And that is where the confusion begins. It has to do with how satisfied one is with a product they purchased. My interpretation of this excludes wearing a pair of shoes, a sweater, pair of pants for a number of years, and then returning it for another for FREE. This obviously isn’t about dissatisfaction as much as it is liking the product so much that you want to get another of like kind, but not for free.

I don’t blame DeputyMistress for this. I do believe that Land’s End and LLBean are honoring their guarantee if it means bringing back customers and passing said guarantee by word of mouth. I know, speaking for myself, I can’t in all good conscience, take advantage of this kind of guarantee unless I genuinely have an issue with the product itself. But that is just me, and I will not hold her feet to the fire. If I said anything insulting to you, I offer my belated apologies.

Please include the following line in all replies.
Tracking number: **************************

Dear J. *******:

Thank you for taking the time to write to Lands’ End.

Our Guarantee reads:
The world is full of guarantees, no two alike. As a rule, the more words they contain,
the more their protection is limited. The Lands’ End guarantee has always been an
unconditional one. It reads: “If you’re not satisfied with any item, simply return
it to us at any time for an exchange or refund of its purchase price.”

We mean every word of it. Whatever. Whenever. Always. But to make sure this is perfectly
clear, we’ve decided to simplify it further. Guaranteed. Period.®

Our Guarantee is unconditional within reason. As consumers we shouldn’t expect products
will last forever and if they are used well the life expectancy of the products seems to
have been met.

Your interest in Lands’ End is appreciated. If you have additional questions or concerns,
please let us know.

Sincerely,

S****** W*******
Customer Communications

Christy, to be honest, *I* don’t feel the need to repurchase shoes. My husband does, but even he sees it as a favor, something he does to help the business because he likes them, not because it is required of him.

These businesses have their own specially written guarantees that are distinct from other companies guarantees for a reason- a reason I believe is honest, straightforward, and ethical.

But there are some people who see themselves in a position where they are able to judge that it is somehow sleazy, unethical, and dishonest to actually believe that words mean things, who believe these are honest businesses that actually mean what they say, what they tell their customers.

At the same time that some of you call me a thief and dishonest, you admit that you believe that these businesses are actually putting in writing a guarantee that actually does NOT mean what it says, but means something else, something hidden between the lines that only truly enlightned and ethical people (such as yourselves) just naturally and obviously see, and you believe that while it is dishonest to believe the guarantee, it is ethical and honest for a business to write a guarantee it doesn’t mean.

This seems very backwards to me, as well as an incredibly biased and subjective standard to use to judge others. It seems to me that you are drawing these new lines that you have created in a place where the businesses in question do not.

I also fail to understand why somebody other than the business in question, the businesses writing and fulfilling their guarantees, should place themselves in a position of arbiter of other people’s morals in regard to what the guarantees means or doesn’t. We’re not talking about violating some *objective* standard. And I am not talking about merely disagreeing- many of you have commented in measured tones, merely saying, “I couldn’t do that myself…” and that’s fine.

What I am not going to pretend is acceptable is calling those who believe in a company’s express guarantee names like thieves and doing so based on a standard that is purely internal and highly subjective (and ignores the claims made by the only people who can truly know their intent).

I can buy the idea that you can put such conditions on your own actions. We all do that in all kinds of areas. There are things I could never do myself that some of you do. And it is one thing to say, “this is a tip I would not feel comfortable utilizing to the extent you do.’ But some of you did not stop there. You have called names- used heavily perjorative words such as thief and dishonest against those who do not read between the lines into the unwritten and imagined ‘real intent’ of businesses that have expressly stated their real intent is other than you suppose.

(and in some cases, the very people labeling others with those very ugly names are those who act all wide eyed and astonished that anybody would object to that)

I don’t mind disagreement. But if in your disagreement you are going to label me and others thief and dishonest based on your own very subjective standards, well, you cannot be surprised that you will get back a very firm repudiation of those slurs because they are false accusations.

In this situation, I fail to see any excuse for labeling other people’s actions as *unethical,* *theft,* and *dishonesty* (and also liar, since at least one of you refuses to accept the reality that we are not satisfied with the shoes, we are not satisfied with the shoes and wouldn’t purchase the same brand for 1/10th of the price elsewhere because we are buying not a product, but the guarantee) based not on the standard of what the company actually says and practices, but on the standard of what you have decided others should be reading between the lines.

I choose a more objective standard than that.

This is the last I am going to comment on this, as interesting as this discussion as been.=)

Have a lovely weekend.

Whether or not you’re taking advantage of the company, it strikes me as ridiculous to continue to order things you’re not even happy with just because you can keep getting more for free.

I won’t criticize anyone who does take advantage of these offers, because if the company didn’t want to do it, they could change their policy. But I personally feel like I should pay a fair price for what I use.

Supreme, I am going to check out Discovery Toys!
Thanks!

If a company says “lifetime guarantee” to me that means lifetime – whether that is 6 months or 10 years it doesn’t matter.

Kudos to your husband for even buying new shoes every few years. Sounds like the company would replace them no matter how long… I am sure there are those out there that take advantage of that and only ever buy one thing and continually have it replaced.

I don’t have any problem with what your husband does.

I have had a Jansport basic backpack that I purchased with vouchers back in 2003. It’s still going more than strong and I use it almost daily.

It’s always filled up with stuff and I have carried some very heavy loads. I fill it up with cans when I go shopping, carry loads of books, my computer, camera and magazines. I even loaded it up with 2 20lb weights the other day and walked two miles home…. not even a slight rip in the stitching!… It is sad that the zip is starting to catch slightly!