I just got an application to replace the LL Bean Card I've used for years, mostly when I ordered from them...free shipping. I noticed the new card was to be issued from Barclay's Bank in Delaware and put the brakes on. Wasn't there some kind of anti-hunting issue with Barclay's posted on AR a month or so ago?
Rich Elliott

L L Bean has long ago gone P. C. Screw 'em.

Shakari had a thread or two about it. A search may turn it up. Here is one thread.

Here is a link to the thread.

Barclay's Anti-Hunting

Good enough. I let up on the brakes and put it in reverse!
Rich Elliott

Rich,

Good job on the stopping the application. I do suggest that you tear up the application put it in the self addressed envelope and send it back to them with a note of why you don't want to do business with them.

That is what I did about 3 weeks ago. By doing that they know why, plus they have to pay that postage!

I just got off the phone with Ms. Rogers in the President's office at LL Bean. She was very willing to listen to my position on this and asked me to forward Steve's letter which I did.

I recomend that everyone call LL Bean and ask for customer service and politely tell them how displeased you are that they will be doing business with Barclays and that you will no longer use the LL Bean Visa. Don't forget to mention Barclays relationship with Robert Mugabe and his campaign of genocide against the people of the Matebele tribe. I did this and was transferred to the president's office. It's worth a shot.

I live near there and have complained to management several times about the anti-hunting tone the rest of the store and staff has.

It's pretty sad to see it that way.

Then again, I was pretty darn happy to see Cabelas open up in Portland.

At least we know Cabela's doesn't appologize about being a hunting store.

I will be in their store in a couple of weeks and will bring this to their attention again. The only problem with L L Bean is in my experience is their goods are very good and their policy for customer satisfaction is second to none. This was a while back but I purchased a goretex jacket and many years later my wife had it dry cleaned and it was ruined, I explaind to them what happened. I had paid about $75 for the jacket and they said they no longer sold that jacket but the one that had replaced it sold for about $140. They sent me a check for $140 which I returned and said just send the jacket,

quote:

I recomend that everyone call LL Bean and ask for customer service and politely tell them how displeased you are

Been there before. Bean's couldn't care less.

They've gone the cyclist, kayaker, tree hugger route. There is nothing you can buy at Beans that you can't buy elsewhere.

quote:

They sent me a check for $140 which I returned and said just send the jacket,

Now we know what the price is for supporting the anti-hunting, anti-fur, anti-gun agenda with Barclays!

But it's okay to sell guns and hunting clothing, and kill fish by trout rod. Beans is playing both ends I guess.

Gentlemen,

I don't want to answer for Steve, but I hope he will give us the final outcome with Barclays.

However, I have been dealing with them for many years, and have had nothing but great service.

I probably got involved in Steve's case more than anyone, and I am convinced they do not have an anti-hunting policy.

I got the impression in Steve's case it was an individual who has taken an action by herself, and I think Barclays have come back to Steve with a very good proposal.

Whether Steve has accepted that or not I have no idea.

quote:

Originally posted by Will:

quote:

I recomend that everyone call LL Bean and ask for customer service and politely tell them how displeased you are

Been there before. Bean's couldn't care less.

They've gone the cyclist, kayaker, tree hugger route. There is nothing you can buy at Beans that you can't buy elsewhere.

True but you can't get Bean's service anywhere else. That's just fact. Guess what? I like kayaks and trout rods as well as rifles and hunting gear. When I was at Bean's last fall I saw double rifles for sale in the hunting section. Don't tell me they don't care about hunters. You don't stock $20k rifles as well as $400 models if you don't care for that market segment. They are also one of the very few companies that will actually take the time to listen to your grievances if you talk to the customer service department.

I really like LL Bean both in what they carry and their service. I called up six months ago because I had never received a pair of pants that I ordered, their next words were "they will be in the mail tomorrow."

I took a LL Bean kayak class a few weeks ago and had a blast. One of the questions on their legal release was "are you legally prohibited from owning firearms." I was hoping to be issued a .375H&H to deal with the dangerous boats on the Chesapeake. Presumably they also use the form for the bird hunting classes in Maine. But I drove up to Maryland for the class and a few of my classmates were a little disconcerted.

And LL Bean's web site had Swaro PH scopes on clearance for 30% off two weeks ago. They were cheaper off the web site than I've ever seen them used...

Interesting.

My Banker claims that for every credit card you have over 2 you get docked 50 points on your credit score.. Seems Credit Reporting Agency's see too many credit Cards as one sign of poor credit.

Using one card to pay another etc.

Like Saeed said, I think I'll wait for some input from Steve. I want to see if his problems were resolved.
Rich Elliott

quote:

Originally posted by Gator1:
Interesting.

My Banker claims that for every credit card you have over 2 you get docked 50 points on your credit score.. Seems Credit Reporting Agency's see too many credit Cards as one sign of poor credit.

Using one card to pay another etc.

One of my coworkers paid his way through college selling cars. He said you get dinged for every credit card with a credit limit of over $4500. But you don't want to cancel your cards. If you're worried about it just call the credit company and lower the limit. Your cards that you've had for many years, even if you never use them, increase your credit score. He's a math geek so I definitely trust his understanding of it more than the reporters who write the credit score articles.

quote:

Originally posted by mtf:

quote:

Originally posted by Gator1:
Interesting.

My Banker claims that for every credit card you have over 2 you get docked 50 points on your credit score.. Seems Credit Reporting Agency's see too many credit Cards as one sign of poor credit.

Using one card to pay another etc.

One of my coworkers paid his way through college selling cars. He said you get dinged for every credit card with a credit limit of over $4500. But you don't want to cancel your cards. If you're worried about it just call the credit company and lower the limit. Your cards that you've had for many years, even if you never use them, increase your credit score. He's a math geek so I definitely trust his understanding of it more than the reporters who write the credit score articles.

Not strictly true at all.

I have several credit cards from several banks, all have limits of over $20,000. And this has not affected my credit rating at all.

I want to comment on the LL Bean PC dogma they currently seem to float: I live 5 minutes away from their store. I know quite a few of the guys in the Hunt and Fish dept. A couple of their guys have brown bear hunting experience and one of them guides or has guided brown bear in the past. Others have lived in Alaska. Still others are gifted shooters as one of their shooting instructors has a national championship in skeet shooting on his resume. The list goes on.

However, they also seem to be the grudgingly accepted rebel child of the family, so to speak. As a company they don't seem so much like an outfitter anymore as they do an outdoor-themed retailer. And it's true: ride up there this weekend and you will see the hordes of river-guide sandaled, Obama-loving PC knucleheads strolling about looking their best backwoods selves.

Sadly, LL Bean seems lost in their approach to firearms. Honestly, if I want to buy a bubba gun Rmington pump action in 30 06 I can find it anyplace. Yet, they have had the same blaser 30 06 doublegun for a while now.

LL Bean and its headman, Leon Gorman, oughta get some balls and figure out who they used to be. Me? I'm sure glad Cabela's is open 30 minutes down the pike.

I am certainly interested in learning the outcome of the whole Barclay's story.

quote:

The only problem with L L Bean is in my experience is their goods are very good and their policy for customer satisfaction is second to none

Hey, so what, let's boycott 'em anyway!
Peter.

Peter, I am not about to cut off my nose to spite my face. There isn't a company around that doesn't try to appeal to all segments of the buying public, stupid to not do so and I include Cabelas in that group. They (Cabelas) have some of the least informed clerks in their stores. This is true with all the chain stores. This spring I was in a Dicks store in Asheville NC and a customer ask me about a product and I told him I didn't work there and he said "You look like you know more about the product than the clerks." I find this to be so true in these chains. It is not like your locally owned and operated "sporting goods store". So as long as LL Bean stands behind the products they sell I will continue to buy from them.