Image of the L.L.Bean storefront
Photo: iStock

L.L.Bean is adding Dillard’s and Moosejaw to its roster of U.S. wholesale key accounts in addition to 10 independent retailers in the Southeast.

The 111-year-old outdoor retailer only opened its first wholesale accounts in 2018 when it started selling through retailers like Sporting Life, Hudson’s Bay, and Mountain Equipment Co-op in Canada. The Maine-based retailer did not have any stores in Canada at the time.

In the U.S., L.L.Bean’s first wholesale accounts opened in 2020 when it started selling through Nordstrom, Staples, and SCHEELS. Charlie Bruder, now the retailer’s VP and general manager of international and wholesale, told The Associated Press at the time that L.L.Bean products were underrepresented in the marketplace. He said they sought out wholesale partners that shared L.L.Bean’s business philosophies, noting that the customer service approaches of Nordstrom and SCHEELS mirrored L.L.Bean’s.

Similar to past wholesale partnerships, L.L.Bean will sell through select Dillard’s and Moosejaw stores, the latter of which was acquired by Dick’s Sporting Goods earlier this year. In all, the wholesale expansion, also including the 10 independents, will make L.L.Bean goods available in more than 66 new storefronts and e-commerce platforms.

L.L.Bean said in a statement, “These wholesale partnerships will enable L.L.Bean to offer a curated assortment of goods through established, trusted retailers, providing customers in more locations across the U.S. the opportunity to interact directly with the brand’s iconic products, which have traditionally been most accessible online and through the L.L.Bean catalog.”

L.L.Bean also announced plans to open two stores each in the U.S. and Canada. It currently operates 56 stores in the U.S. directly and 13 in Canada through a license.

As with any wholesale relationship, L.L.Bean takes risks by letting a third party manage the selling experience.

In 2021, competitor Eddie Bauer reached an agreement to sell its apparel at Kohl’s. Many retailers have in-store shops inside other retailers, including Sephora inside Kohl’s and Toys “R” Us inside Macy’s. Athleta’s partnership to sell at REI is one of the few traditional wholesale relationships for a retail brand outside of L.L. Bean’s.

Many of L.L.Bean’s competitors, including Patagonia, The North Face, and Arc’teryx, were founded through wholesale selling but are now driving much of their growth through direct-to-consumer channels.

BrainTrust

“Just as many wholesale manufacturers have moved to open their own stores (physical and online), it makes sense for such an established vertical brand to expand into wholesale.”

Allison McCabe

Director Retail Technology, enVista


“All it needs is the right outlets, and wholesaling to specific retailers can provide the brand with more exposure across the country and increase the number of units sold.”

Bob Amster

Principal, Retail Technology Group


“Selling wholesale is the easy part. Managing the customers’ perception of the brand at all these different retailers is the hard part. LLBean has a big brick & mortar future.”

Jeff Sward

Founding Partner, Merchandising Metrics

Discussion Questions

DISCUSSION QUESTIONS: Will L.L.Bean see more benefits than drawbacks from expanding its wholesale accounts to include Dillard’s, Moosejaw, and independent shops? How will L.L.Bean know when it’s extended too far with third-party distribution?

Poll

Are wholesale relationships with other U.S. retailers a positive or negative for L.L.Bean’s brand and business overall?

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14 responses to “Should L.L.Bean Be Digging Deeper Into Wholesale?”

  1. Neil Saunders Avatar
    Neil Saunders

    LL Bean is a great brand. However, its exposure is comparatively limited by the fact it has only 56 stores across the US – most of them in its home of the Northeast. From our own data, brand awareness and usage really decays as you move out from the heartland. Current plans earmark just two more openings, both in Massachusetts. This leaves large swathes of the country without a decent physical offer, so expansion into wholesale is both logical and necessary if the brand wants to grow. Dillard’s is one of the new wholesale accounts and is a good choice because it has a presence in the South where LL Bean is underrepresented. Unlike a lot of department stores, Dillard’s also has good standards and takes care of the brands in its shops. Moosejaw is a natural fit as it attracts a lot of outdoor enthusiasts. These additions will allow LL Bean to expand without becoming ubiquitous or damaging the ethos of the brand.

  2. Allison McCabe Avatar
    Allison McCabe

    A natural move for LLBean. Just as many wholesale manufacturers have moved to opening their own stores(physical and online), it makes great sense for such an established vertical brand to expand into wholesale. Clearly defining inventory demand and strong partnerships regarding promotional cadences and in store presentation will be very important.

  3. Ron Margulis Avatar
    Ron Margulis

    Very little downside for L.L. Bean by extending into wholesale. Plus, they create a new and more efficient channel for returns, both from the physical and digital stores. They do need to be careful with the curation of their retail partnerships so as to not diminish the brand’s reputation, but there are dozens of great candidates both in the US and abroad.

  4. Bob Amster Avatar
    Bob Amster

    I think it’s a good strategy within the limitations/standards that LL Bean set for itself: wholesale to retailers that share the same customer service standard as LL Bean. That almost guarantees success because LL Bean already makes a very good product. All it needs is the right outlets, and wholesaling to specific retailers can provide the brand with more exposure across the country and actually increase the number of units sold.

  5. Gene Detroyer Avatar
    Gene Detroyer

    L.L.Bean, from its beginning over 100 years ago, had a unique market position. It was founded explicitly for fishermen and hunters. Sold via catalog, it caught the imagination of users as a statement product. Its Freeport store became a mandatory stop for anyone vacationing in Maine.

    I suspect the brand name is stronger than the brand itself. Unless one is explicitly looking for LL on the website, the internet will not give the exposure the company deserves.

    The move to selective and limited wholesale is wise if only to give the brand and its products further exposure. Soon we will see hunters in the Midwest wearing the famous duck boots.

  6. Lucille DeHart Avatar
    Lucille DeHart

    L.L.Bean is known for it’s strength as a direct sales/catalog retailer. Their customer service, brand presentation and consistency are critical to the continued longevity of the brand. Expanding their wholesale distribution will increase short-term sales, but wholesale is not a long-term play. Pop-up shops, limited edition assortments and potentially single item or iconic legacy product floor sets during the holidays may be a better path.

  7. David Naumann Avatar
    David Naumann

    L.L. Bean will experience much more benefits than drawbacks from expanding its wholesale accounts. Other quality brands that specialize in outdoor clothing and recreation equipment, such as Patagonia, North Face, Kuhl and Columbia, all have strong wholesale networks and they maintain their brand reputation. Without a strong network of wholesale, L.L. Bean is limiting its exposure to customer buying opportunities and revenues. I love the idea of making L.L. Bean products more accessible.

  8. Jeff Sward Avatar
    Jeff Sward

    I would encourage LLBean to be reeeaaallly cautious about how quickly and how broadly they expand their wholesale footprint. There are lots of great specialty stores and chains out there, but the road to department stores is a minefield. Selling wholesale is the easy part. Managing the customers perception of the brand at all these different retailers is the hard part. LLBean has a big brick & mortar future. They need to be very careful about the balance between owned stores and wholesale.

  9. DeAnn Campbell Avatar
    DeAnn Campbell

    L.L. Bean has something elusive but coveted in the apparel industry, which is a unique value proposition. While some of their products overlap with other brands, their price point makes them more accessible than a North Face or REI, yet their reputation for quality is still high. Expanding access to their brand across more partners will help them capitalize on their brand image for a while. But their appeal has also been in part because of relative scarcity, creating the impression that their products are special because not everyone can find them. In today’s multi-channel retail landscape balance will be important — spread their products too widely and they become commoditized. Hold them too close and you leave too much space for competitors.

    1. Jeff Sward Avatar
      Jeff Sward

      What a great summation of LLBean’s “unique value proposition”…!!!

  10. Natalie Walkley Avatar
    Natalie Walkley

    This is a good move for L.L. Bean. Many retailers and brands are diversifying their channel strategy as a way to attract and acquire new customers and new demographics. They already have a great product, strong brand, and very focused on customer satisfaction. The key will be expanding into the right wholesale channels that help them reach the right audience.

  11. Katie Riddle Avatar
    Katie Riddle

    I think this is a good move for LL Bean, if they’re very careful and deliberate with choosing partners. They have to protect and extend their brand to people who may have limited experience with them, and their partner will have an influence over this. And there’s also first-party data to consider. Will LL Bean be able to leverage it to learn about new customers?

  12. BenedictEnterprisesLLC Avatar
    BenedictEnterprisesLLC

    LL Bean offers such a high-quality assortment of outstanding products that many US consumers can’t access or don’t know about.

    Yes, of course, you can purchase Bean’s products online or via their catalog, but expanding their wholesale partnerships will expose millions of potential customers to their awesome products. This move makes complete strategic sense, provided that it is executed thoughtfully with the right retail partners. Nike, Apple and Dell are just a few examples of brands that are making this work.

  13. Craig Sundstrom Avatar
    Craig Sundstrom

    I’ll confess it’s not the first thing I would think of doing if I were in their place. Of course I’m NOT in their place and I’ll trust their judgement over my own… 111 years of experience beats 15 seconds of thinking about something, every time.

14 Comments
oldest
newest
Neil Saunders
Neil Saunders
2 days ago

LL Bean is a great brand. However, its exposure is comparatively limited by the fact it has only 56 stores across the US – most of them in its home of the Northeast. From our own data, brand awareness and usage really decays as you move out from the heartland. Current plans earmark just two more openings, both in Massachusetts. This leaves large swathes of the country without a decent physical offer, so expansion into wholesale is both logical and necessary if the brand wants to grow. Dillard’s is one of the new wholesale accounts and is a good choice because it has a presence in the South where LL Bean is underrepresented. Unlike a lot of department stores, Dillard’s also has good standards and takes care of the brands in its shops. Moosejaw is a natural fit as it attracts a lot of outdoor enthusiasts. These additions will allow LL Bean to expand without becoming ubiquitous or damaging the ethos of the brand.

Allison McCabe
Allison McCabe
2 days ago

A natural move for LLBean. Just as many wholesale manufacturers have moved to opening their own stores(physical and online), it makes great sense for such an established vertical brand to expand into wholesale. Clearly defining inventory demand and strong partnerships regarding promotional cadences and in store presentation will be very important.

Ron Margulis
Ron Margulis
2 days ago

Very little downside for L.L. Bean by extending into wholesale. Plus, they create a new and more efficient channel for returns, both from the physical and digital stores. They do need to be careful with the curation of their retail partnerships so as to not diminish the brand’s reputation, but there are dozens of great candidates both in the US and abroad.

Bob Amster
Bob Amster
2 days ago

I think it’s a good strategy within the limitations/standards that LL Bean set for itself: wholesale to retailers that share the same customer service standard as LL Bean. That almost guarantees success because LL Bean already makes a very good product. All it needs is the right outlets, and wholesaling to specific retailers can provide the brand with more exposure across the country and actually increase the number of units sold.

Gene Detroyer
Gene Detroyer
2 days ago

L.L.Bean, from its beginning over 100 years ago, had a unique market position. It was founded explicitly for fishermen and hunters. Sold via catalog, it caught the imagination of users as a statement product. Its Freeport store became a mandatory stop for anyone vacationing in Maine.

I suspect the brand name is stronger than the brand itself. Unless one is explicitly looking for LL on the website, the internet will not give the exposure the company deserves.

The move to selective and limited wholesale is wise if only to give the brand and its products further exposure. Soon we will see hunters in the Midwest wearing the famous duck boots.

Lucille DeHart
Lucille DeHart
2 days ago

L.L.Bean is known for it’s strength as a direct sales/catalog retailer. Their customer service, brand presentation and consistency are critical to the continued longevity of the brand. Expanding their wholesale distribution will increase short-term sales, but wholesale is not a long-term play. Pop-up shops, limited edition assortments and potentially single item or iconic legacy product floor sets during the holidays may be a better path.

David Naumann
David Naumann
2 days ago

L.L. Bean will experience much more benefits than drawbacks from expanding its wholesale accounts. Other quality brands that specialize in outdoor clothing and recreation equipment, such as Patagonia, North Face, Kuhl and Columbia, all have strong wholesale networks and they maintain their brand reputation. Without a strong network of wholesale, L.L. Bean is limiting its exposure to customer buying opportunities and revenues. I love the idea of making L.L. Bean products more accessible.

Jeff Sward
Jeff Sward
2 days ago

I would encourage LLBean to be reeeaaallly cautious about how quickly and how broadly they expand their wholesale footprint. There are lots of great specialty stores and chains out there, but the road to department stores is a minefield. Selling wholesale is the easy part. Managing the customers perception of the brand at all these different retailers is the hard part. LLBean has a big brick & mortar future. They need to be very careful about the balance between owned stores and wholesale.

DeAnn Campbell
DeAnn Campbell
2 days ago

L.L. Bean has something elusive but coveted in the apparel industry, which is a unique value proposition. While some of their products overlap with other brands, their price point makes them more accessible than a North Face or REI, yet their reputation for quality is still high. Expanding access to their brand across more partners will help them capitalize on their brand image for a while. But their appeal has also been in part because of relative scarcity, creating the impression that their products are special because not everyone can find them. In today’s multi-channel retail landscape balance will be important — spread their products too widely and they become commoditized. Hold them too close and you leave too much space for competitors.

Jeff Sward
Jeff Sward
  DeAnn Campbell
2 days ago

What a great summation of LLBean’s “unique value proposition”…!!!

Natalie Walkley
Natalie Walkley
2 days ago

This is a good move for L.L. Bean. Many retailers and brands are diversifying their channel strategy as a way to attract and acquire new customers and new demographics. They already have a great product, strong brand, and very focused on customer satisfaction. The key will be expanding into the right wholesale channels that help them reach the right audience.

Katie Riddle
Katie Riddle
2 days ago

I think this is a good move for LL Bean, if they’re very careful and deliberate with choosing partners. They have to protect and extend their brand to people who may have limited experience with them, and their partner will have an influence over this. And there’s also first-party data to consider. Will LL Bean be able to leverage it to learn about new customers?

BenedictEnterprisesLLC
BenedictEnterprisesLLC
2 days ago

LL Bean offers such a high-quality assortment of outstanding products that many US consumers can’t access or don’t know about.

Yes, of course, you can purchase Bean’s products online or via their catalog, but expanding their wholesale partnerships will expose millions of potential customers to their awesome products. This move makes complete strategic sense, provided that it is executed thoughtfully with the right retail partners. Nike, Apple and Dell are just a few examples of brands that are making this work.

Craig Sundstrom
Craig Sundstrom
2 days ago

I’ll confess it’s not the first thing I would think of doing if I were in their place. Of course I’m NOT in their place and I’ll trust their judgement over my own… 111 years of experience beats 15 seconds of thinking about something, every time.