L.L. Bean

L.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 customer’s 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