America's Most Trusted D2C Brands 2026 › L.L.Bean
#5 of 100 – Fashion & Apparel

L.L.Bean

Mail-order-born outdoor apparel and footwear brand, famous for the Bean Boot, selling through its catalog, website and own stores.

By Abhimanyu Ghosh, Chairman, WCRC, with the WCRC Business Intelligence Unit · November 2026

Consumer Trust 90/100
L.L.Bean ranked #5 in America's Most Trusted D2C Brands 2026 by WCRC
Trust Score86.11out of 100
US D2C rank#5 of 100
HeadquartersFreeport, ME
Founded1912
Latest revenue$1.7B revenue (2025, flat for a third year)
Trust pillar90/100

The L.L.Bean story

L.L.Bean was founded in 1912 by Leon Leonwood Bean and is owned today by Private (Bean family-owned). It is one of 15 Fashion & Apparel brands in this year's ranking, where it places #1.

Why people trust L.L.Bean

More than a century of family ownership and a satisfaction guarantee have made it a household name.

The watch-out

Sales of about $1.7 billion have been flat for three years, below the $1.8 billion it reached in 2021 and 2022.

Why L.L.Bean ranks #5

Strongest of the four trust-led pillars

Consumer Trust & Sentiment, scored 90 out of 100.

Room to grow

Brand Recall, scored 84 out of 100.

The WCRC D2C Trust Score gives 80% of the weight to Consumer Trust, Brand Recall, Positioning and Brand Love. L.L.Bean scores 86.11 overall.

Pillar profile

Consumer Trust & Sentiment (32%)
90
Brand Recall (18%)
84
Brand Positioning (15%)
86
Brand Love (15%)
87
Product, Innovation & Delivery (10%)
86
Digital & Financial Soundness (6%)
74
Governance & ESG (4%)
80

Versus its nearest rivals

3ChewyPets · 87.694USAAInsurance · 87.365L.L.BeanFashion · 86.116GEICOInsurance · 85.467NetflixTech · 85.20

Questions people ask

What rank is L.L.Bean in WCRC's America's Most Trusted D2C Brands 2026?

L.L.Bean ranks #5 of 100 in WCRC's America's Most Trusted D2C Brands 2026, with a WCRC D2C Trust Score of 86.11 out of 100.

Why is L.L.Bean trusted?

More than a century of family ownership and a satisfaction guarantee have made it a household name.

What is L.L.Bean's revenue?

$1.7B revenue (2025, flat for a third year), as per the company's filed accounts or published results.

Who owns L.L.Bean?

L.L.Bean is owned by Private (Bean family-owned). It was founded in 1912 and is based in Freeport, ME.

What is L.L.Bean's biggest challenge?

Sales of about $1.7 billion have been flat for three years, below the $1.8 billion it reached in 2021 and 2022.

Key facts

BrandL.L.Bean
Company / ownerPrivate (Bean family-owned)
HeadquartersFreeport, ME
Founded1912
Founder(s)Leon Leonwood Bean
Latest revenue$1.7B revenue (2025, flat for a third year), as stated by the company
SectorFashion & Apparel
Country of originUnited States

Sources

  • Revenue figure published by the company in its own announcements
  • Company website, official announcements and press releases
  • Published interviews and statements by the founders and leadership
  • WCRC Business Intelligence Unit research: consumer ratings and reviews, complaint records, search demand and social data
Want the full picture? For the detailed methodology, a brand's full assessment report, or the other factors behind a score, contact the WCRC Business Intelligence Unit at consulting@wcrcint.com.
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Disclaimer
  1. Who was considered. Only brands whose owners publish financial results, or that have publicly stated their own revenue, were considered. Brands that do not publish revenue have not been assessed or ranked. Not being on this list says nothing about a brand's quality.
  2. Eligibility. Ranked brands were founded in the United States, are US-controlled today, were born selling direct to consumers and still sell mainly direct. The rules are applied as of November 2026.
  3. Independent opinion. This ranking is WCRC's independent research and opinion, based on publicly available information as of November 2026. It is not an endorsement of any brand. No brand paid to be included, and inclusion cannot be bought.
  4. Not advice. Nothing on this site is investment, financial, insurance, medical, legal or purchasing advice. Do not rely on it to make decisions of that kind.
  5. Scores. WCRC D2C Trust Scores are provisional assessments by the WCRC Business Intelligence Unit at the time of research. They are opinions, not measurements, and may be revised.
  6. Revenue and facts. Revenue is shown as filed with the US Securities and Exchange Commission or published in company results, or, where marked, as stated by the company itself. Some figures are for a parent segment or a run rate, as noted. WCRC has not audited any figure. Facts are checked twice against public sources, but errors are possible.
  7. Trademarks. Brand names, logos and trademarks belong to their owners. Their use here is for identification only and does not imply any affiliation with or endorsement by WCRC.
  8. Use of the badge. Ranked brands may use the WCRC badge only as provided, linked to their page, and unaltered. Any other use of the WCRC name, badge or data needs WCRC's written permission.
  9. Rights and AI. © 2026 WCRC. All rights reserved. The WCRC D2C Trust Score and its methodology are proprietary. Copying, text and data mining, and use of this content to train artificial intelligence models are not permitted without written permission; WCRC expressly reserves these rights, including under Article 4 of EU Directive 2019/790.
  10. Corrections. To report an error or ask for a review, write to consulting@wcrcint.com. Corrections are made promptly.