GUARANTEES FADING AWAY

In an era of disposable products, fewer stores are sticking to once- generous return policies

Some lifetime guarantees last longer than others. A small minority of shoppers who have returned items-salvaged from yard sales or purchased decades ago to get an upgraded version or a cash refund have left some retailers saying enough is enough. More retailers are changing once- generous return policies. Lifetime guarantees were thrust into the forefront last month when L. L. Bean said that in the wake of increasing abuse, it was putting a cap on its legendary open- ended pledge, limiting most returns to one year— amove that prompted outrage and at least one lawsuit by a customer who said the company was now “breaking ... its promises.”

Bean follows outdoor gear and clothing retailer REI, which dropped its lifetime guarantee in 2013. Membership warehouse retailer Costco began limiting its lifetime returns policy to just 90 days for certain major electronics like TVs and computers.

Car maker Chrysler and jewelry maker Silpada have also pared back open- ended policies.

“Part of the reason is that retailers are very cost- conscious and have become increasingly concerned about the amount of abuse associated with lifetime guarantees,” said Neil Saunders, managing director of the retail consultancy GlobalData.

Such lifelong guarantees are becoming casualties of an era of disposable products and fast- changing fashion. And with competitive pressures only rising, companies don’t want to bear the costs of endlessly replacing an array of dated products.

“I think it was a sincere way that sellers inspired confidence in their products in the minds of prospective purchasers,” said Edgar Dworsky, founder and editor of Consumer World, an online consumer education site and resource guide.

But today, lifetime guarantees, from open- ended return policies to unending warranties, “are a dying breed.”

Yet several retailers— Lands’ End, Eddie Bauer, Nordstrom, Patagonia, to name a few — are holding firm. “Our policy is guaranteed period, and we mean every word,” said Michele Casper, spokeswoman for outerwear retailer Lands’ End. “It is unconditional, and it’s part of how we do business.”

The company, whose policy states that a dissatisfied customer can return a purchase at any time, isn’t just talking about offering a refund for a lunch box or replacing a pair of snow boots.