Got to rant about LLBean

[Liberalynn]

Okay so I am plus sized. I have to dress too. We have had an LL Bean store in our area for several years now.

They have always carried plus sizes in this store before.

Today I noticed the largest size in stock for anything was XL. Not a 1X in the whole place. So I went and asked a clerk.

She said "no we aren't carrying those in our stores anymore but we can order it for you here or give you one of our catalogs, or you can go online. It's all free shipping and returns.

So I don't get to try something on anymore to see if it looks right? I just have to trust it will. I have to go to the inconvenience of returning it to the store or arranging a UPS return if it doesn't but skinnier women don't have to do any of this? That's fair, not!

To me it was like she might as well have said "we don't want heavier set people in the store, you're supposed to stay home where nobody can see you, so you don't upset our skinny customers by having to look at your fatness.

I tweeted my dissatisfaction and called it discrimination. They tweeted me said sorry for misunderstanding. I PM them which they requested yet I've heard nothing back so far and doubt I will. They just wanted me to quit complaining in public.

If they don't want my business or to address my complaint why don't they just admit it, instead of pretending like they do?

You know I have been told all my life that I needed to stick up for myself more, so I have been making a genuine effort to do so. I am back to wondering why though and believing it is pointless. It never resolves anything and I feel even more vulnerable and voiceless, for being dismissed and ignored like I don't count.

[underahedgerow]

1. From a capitalist point of view, it costs money to put clothes on a shop floor. If that range of

sizes was not being profitable, it makes more sense to keep the more popular sizes on the racks on the floor rather than to stock them, not sell them, be forced to reduce them for sale and ultimately lose money. It's all based on formulas and profitability. They're not judging YOU.

It may possibly make you feel better to know that LL Bean is historically anti choice, anti women, anti gay rights and ultra right wing. I stopped shopping them decades ago because of their horrible right wing politics.

[Lars39]

2. That doesn't bear out...there are more larger women

than small. Go into any women's clothing store and you will find scads of size zip on the clearance racks and hardly any plus sizes.
Didn't know LL Bean was rw. Thanks for info.

[Liberalynn]

10. +1

[underahedgerow]

15. I hear what you're saying! But in clothing manufacturing, especially with moderate to high

end clothing such as LL Bean, it costs more to make larger clothes. It's the same thing in shoe sizes and in (go figure) bras! So they manufacture more of the popular sizes because there is less waste in the manufacturing process.

For example in shoes, especially top quality ones, it can cost more than 10,000 bucks to create the shoe form for each size! For one particular shoe brand I really love, the cost averages 150 bucks, so they have to sell at least 1000 shoes in one size to make a profit.

In clothing manufacturing the process isn't as costly, but there are still patterns to make, factory settings, cut settings, sewing, etc. This is a pretty good, but complicated article that breaks down production & pattern costs. http://www.fashion-incubator.com/archive/why-larger-sizes-cost-more-or-size-is-nothing-but-a-number/

So, at the end of the day, they're really not trying to make you feel bad! They're just in the business of making money... Yeah, mail order is a hassle, isn't it?

[Lars39]

16. And they're priced accordingly from what I can tell.

[Liberalynn]

24. I get that the manufacturing costs them more for larger sizes

but the change.org petition I read said they only charge more for women's larger sized clothing but not men's at least at Old Navy? I don't understand why as it wouldn't it also coast more to manufacture their clothes?

[Raine1967]

4. Not according to this from a 2009 LL Bean FaceBook Statement:

L.L.Bean response regarding decision of Maine voters to overturn Maine’s same-sex marriage law

November 6, 2009 at 3:56pm

With the recent decision of voters to overturn Maine’s same-sex marriage law, there has been a fair amount of attention focused on Maine and Maine businesses.

L.L.Bean has been mentioned as an opponent of same-sex marriage in Maine and as a contributor to the referendum. For the record, L.L.Bean took no position on this question, nor have any of the owners of the business contributed funds to opposition to same sex-marriage.

L.L.Bean does not take positions on social policy issues. In our view, those are matters to be decided by elected officials and individual voters.

Our responsibility rests in how we govern our own workplace. L.L.Bean has had a policy for many years of non-discrimination on the basis of sexual orientation and has a policy extending employment benefits to domestic partners. We believe in an inclusive workplace and have backed up those views with company policy.

One of our shareholders, Linda Bean, has been specifically mentioned as being a contributor to the opposition of same sex-marriage. What shareholders do on their own is their business and the company does not speak for them.

However, Ms. Bean has in this instance provided her own response to refute claims of her personal involvement:“Neither I, nor anyone in my family, nor any company that I own or manage, put any money or effort into the vote in Maine Tuesday -- one way or another.” Linda Bean

This is an important social policy question here in Maine and nationally. We understand there are strongly held views on the subject. We simply want the facts around L.L.Bean’s views and involvement in this issue to be understood by our customers and stakeholders.

https://www.facebook.com/notes/llbean/llbean-response-regarding-decision-of-maine-voters-to-overturn-maines-same-sex-m/174981591314

Linda Bean apparently is conservative, but I am not entirely sure about the company itself.

[Liberalynn]

9. Interesting article.

[Liberalynn]

8. I suppose the sales popularity of sizes

could be a factor but you hear everyday in the media about how being overweight has reached "epidemic" levels. Walk down the street you will see more people who are overweight than tiny in most places in this country. So I don't get why plus sizes wouldn't sell?

They had several XS in stock. Now seriously how many of those are they going to sell?

They don't even have to create a separate department. Just add a few larger sizes to their existing shelves and displays.

[avebury]

3. Beans has changed a lot over the years

It seems like they have gone more upscale then a store for your average everyday kind of customer. I remember when their Freeport store looked like a hole in the wall kind of store and I shopped there a lot. The last few years I lived in Maine I didn't shop there that much anymore.

[Liberalynn]

11. Agreed they've changed

Their stuff used to last for years. Not anymore. Just bought boots from them where the color runs when it gets wet and also don't keep my feet dry and they were advertised as winter boots.

[vanlassie]

5. OMG. Don't get me started. Not on Bean.

Plus sizes! I am truly disgusted by the bias against larger sized customers. It does NOT bear out that stores only stock according to which sizes sell. Any day if the week in any clothing store in the US you will find a pitiful meager selection of larger sizes. It only means the larger sizes, if they were ever stocked, SOLD FIRST!
I have noticed in the UK that there tends to be a more equitable size spectrum available at any given time.

[Liberalynn]

12. This is so true.

Sears isn't much better although they did have a few choices.

[femmocrat]

6. If you have a Christopher/C.J. Banks near you, they used to have really nice styles.

Lots of selection and great sales, too. Here is their online address:

http://www.christopherandbanks.com

LLBean got very pricey in recent years. I used to shop LLB at the outlet mall, but they closed their store there.

[Liberalynn]

13. We do have a Christopher Banks store

I do shop there. They do have some very nice clothes.

[cwydro]

7. I love Bean and have shopped online there for most of my life.

Never had access to a store, but they are great with returns and guarantees.

I really think that's a bit far-fetched to scream discrimination because they don't have plus sizes.

I wear petite sizes, which they used to make available for all their clothes. They don't have as much available in petite anymore. It's annoying, but I don't feel that they are discriminating against short people.

[Liberalynn]

14. I am sorry they don't have as many choices in petite

sizes. It's frustrating too I'm sure. The thing is they do have at least some petite choices in their stores. There was a whole petite section in fact. There was literally nothing for plus sized women.

As someone pointed out on Change.org, about Old Navy! Plus sized women get charged more for clothes because they need more material, okay that's reasonable on its face but they don't charge plus sized men more.

So it does feel like we are being treated differently than other sized women and any sized male.

[cwydro]

18. I hear ya there.

Women pay more for everything. Haircuts, dry cleaning...

I took my (LLBean lol) button downs to be washed and pressed at a local cleaner. They are IDENTICAL to men's shirts, except for being much smaller. The guy tried to charge me for "blouses" which was WAY more than for shirts. I argued and won.

However, I quit going to that cleaners because he annoyed me so much.

And haircuts. My hair is short and always has been. I think it might have been a Supercuts or some such I went to back in the day. They charged five dollars more for women than for men. Just insane.

[Raine1967]

17. Got in touch with a friend who works a second gig at LL Bean.

Showed him this link. My question to him and his response.

Quote by Raine:
name redacted (he's not as member of DU) : could you possibly give some insight to this post about LL Bean?

Is it try that they are no longer carrying plus sizes?

name redacted

Nothing in the regional stores- we've never carried these in Burlington. Always available online, or up to the mothership. It is universal- nothing more than 2xl on the men's side, and no talls either.

I think this might be a store decision. Sucks anyway, believe, I am 1X myself.

[Liberalynn]

19. Thank You for doing that and thank your friend as well

It may very well have been a local decision. I sent an email to their public affairs office as that was what their PR people suggested in response to what I had tweeted them before posting here, that I do. They also said it might be a regional thing and I should address concerns about the specific location to their public relations department and they supplied me with an email.


So that's what I did. At least they go up to 2X for men.

[dolphinsandtuna]

20. they don't do tall either

Even when they claim to have tall sizes, they just lengthen the legs, so the crotch catches. I think all the Bean women are average-sized and so Bean thinks that's the only size women come in, just my theory.

As far as their Lanz nightgowns go, I don't see a diff between XL and 1X. Both fit me.

I hardly ever buy other outer clothes now from anywhere, mine are just wearing out, some in rags nearly. It is such a hassle/impossible to find jeans with a natural waist for example, even when they claim to be.

I did find a nice winter coat marked down to $30 at a Sears store in 1X last year. Covington I think was the brand.

[Liberalynn]

28. I am sorry you are having trouble as well.

It's really not fair. I feel sometimes like the clothing manufacturer's don't realize you can be tall and still some what overweight at the same time. Plus they don't consider bone structure either.

My mother was shorter and heavier and she never used to have that much trouble finding clothes but I it's very difficult for me.

That's why I got so upset that yet 1 more option is being taken away.

[PennyK]

21. I understand but it's not just large sizes

I'm a petite, and almost no stores carry much of anything in my range. I have had to order from Coldwater Creek, J.C.Penny, Macy's, Gap and Old Navy. And how about wide sizes in shoes? You'd think they would have more of that in Florida, but nope. I buy shoes when I go back to NYC on my annual visits.

[Liberalynn]

25. They really should offer a more varied selection of sizes period

but at least for petite at LL Bean there was some, even though not much. There was zero choice for plus sized.

[Dont call me Shirley]

22. Eddie Bauer local stores did that too. Overweight is the fashionable-bigot target these days.

[Liberalynn]

26. Sorry to hear

they jumped on this band wagon as well.

[Dont call me Shirley]

29. Me too. :-(

[trof]

23. Bean sucks.

1. WAY over priced.
2. Customer service...meh.

A few years ago I got a couple of their shirts for Christmas presents.
One was the wrong color.
My daughter told me she had ordered a different color. The one that I had asked for.

The other one?
The button down collar buttons came off in the first wash and ripped the button backing thingys through the shirt leaving holes in the shirt.

I went to the website, got the info for returns and sent them back with THEIR mailing instructions and code and an explanation.

Weeks later I had heard NOTHING.
I called them and they told me they hadn't received the package.
So...they wouldn't take my word that I'd returned the defective shirts.

If they were worth a shit they'd have just replaced the shirts.
No questions asked.
Good PR and I'd be singing their praises right now.

[Liberalynn]

27. Agreed about their customer service

they used to be great in this area not anymore.

Most of their stuff is made in China now and the quality is not even close to what it used to be. Their zippers especially stink.

So much for satisfaction guaranteed.