Executive interview with Nick Wilkoff, Chief Marketing Officer at L.L.Bean
Wise Marketer (WM): We recently published this press release announcing the new L.L. Bean Rewards program. The new program also includes news of a cobrand payment product issued by Mastercard. Can you describe the program overall?
Nick Wilkoff (NW): L.L.Bean Rewards is our new loyalty program designed to reward our customers for shopping with L.L.Bean while creating more ways for them to engage with the brand. Members earn one point for every dollar spent on qualifying L.L.Bean purchases, with every 150 points automatically converting to $5 in Bean Bucks. Members also receive free shipping on orders over $50, access to special sales and offers, and 10% off L.L.Bean Outdoor Discovery Programs.
Rewards members and L.L.Bean Mastercard cardmembers will also have the power to direct $250,000 in charitable giving through Outdoor Impact Votes. One L.L.Bean purchase earns one vote – the more you purchase, the more votes you accumulate. During the voting period, Rewards members, and L.L.Bean Mastercard cardmembers can allocate their votes across four participating charitable partners who will receive a share of the $250,000 based on the percentage of votes they receive.
Alongside the launch of L.L.Bean Rewards, we’ve also enhanced benefits for L.L.Bean Mastercard cardholders. Cardholders now earn 5% in Bean Bucks on L.L.Bean purchases, up from 4%, along with 15% off Outdoor Discovery Programs, and a birthday bonus, in addition to their existing card benefits.
WM: Is this an evolution of a previous rewards program at L.L. Bean or something brand new?
NW: L.L.Bean Rewards is our first loyalty program that does not require an L.L.Bean Mastercard. While customers could previously earn rewards and access additional benefits through the L.L.Bean Mastercard, this is the first time we’ve introduced a broader loyalty program for customers without a card membership.
WM: If it is an evolution of an existing program, what are the most significant step changes in the new program?
NW: Our biggest change with the launch of L.L.Bean Rewards is making rewards and benefits accessible to more customers. It creates a simple way for them to earn benefits, participate in our charitable giving and get even more from their experience with L.L.Bean.
At the same time, we’ve enhanced the experience for L.L.Bean Mastercard cardholders with increased Bean Bucks earnings and additional benefits, including a birthday bonus and a larger discount on Outdoor Discovery Programs.
WM: What were your motivations for designing and introducing this program? What did you hear from customers that motivated your plans?
NW: An exceptional customer experience is foundational to L.L.Bean and we are fortunate to have tremendously loyal customers. We’re always looking for ways to recognize that loyalty and deliver more value. That was a key motivation behind L.L.Bean Rewards: creating a simple, accessible program that makes it easier for customers to earn and enjoy benefits while opening up new ways to engage with L.L.Bean.
WM: How does the new program create a different shopping experience for L.L.Bean customer? For example, is the threshold for free shopping lower for rewards members and how are the “special sales and offers” made special for program members?
NW: The program is designed to be simple and immediately valuable. It’s free to join, members begin earning rewards with their first qualifying purchase and benefits are available right away. Rewards members receive free shipping on orders over $50, a lower threshold than the standard $75 minimum, and a higher threshold than our Mastercard program that offers free shipping on all orders. Members will also have exclusive access to special offers and early access to sales.
WM: What are L.L.Bean Outdoor Discovery Programs?
NW: We are an outdoor lifestyle brand whose purpose is to enable people to experience the restorative power of being outside. L.L.Bean Outdoor Discovery Programs activates that purpose through expert-led outdoor experiences. Programs range from introductory lessons to multiday and custom adventures, with activities including kayaking, fly casting and fishing, hiking, archery, stand-up paddleboarding, skiing and snowshoeing.
As part of L.L.Bean Rewards, members receive 10% off Outdoor Discovery Programs, while L.L.Bean Mastercard cardmembers receive 15% off. Our hope is that this benefit makes it even easier for customers to get outside and experience the restorative power of time spent outdoors, bringing our Purpose to life in a tangible way.
WM: There is a powerful charitable giving component to the program. How did you identify the four charitable partners, and did you arrive at the choices based on customer feedback?
NW: Shared values are inherent to loyalty and, like us, our customers value outdoor spaces and appreciate the essential connection between the outdoors and wellness. National Park Foundation, YMCA of the USA, Mental Health America, and Appalachian Mountain Club were selected as existing partners whose work aligns with those values and our Purpose.
Each approach that work in a different way, from outdoor access and conservation to youth engagement and mental well-being. With this feature, customers are in charge of how we support those values and activate our purpose through $250,000 in charitable giving
WM: Can you share perspective on the importance of shared values in building strong customer relationships?
NW: Shared values have always been an important part of how we connect with our customers. For more than a century, that connection has been rooted in a shared appreciation for the outdoors and our communities, as well as the trust we build by listening to our customers.
In fact, customer feedback helped us improve the original Bean Boot, setting a standard for how we’ve engaged with customers ever since. That willingness to listen and stay true to what matters to our customers remains just as important today.
WM: Can you share some of the key ways you will measure success with this new program?
NW: We’ll look at how customers engage with L.L.Bean Rewards, from enrollment to ongoing participation across the program. Ultimately, we hope customers find real value in being a member and that the program gives them even more ways to enjoy their shopping experience with L.L.Bean.
WM: Is there anything else you would like to share that we have not asked?
NW: What we’re most excited about is that L.L.Bean Rewards feels true to who we are. It rewards customers for choosing L.L.Bean, encourages more time outside and gives members a voice in supporting organizations doing meaningful work in the outdoors and our communities. We think that combination makes the program distinctly L.L.Bean.
