The company sells a variety of hiking, weather, and other utility boots, along with other outdoor equipment such as firearms, backpacks, and tents, in addition to producing a full line of clothing.
L.L.Bean sources its products from the United States and across the globe. Most of the company's products are made outside of the U.S., with many made in China. L.L.Bean has factories in Jiangsu and Shandong, in addition to Cambodia. About 75 percent of L.L. Bean's products are made overseas.
As of 2016, its factory in Brunswick, Maine, employed more than 450 people who made the company's products by hand, such as the Maine Hunting Shoe, L.L.Bean Boot, Boat and Totes, dog beds, leather goods, and backpacks.
In 2000, L.L.Bean partnered with Japanese automaker Subaru, making L.L.Bean the official outfitter of Subaru, spawning the L.L.Bean edition Subaru Outback and Subaru Forester for the US market. The L.L.Bean trim levels were top-spec versions, with most available options included as standard equipment. This relationship with Subaru ended in June 2008. In 2010, L.L.Bean created a contemporary sub-brand called L.L.Bean Signature. The Signature line is a modern interpretation of L.L.Bean's previous products with modern fits.
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Retail stores
Along with a number of retail and outlet stores, the company maintains its flagship store on Main Street in Freeport. This branch, originally opened in 1917, remained open continuously, 24 hours a day, between 1951 and 1962, when Maine changed its blue laws; a town vote later reinstated the store's open-door policy. The flagship has closed to honor the death of U.S. President John F. Kennedy in 1963, and the deaths of founder Leon L. Bean in 1967 and his grandson Leon Gorman in 2015. Due to the COVID-19 pandemic worldwide, all L.L.Bean stores were closed indefinitely starting on March 17, 2020, at midnight. It was the first time it had ever closed for more than 24 hours. The company began to reopen stores in May 2020.
L.L.Bean has invested heavily in activities for both visitors and residents in Freeport, including its Outdoor Discovery Schools, Christmas light displays, and its Summer Concert Series, which has attracted artists such as Grace Potter, Lake Street Dive, Edwin McCain, Great Big Sea, Buckwheat Zydeco, and Rockapella.
L.L.Bean opened its first outlet store in North Conway, New Hampshire, in 1988. As of 2024, the company has 60 locations in 19 U.S. states, plus 22 stores in Japan and 13 stores in Canada. The brand is also distributed in about 200 partner stores, such as Nordstrom.
In March 2018, L.L.Bean opened its first urban location in Boston's Seaport District. The 8,600-square-foot (800 m2) store will be the model for further expansion in urban areas and carry a selection of merchandise selected to fit the surrounding community.
In November 2019, it was announced that L.L.Bean would be launching in the UK.
In February 2025, portions of the L.L. Bean flagship store were torn down in preparation for $50 million in renovations, which are expected to be completed by fall 2026.
Returns policy
From its founding, L.L.Bean had an unlimited return policy, which allowed customers to return items with which they were dissatisfied at any time, even without a purchase receipt. On February 9, 2018, the company announced it would be limiting returns to within one year of purchase, and only with a receipt or other proof of purchase. L.L.Bean said that some customers had been abusing the policy by returning items that had been purchased from yard sales and third parties or used the policy as a lifetime replacement program for items with normal wear and tear. L.L.Bean has also stated it reserves the right to deny returns to those who regularly return items.
International expansion
L.L. Bean has ventured into international markets notably Japan and Canada, starting with Japan in 1976 with L.L. Bean bags debuting at American Life Shop BEAMS in Tokyo's Harajuku district in 1976. It opened its first outlet in Japan in November 1992 and expanded to 28 stores in the country by November 2018. The company then ventured into the Canadian market, launching an e-commerce site in 2018 under licensing by Toronto-based Jaytex Group and expansion directed under Brokerage Oberfeld Snowcap, and opening its first outlet in 2019 in Oakville, Ontario, with at least eight stores opened by the end of 2021 with plans to establish at least 20 more.
In 2020, the company expanded its outlets in Ontario, including one at Ottawa's Train Yards, one at the Georgian Mall in Barrie, and one at Vaughan Mills.
In 2021, the company opened outlets at Toronto's Shops at Don Mills, one at Halifax, Nova Scotia's Dartmouth Crossing, one at Calgary, Alberta's Deerfoot Meadows retail centre with two in British Columbia; one in Victoria's Mayfair Mall and one at Burnaby's The Amazing Brentwood. In 2022, there were five more Ontario openings; with one at Kitchener's The Boardwalk, Kingston's Cataraqui Mall, and one at Moncton, New Brunswick's Champlain Place, Niagara Falls' Canada One and Edmonton, Alberta's West Edmonton Mall.
