I'd have to agree, Ben. I've got 20+ year old LL Bean stuff that is still perfectly presentable. The majority is American made. A lot of the new stuff is not. Being a pretty boring dresser, the staid aspect doesn't bother me too much. But it's certainly not helping to draw any new customers in who are looking for hip and fresh.

They still do honor their guarantees and I've never had an issue they wouldn't resolve. I see that they now offer free shipping on most everything. Might be a last ditch effort?

The problem with making stuff that lasts is that people don't need to replace them. While planned/designed obsolescence isn't necessarily good for a business' reputation, it does help with the sales numbers as long as the value (as opposed to cheap) line can be tip-toed.

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1980 300TD-China Blue/Blue MBTex-2nd Owner, 107K (Alt Blau) OBK #15
'06 Chevy Tahoe Z71 (for the wife & 4 kids, current mule) '03 Honda Odyssey (son #1's ride, reluctantly) '99 GMC Suburban (255K+ miles, semi-retired mule) 21' SeaRay Seville (summer escape pod)