I used to really like L L Bean, but the only reaso...

I used to really like L L Bean, but the only reason I could justify paying their exorbitant prices was that they backed up the item with a lifetime guarantee. It was as if the extra cost was used to factor in a replacement here and there. I knew I could buy a product and if it fell apart in a few years I wasn't out a bunch of money. I realize why they changed the guarantee and it seems like a few people ruined it for everyone, but Bean could have been more proactive about their policy. I can't buy one Craftsman socket and every time I need a different size go and exchange it for another size, or trade in my old wrenches for their cash value toward a new set of ratcheting wrenches. Their overly liberal approach facilitated people abusing the lifetime guarantee. Now, combine their one year warranty with the fact that the quality of their products is subpar (at best) and they are right back at the reason the lifetime guarantee existed in the first place. It was to avoid losing every customer they had and losing new ones by word of mouth. Congratulations L L Bean, you have managed to not learn from your past mistakes.