way down hill. Oh and that was also the first LL Bean backpack I ever bought which is in their system.

 

[mjkacmom]

I've bought 2 backpacks from Ll Bean and both have served me well for years..IMO they are being reasonable about the OPs situation. I guess I really don't get why being charged a difference of $10 is a big deal, they no longer make the other backpack, the next closest thing is $10 more. I think I'd be fighting bigger battles than this one.

Because some people on this board are crazy cheap. My dd9 wanted a new (cute) backpack, even though her LL Bean one is in good condition, so I bought her a $40 Jansport one (I had $10 Modell's cash, plus a 15% off coupon). Ds7's LL Bean backpack looks brand new. However, I just looked at dd7's LL Bean backpack, and I think she must have dragged the thing to and from school! I'm not blaming the backpack - I'm blaming dd! I could exchange it with LL Bean, but honestly, dd admitted that she dragged the thing. It was less $ than a Jansport.

 

[ExPirateShopGirl]

My older DD left some sort of snack bag inside one of her LL Bean backpacks and the dog took that as a challenge to liberate and devour the contents of the snack bag. When I called LL Bean to order her another and explained the dog chewing a fist-sized hole in the bag, they monogrammed the replacement bag for free... though I paid for the replacement (as I should have) at its then price. A week later the bags went on sale and I called and they adjusted the price for me without any hassle.

Because some people on this board are crazy cheap. My dd9 wanted a new (cute) backpack, even though her LL Bean one is in good condition, so I bought her a $40 Jansport one (I had $10 Modell's cash, plus a 15% off coupon). Ds7's LL Bean backpack looks brand new. However, I just looked at dd7's LL Bean backpack, and I think she must have dragged the thing to and from school! I'm not blaming the backpack - I'm blaming dd! I could exchange it with LL Bean, but honestly, dd admitted that she dragged the thing. It was less $ than a Jansport.

 

[disneyofcourse]

Because some people on this board are crazy cheap. My dd9 wanted a new (cute) backpack, even though her LL Bean one is in good condition, so I bought her a $40 Jansport one (I had $10 Modell's cash, plus a 15% off coupon). Ds7's LL Bean backpack looks brand new. However, I just looked at dd7's LL Bean backpack, and I think she must have dragged the thing to and from school! I'm not blaming the backpack - I'm blaming dd! I could exchange it with LL Bean, but honestly, dd admitted that she dragged the thing. It was less $ than a Jansport.

My friend grew up in a very cost cutting household and she is seriously messed up when it comes to money. Even when there's plenty its still not enough. Her parents never had money issues but the mother pinched pennies until the cows came home. Complained and argued over returns if she even had to pay a dollar more or get a dollar less. On the other hand I grew up in a household where I got everything I wanted, new back pack every year Yes a new back pack every year-shocking on the budget board! In fact I got so sick of getting everything I wanted that I'm great with saving and only buying things I want now. To each his own with their budget plans. Some do take it too far in the budget forum.

 

[BellePrincessBelle]

Hi OP here.

Just to be clear, they never offered me a refund. Maybe they would have if I had pressed the matter, but they didn't. What they offered me was a credit towards a more expensive backpack and I had to pay the difference. All I really wanted when I called was to have the strap repaired but they didn't offer that either. I think I will check to see if I can find someone with a commercial sewing machine so that I can just have it fixed. I will think twice before buying an LL Bean backpack again.

Did you ASK for a refund? Tell them no thank you on the exchange I'll just be returning it for a refund & you will get a check back.

 

[newtodcl]

L.L. Bean placed this notice on the wall of our Freeport store:

I do not consider a sale complete until goods are worn out and customer still satisfied. L.L. Bean, 1916


Seems pretty clear to me what the original intent was

http://www.llbean.com/customerService/aboutLLBean/guarantee.html

 

[BellePrincessBelle]

L.L. Bean placed this notice on the wall of our Freeport store:

I do not consider a sale complete until goods are worn out and customer still satisfied. L.L. Bean, 1916


Seems pretty clear to me what the original intent was

http://www.llbean.com/customerService/aboutLLBean/guarantee.html

And they are willing to give the customer THE AMOUNT THAT SHE PAID back either towards an exchange or if she'd just ask a check refund. They do not have to provide her with a more expensive item. This has got to be one of the most ridiculous threads I have ever read on the budget board.

 

[Jenn4615]

I can see how you are disapointed. They did USED to give u replacement without charging you anything extra... But that has since changed... ECONOMY>>>CRAP... so its changed.

 

[maxiesmom]

And they are willing to give the customer THE AMOUNT THAT SHE PAID back either towards an exchange or if she'd just ask a check refund. They do not have to provide her with a more expensive item. This has got to be one of the most ridiculous threads I have ever read on the budget board.

 

[bookgirl]

I find it totally appropriate that they would give you back the total amount on the original sale price. They are replacing what you spent.

I mean really they could have told you they no longer carry that item and so could not replace it or refund. (which also would have been appropriate)


I'm all for a bargin, but what's to stop someone from buying a discontined bargin basement priced backpack, damaging it and then expect a top of the line replacement. That's just dishonest.

You paid 29.99. You are being given credit for 29.99. You don't get to buy cheap then expect a more expensive replacment. End of story.

 

[deedeetoo]

This is the OP. I am really surprised by how worked up (and mean) people are getting about this. I keep checking the thread out of curiousity but believe me, I am not thinking about this anymore. I have more important things in my life to worry about. But I do feel the need to defend myself because people keep making value judgements about me and they don't have the facts straight.

First, I was not expecting a top of the line backback to replace my bargain basement backpack. While I did get my backback on sale, it was actually a superior backpack to the one that they were suggesting replacing it with. And what I really wanted was a repair, not a replacement.

They did not offer to refund my money which some people keep repeating over and over and over. They never offered me this. Perhaps they do offer this to other people. Perhaps this is normal procedure. Perhaps my CS rep was having a bad day and screwed up. I don't know. At no point in time was there ever a suggestion of giving me my money back. The only offer I got involved spending more money. If I did not spend $10 more, I got nothing. I was not offered a refund. I was not offered a credit that I could have spent on anything other than a more expensive (but inferior) backpack. I have repeated this in a few posts but people seem to not be reading them.

It is so frustrating to be vilified for not simply accepting a refund, when in fact I was never offered this.

 

[BellePrincessBelle]

This is the OP. I am really surprised by how worked up (and mean) people are getting about this. I keep checking the thread out of curiousity but believe me, I am not thinking about this anymore. I have more important things in my life to worry about. But I do feel the need to defend myself because people keep making value judgements about me and they don't have the facts straight.

First, I was not expecting a top of the line backback to replace my bargain basement backpack. While I did get my backback on sale, it was actually a superior backpack to the one that they were suggesting replacing it with. And what I really wanted was a repair, not a replacement.

They did not offer to refund my money which some people keep repeating over and over and over. They never offered me this. Perhaps they do offer this to other people. Perhaps this is normal procedure. Perhaps my CS rep was having a bad day and screwed up. I don't know. At no point in time was there ever a suggestion of giving me my money back. The only offer I got involved spending more money. If I did not spend $10 more, I got nothing. I was not offered a refund. I was not offered a credit that I could have spent on anything other than a more expensive (but inferior) backpack. I have repeated this in a few posts but people seem to not be reading them.

It is so frustrating to be vilified for not simply accepting a refund, when in fact I was never offered this.

Did you ever ask point blank for a refund? If not then call back & do so.

 

[maxiesmom]

The only reason you would end up spending more money is because you purchased a discontinued backpack. They are offering to let you apply how much you spent to the purchase of another backpack. Being as the one you purchased was discontined more than a year ago, it should not be unexpected that they no longer carry it.

I wouldn't go into Aeropostale a year and a half after buying a discontinued item, and expect them to upgrade me to a new pair of jeans without having to pay any additional costs. I wouldn't buy a discontinued tv and then go back to Best Buy a year later and expect they would just give me a more expensive model. And that is exactly what you are expecting from LL Bean.

Your original question was wondering if your expectations are out of line. Yes they are. You purchased a discontinued item and expect them to upgrade you a year and a half later at no cost to you. That is out of line.

 

[cepmom]

I would suggest you call back and ask for a refund then. I had a tankini halter top from LLBean that I bought on sale at the end of the season one year. I wore it once that summer and once again the following summer before it broke (the plastic hook broke in half...totally unusable) I callled on and was told the top was no longer available and they could apply the credit towards another suit or get a refund check. I was thrilled that they refunded my money after a year had passed and never would have expected a different top for the same price

 

[plummer925]

L.L. Bean placed this notice on the wall of our Freeport store:

I do not consider a sale complete until goods are worn out and customer still satisfied. L.L. Bean, 1916


Seems pretty clear to me what the original intent was

http://www.llbean.com/customerService/aboutLLBean/guarantee.html

I WASN'T going to respond again, but this AGAIN is mis-information! YES - Mr. Bean DID place that on the wall of the store IN 1916! It is 2010 - that is not on the wall of the store and hasn't been for over 90 years!

 

[Swimnoid]

I WASN'T going to respond again, but this AGAIN is mis-information! YES - Mr. Bean DID place that on the wall of the store IN 1916! It is 2010 - that is not on the wall of the store and hasn't been for over 90 years!

Perhaps it is not in their store any longer but a photo of it is still on their website. Just sayin'

 

[Leajess99]

Just as an update to my situation, today I received a check for the difference between the cost I actually paid and the cost they were trying to give me claiming they could not find that purchase. I also got a phone call letting me know they had in fact found the original purchase and were sending me the difference. I am satisfied now but will still stay away from LL Bean in the future as it was such a headache and hassle.