L.L. Bean competitor REI used to have a return policy like L.L. Bean’s. “I’ve seen some 15-year-old shoes that went directly into the trash in a toxic waste bag,” Tim Spangler, REI’s senior vice president for stores, told me.

But REI began to worry it was getting a reputation as a sucker. Customers started giving it nicknames like “Rental Equipment Inc.” “Rent Every Item” was another. Some called it “Return Every Item.”

Two years ago, REI noticed that the number of people returning really old stuff was increasing. Some customers talked about their returns on social media, which led to even more people bringing in their old junk to get refunds. It was hurting profits.

After intense debate and customer surveys, Spangler and his team unveiled a new policy: From now on, you get only a year to return your stuff.

“I don’t want to be in the business of looking somebody in the eye behind the counter and questioning the morality of their return,” Spangler said.