L.L. BeanEssay Preview: L.L. BeanReport this essayL.L.Bean started from making a hundred pair of boots, to becoming one of America largest mail order retailer of high quality outdoor goods and apparel for men, women and children. Leon Leonwood Bean founded L.L. Bean in 1912; the company headquarters is in Freeport, Maine. Leon Leonwood Bean founded his business on a belief in honesty, commitment to quality, customer satisfaction and a passion for the outdoors.
Leon Leonwood Bean was an avid outdoorsman that decided that he could improve on the typical hunting boots. He had a local shoemaker stitch a pair of waterproof shoe rubber to leather tops. Then he field-tested them himself to see first hand if they was any good. In 1912 he sold 100 pairs of the boots and “attached a tag guaranteeing 100% satisfaction. Within a matter of weeks, the shoes began coming back. Ninety pairs were returned, the rubber bottoms separated from the tops” (L.L.Bean.com). Leon Leonwood Bean make good on his promise of 100% satisfaction guaranteed by replacing all boots that was returned and established a business with his customers that is still going strong today. That value lives on today at L.L.Bean. They still measure success by the customers satisfaction and the guarantee upon which the company was founded that says
“Our products are guaranteed to give 100% satisfaction in every way. Return anything purchased from us at any time if it proves otherwise. We will replace it, refund your purchase price or credit your credit card. We do not want you to have anything from L.L. Bean that is not completely satisfactory” (L.L.Bean.com).
L.L.Bean 3L.L.Bean doesnt just say this, but really lives by it. My dad had a pair of the Maine hunting boots for years. He told me one day that the boots started leaking at the seams and I told him to send them back to L.L.Bean with a note telling them what was wrong and that you would like a new pair. In about three weeks from sending them back he got a new pair of the Maine hunting boots in the mail with no questions asked. So L.L.Bean really does live by the 100% satisfaction guarantee even if you have the stuff for years before you become dissatisfied with it. How many retail store will give its customers 100% satisfaction guarantee no questions asked? I cant think of one other company in the outdoors goods and clothing business that will do that.
L.L. Bean started with one store in Freeport Maine in 1917. “To improve service, L.L. removed the locks on the stores front door 50 years ago and threw away the keys – since then, customers have come and gone at all hours of the day and night.” (L.L.Bean.com). That store draws over 3 million visitors each year. L.L. Bean had that only retail store until 2000 when it open a store in McLean Virginia at Tysons Corner Center an upscale mall in Northern Virginia. I visited that store in McLean Virginia just last week when I was in that area on leave. It was the best store that I have ever been to for the following reasons. It was very clean and had wide isle that more than one person could walk through and stop to look at the stuff with out having people run in to you or you have to move so people could go around you. It had very good lighting so you can see what you were looking at. Plus it had an indoor trout pond and waterfall. My sister, a manger at Saks Fifth Avenue store in Virginia, was with me and even made the comment that the
L.L.Bean 4store was very well set up with nice wide isles and the sales people were friendly and very helpful when you asked them a question. We had went to the store to see what it was like and so I could look at one of the only three L.L. Bean retail stores, the other being at Columbia, Maryland about 50 miles from the store in McLean, Virginia. She had told me that L.L.Bean had selected this area because of all the catalog business that it did in this area. L.L.Bean had done its marketing research before making a move to open up a retail store outside of its flagship store in Freeport, Maine. It was the first store that it opened outside of Maine since it opened it original store. It opened its third store within 50 miles of its second store when it put in a store at Columbia, Maryland. The night that I was in the store in Virginia its was having it after Christmas sales. It didnt have any big banner up advertising a sale. It only had some 5×9 inch sign on top of the rack of clothes that was on sale. I only saw a small ad for its sale in the Washington Post newspaper the day before. L.L. Bean doesnt have to advertise its sales or business because its customers will do it for them. You will only find the L.L.Bean label or brand in its stores. It doesnt carry any other brand in it stores. I think it is the only outdoor goods and apparel stores that does that. I have been in R.E.I., Cabela and Bass Pro Shop, all larges retail outdoors goods stores, but they all carry other name brands of goods like Columbia, Timberland, Browning, Carhartt, Rocky, Danner and other. You will not find any of them at L.L.Bean. I think its that way because of it 100% satisfaction guarantee. L.L.Bean prefers not to carry other brand names because they would not feel comfortable placing a 100% satisfaction guaranteed on goods that are not their own.
L.L.Bean 5L.L. Bean also has retail factory stores in Delaware, Maryland, Maine, New Hampshire, Oregon and Virginia. At the factory stores you can shop for a wide and ever changing variety of goods all at discount prices. These goods include items that are first-quality that have been discontinued, overstocked, discontinued fabrics or second quality items that are irregular. I also went to the factory store in Virginia at Potomac Mills Factory Outlet mall. At that store I bought an adventure duffle bag for 20 dollar that was said to be second quality irregular but I could not find any wrong with it. About three year ago I bought the same bag from it web site for 60 dollar. Today that same bag still sells for 60 dollar in its catalog and web site. I like the quality of the bag and the
L.L.Bean
L.L.Bean is the best, most popular, original, best value piece anywhere in the world. The bag is sturdy, a true high quality duffle bag, has the same quality fabric and will last for years.
L.L.Bean
L.L.Bean is an innovative and eco-friendly textile. Made from a high quality raw cotton with a low impact fabric, it is an excellent alternative for most of the outdoor enthusiasts in North America to the expensive and toxic outdoor garments by popularizing the traditional fabrics and the old style, even if the raw fabric is not the most durable. L.L.Bean is a cotton taffeta for winter season in the tropics. The material has a very clean and free looking fabric that is highly durable, soft and smooth. L.L.Bean also has an amazing scent, which is what I would like to see in my back yard during summer time.
I love L.L.Bean! Its durable, natural, durable & free from harmful chemicals can last for an extended period of time. It is the only item that I’ve purchased that I could use it as everyday, and in my backyard many houses have this beautiful piece of clothing on their walls in the winter. Although I can put on much more layers, L.L.Bean keeps the fabric dry and keeps it cool for long. Most of the fibers of L.L.Bean are polyester and so have very soft properties that absorb moisture in the fabric. As a result L.L.Bean is not as dry in the summer as it is in the winter. This comes at the cost of a higher cost and a better price. The nylon and polyester in L.L.Bean are good and great choices for winter, and the natural weave is excellent, because of the softness of the fabric. One of my favorite things about L.L.Bean is how it stays wet in the cold and stays clean in the warm. It is also good for the outdoor activities that I would like to be able to enjoy this year.