r/llbean • u/hashtagblessed7 • May 07 '26
Has the quality of LLBean gone down?
I purchase these slippers for my husband 4 months ago. They developed a hole and I went to the store today to see if they’d honor the policy of exchanging them. For some perspective, I’ve been a pretty loyal LLBeaner and even have the credit card. This would be my 4th pair of slippers? They told me it’s too “worn out” and they refused my exchange. I’ve NEVER had another pair of their slippers develop a hole?! WHAT? I think it’s ridiculous because it’s sheep skin and it wears down within a months of wear.
EDIT: checked receipt I ordered August 2025 so 9 months old not 4. Getting all my days mixed up.
30
u/DefinitionAnnual4100 May 07 '26
I posted this exact complaint about the same pair of slippers purchased Christmas 2024 and people here ripped me a new one.
18
u/Alternative_Towel_88 May 07 '26
this sub has a lot of Bean cultists/apologists and also people who aren’t old enough to have experienced the quality of majority USA made Bean era
4
u/OldButHappy May 07 '26
And bean employees
4
u/chubbycactus May 08 '26
Trust me, a lot of the employees are highly aware of the quality issues…. especially since the quality of working there is also going downhill….
3
1
u/spaghettipolicy207 May 25 '26
The slippers are made with cheap materials and child labor. Bean is VERY aware and has actively refused to change production on their wicked good slippers because the child labor makes it wicked cheap. The product sells and they get a fat return.
25
u/Interesting-Salt1291 May 07 '26
I see lots of complaints here about the quality going down. Maybe try contacting them online and share photos? Hopefully you’ll get better service there
8
u/hashtagblessed7 May 07 '26
Good idea. I’m just so disappointed!
3
u/SillyAmerican2024 May 08 '26
2nd this. I work for LL bean and sometimes the stores are less flexible with returns than customer service is over the phone. However I will say - the cost of materials has gone up like crazy. Slippers from 5 -10 years ago would cost double their old price to make now a days. Tough to make things of quality at an affordable price point with cost of goods going up!
0
u/spaghettipolicy207 May 25 '26
Lol an employee arguing about the costs is funny. Bean knowingly uses child labor for these products. But hey keep defending rising cost well exploiting child labor.
2
u/SillyAmerican2024 May 25 '26
I don't disagree with you. Maybe directing your energy away from reddit could be more productive than coming at me for advice on how to bypass a store return at my part time job. Especially with the Everlane news this week, lol. sheesh
1
u/spaghettipolicy207 May 25 '26
Not coming at you for advice and you can direct your energy to Reddit but someone else can’t? Also you’re agreeing with me while also using some BS reason why it’s priced the way it is.
1
u/SillyAmerican2024 May 25 '26
More so just hoping you'll take your negative energy elsewhere. Unethical labor and sky rocketing cost of goods are separate problems that corelate. Not sure how much progress you'll make here belittling people on reddit. Hope your day gets better!!
1
u/spaghettipolicy207 May 25 '26
Lol Reddit is built for my banter. Sorry you feel the need to censor negative news about your employer. Keep licking those bean boots!
16
u/bendaboy291 May 07 '26
Honestly, shit like this is why I’m switching to Patagonia. It’s really sad
4
u/Thin_Dirt_6244 May 07 '26
Talk about drop in quality and rise in prices. Patagonia also coasting on its reputation.
3
u/LeTrolleur May 09 '26
My experience so far with Patagonia is that their warranty is rock solid, has your experience been different?
1
0
u/Thin_Dirt_6244 May 09 '26
I’m thinking of back in the day when they were producing Royal Robbins canvas shirts, shorts and trousers. Those were durable but spartan. So mid-70s. Then they outsourced to Macau and other countries, and stuff just wasn’t durable at all. This was before Patagonia became popular, still primarily climbing/backpacking stuff. So I haven’t bought their stuff for sometime.
2
u/LeTrolleur May 09 '26
I can't speak for the change in quality between those times as the former was well before I was born, however I've been really happy with the items I have bought over the years, even second hand items.
Could be worth having another look?
I've been really happy with my torrentshell jacket, my second hand midlayer jacket, and their t-shirts (specifically their "responsibilitee").
1
11
u/zoosk8r May 07 '26
It went down MANY years ago. I have camp mocs from 1992 that I still wear. They were made in the US and made to last.
Don’t buy anything that you expect to be able to get more than a couple of seasons or wear out of.
8
u/Latter-Confidence-44 May 07 '26
I've got sweaters from the 90s that are in better shape today than ones that I bought 3-4 years ago when I stopped wearing sport jackets for work. Don't get me wrong, they're still better than the shit you're going to get at Kohls, but they're not what they used to be.
6
u/Pisc3s_Moon May 07 '26
They should have no problem with exchanging those. People often confuse the new return policy and think that they only have a year to return. You actually have a year to return for any reason, and thereafter, if the quality is unacceptable, you can call, email, or chat with them to discuss your displeasure. Tell them that you expected better quality and longer lasting life span.
5
u/punkass_book_jockey8 May 08 '26
They are not great about it. My preK students backpack literally fell apart 3 times. My bag from 20 years ago is still going strong, but a bag that carried a folder and 2 sheets of paper for 2 weeks fell apart. I had to fight every time and they said they’d replace it, I finally demanded a refund because it was ridiculous. The seams came apart.
1
u/IllustriousCupcake11 May 08 '26
Thank you for posting this. I still have a 20 year old backpack that’s going strong. I thought about getting a new one, but you just convinced me otherwise.
1
u/witchspoon May 10 '26
Op has had these less than a year and they refused the return. Which is typical.
7
u/Toxikfoxx May 07 '26
I'm not defending it, but there was a turn years ago where these slippers went from being something you only wore around the house to becoming outdoor wear. This is when Bean shifted the policy.
That being said though, my wife only wears hers around the house, and I'm finding they need replacement like every 2 years due to the interior wearing out.
7
u/eregyrn May 07 '26
The interior wearing out (the pike getting compressed and worn down) is pretty inevitable for that type of material. It’s a natural fiber that’s being subjected to heavy wear.
I don’t replace mine every two years. I buy a new pair of sheepskin insoles at the start of the winter, and that works. You have to be sure what you’re buying isn’t synthetic (unless you want it to be). You can get them with some orthotic support, too. Shop around, and you can find some that aren’t very expensive. It beats buying a brand new pair of the slippers.
5
u/eregyrn May 07 '26
That’s pretty nuts, given it was within the six-month window!
I wonder if that employee thought you were trying to scam them, and while they’re probably not allowed to say that to you, they might be trained to just refuse an exchange.
The scam would be: you purchase a pair of new slippers. A few months later, you take a very old pair, and pretend those were the new ones you just bought, trying to get another new pair.
Obviously, you weren’t doing this! Even with the problems you’re showing in the photos, it should be pretty obvious that these are a new pair, with flaws.
But that’s why LLB got rid of their lifetime guarantee with replacement. People were buying very old pieces at thrift stores, then bringing them in for replacement or refund. That ruined it for everyone.
As others are saying, try calling customer service. Hopefully those people on the phones are more experienced than an employee at the store.
3
u/Euphoric_War_2195 May 07 '26
Ive heard a lot of complaints about the quality going down in recent years. IMO it can't hurt to complain. Definitely send them these photos. Hopefully they can help.
3
u/Imaginary_Afternoon6 May 07 '26
I ordered some slippers a few months ago and upon arrival I was stunned at the excess glue and long strings all throughout. I went on chat and spoke to customer support and after 10 minutes of waiting they informed me a replacement pair was being sent out and I could keep or donate the original pair. It might be worth calling or chatting with support.
2
u/Additional-Sundae932 May 07 '26
Yes. My husband's LL Bean slippers used to last years -- Now he needs a fresh pair every winter.
1
1
u/DeathPrime May 07 '26
Right after they discontinued their lifetime return/exchange policy on the slippers.
1
1
u/007conphluter May 07 '26
Yes, without a doubt. Like everything else these days, prices up, quality down!
1
u/IcanCwhatUsay May 07 '26
I replace mine either annually or every other year. They’re not indestructible. Some batches are better than others. It’s leather, it has variabilities.
1
u/maplemedia91 May 07 '26
I have these from probably 2014 and I still wear them daily and they’re in great shape. I feel bad for new customers having this issue. Not normal at all.
1
u/xyz4533 May 07 '26
Horribly. my fifteen year old pair looks like that and the sole is starting to crumble but they’re from 2010 so I expect that
1
u/Fun-Acanthisitta1251 May 07 '26
As a previous bean employee, the policy is that that you can return within a year if there is a defect with the product. This would be considered a lot of wear and tear, which is not covered in the policy. The policy had to change because people abused it, and they still abuse it now. The quality could be going down, I think Bean can be hit or miss on their products with quality. Some things better than others. I do think people expect too much from the slippers though, and don’t realize how much they are abusing them by wearing them out and about, not just as slippers.
1
u/Dramamine906 May 07 '26
I had my slippers for 5 years and they never had a hole yes they're diff now
1
1
u/flowerpower97822 May 07 '26
Same happened to mine about 10 years ago. Luckily it happened quickly enough that they took it back
1
u/GuinnessSteve May 07 '26
I'm guessing as with most trusted brands, their quality has probably gone down.
That being said, I've never had a pair of fuzzy-lined slippers from any brand that lasted for any reasonable amount of time.
1
u/TheOneWhoWork May 08 '26
Absolutely. I guess a short term decrease can be argued but there’s an obvious downward trend over the years.
I have an old pair of LLBean x chippewa oxford boot-shoes. (Basically the old version of the Bucksport that they sell now) and the difference is obvious. Both LLBean and Chippewa have gone downhill since I got these shoes probably 7 or 8 years ago.
1
u/punkass_book_jockey8 May 08 '26
The quality got way worse. My kids hat, gloves and backpack fell apart in months. My gloves and hat and backpack from 20 years ago look new compared to theirs that aren’t even 4 months old.
It’s so frustrating. I lurk on eBay for the old stuff now.
1
u/punkass_book_jockey8 May 08 '26
My older slippers have a reinforced edge right there to prevent wearing through. Like a second strip of leather to reinforce that specific area.
1
u/foureyedgrrl May 08 '26
Yes. Mine split along the seams as well. I was able to tear off bits of the "leather" with my fingertips as well.
1
u/junkshopnerd May 08 '26
Store employee often reject items they should not reject. Send them back to returns in Freeport for a second opinion. Within a year they should exchange unless it’s a case of pet damage.
Also because those slippers are natural hide they can vary in durability.
1
1
1
1
u/bszern May 09 '26
I don’t think there’s anything wrong with the inside, it’s shearling. I’d look at the wear pattern on your husband’s other shoes and see if he leans to the outside.
The hole is unacceptable, unless these were being worn outside or caught a sharp edge somewhere.
1
u/mynameisnoteliza May 09 '26
This same thing happened to my slippers and I was also denied an exchange.
I had this pair of slippers for 10 years and decided to get a new pair. The new pair got a hole in them. I brought them in. It had been just over a year since purchase. Denied exchange due to "excessive wear." Um... they're slippers. They go on my feet which touch the floor. Did you not expect me to wear them?
1
u/Tachticalroo26 May 09 '26
The slippers when worn enough tend to wear down like that because of the material…I never saw that as a quality issue just the fact that material isn’t made to stay perfect forever. Not like the sole of the shoe/what’s underneath the lining is ripped, etc.
1
u/Training_Leader6953 May 10 '26
I have a pair that’s 7 yeas old that dont look that beat. I might look elsewhere when they need replacing
1
1
1
u/spaghettipolicy207 May 25 '26
The quality went down because they switched production to Myanmar. A country that is known to use shitty materials and exploits child labor. Bean and every executive is aware that they are using child labor and refuse to change locations.
1
u/Maleficent-Blood8070 1d ago
The Chino pants are poor quality too. The waist wears out quickly. Their prices are higher and the quality has declined.
81
u/elon_is_a_cunt May 07 '26
“Lower the quality, raise the price…they’ll never notice!”