Poor Experiance with REI

[squeezebox]

Christmas is a crazy busy time. Last year I ordered a sleeping bag, and received this box of plastic plates, candle lantern and other weird stuff. no original order info. couldn't return it, made sure I didn't pay for it. They sent me the sleeping bag. 6 months later I decided I didn't like the bag. Went to return it, couldn't because they had not charged me for the bag. At least I was on the receiving end of the glitch.

[ralph23]

This isn't a poor experience with a retailer until you contact the retailer and try to work it out. So far, you have spent more time posting on here about an order made during an insanely busy shopping season instead of contacting REI and working toward a remedy. I'm not a spokesperson for big box retailers, but good god man, contact them and try to get it worked out before you start complaining.

[Tuckahoe]

Some of you may know that I am getting ready for a Thru-hike in March and that I'm collecting my gear that I need. The next item on my list of stuff I needed was a new light weight tent. So I did some research and I found that the Big Agnes Fly Creek UL2 was the tent that would work. It cost around $400 with tax which is a quite a bit of money for me but I knew that it was a good brand and it was something I will be using quite a bit. I decided to purchase the tent through REI because that was where I've been getting a lot of my gear and I like their membership discounts and what not. I bought the tent on Sunday night and it arrived Christmas eve. I had decided that I would wait and open it in the morning so it would seam like I had more gifts then I actually did. The next morning I was all excited because it was something I was very much looking forward to. When I opened it I noticed the steaks had dry mud all over them and the tent had leafs in it and a small hole in the tent fly. I was very disappointed in REI for sending me a obviously used tent. If I'm going to spend $400 of my hard earned money on a tent I at least want it to be brand new! But any way I'm most likely going to go through Big Agnes or Moosejaw when they send me my money back.

Okay thanks every one for your thoughts! I did end up calling REI and they were more then happy to help me out and give me my money back. Like a few of you said it was probably just a little mix up, I can't think of a reason that they would do it on purpose! I do really like REI and I haven't had problem in the past, I was just a little disappointed that it didn't come perfect. But anyway I hope everyone had a great Christmas!

This isn't a poor experience with a retailer until you contact the retailer and try to work it out. So far, you have spent more time posting on here about an order made during an insanely busy shopping season instead of contacting REI and working toward a remedy. I'm not a spokesperson for big box retailers, but good god man, contact them and try to get it worked out before you start complaining.

Gee whiz, cut the kid some slack. He only spent two posts over the span of 1 hour and 45 minutes on a fair gripe, during which REI took care of the issue.

[Rick Hancock]

Like Rainman I've been an REI customer since the mid 70's. Still got a couple of catalogs advertising knickers and Woolrich 60/40 parkas. More than likely it was a return that was replaced in the new bin by mistake. Just contact them and work it out. If you live too far away to return it to a store I'm sure they'll give you a free return shipping label. I've never had a problem returning an item. I know it's a hassle but that's part of life.

[Rick Hancock]

By the way, you can get the very same tent in a 1 person model for $189 or 2 person for a bit more from LL Bean. I think Big Agnes makes it but puts the Bean tag on it. I know that some years back I purchased a pair of Vermont Tubbs snowshoes with the Bean name on them and paid way less than from the dealer.

[takethisbread]

REI will make it right. It's 100% guarentee on that item. It's a good product as well. U will get a new tent and probably a gift card for your trouble . Actually it's a blessing.


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[Badpelican]

If you think membership is annoying as a customer, try working there and being stalked by your managers over membership sales. There's something real strange about membership and I'm unable to drink the propaganda Kool-Aid anymore. I was a thru-hiker last year (2014) and I just left my job at REI. Except for your pack and your boots, buy everything else on your gear list wherever you can find it cheapest. Backcountry.com will run a free shipping / discount sale right around the time most people are gearing for a thru, so I'd keep my eye on what they have going on. As for REI, they've become the Wall-mart of outdoor products and they treat everyone as such, now. Don't support them anymore than you have to.

[Connie]

The employees act like they don't care about the store: They exchange. They take returns. There is employee theft. REI had never exchanged practically anything for any reason, or, no reason. REI never had so liberal a return policy. It is my impression, REI is being ruined by its own management.

LaFuma had a beach chair. I called it a sand chair. Maybe LaFuma did. I had one. I thought it woulld be much better if it disassembled and reassembled, so it could be more easily carried to the beach from the car and, importantly, stowed in my kayak for the beach.

I have designed before, having had industrial design at my college and university. In fact, I had a famous man in industrial design in as a guest for a 10 credit course I was teaching, on invitation, at a private college once.

I saw my beach chair at REI. I said so.

LaFuma pulled the chair from their line. Not much longer, the chair is sold under the REI label.

I did not sell my design.

REI membership #23-119.

I had shopped at REI, for years before that, but I saw no benefit in membership. For awhile, the dividends were quite good. No one else sold the items REI had for sale. I got a membership.

Their REI UL expert at the Tualatin, OR REI store said he got everything from my website. I felt complimented.

I do not feel complimented, about stealing my design.

I had spoken up at the Tualatin, OR REI where I saw my chair design under the LaFuma label.

Indeed: what has happened to REI?

[Connie]

I consistently find better prices elsewhere.

[Traveler]

The employees act like they don't care about the store: They exchange. They take returns. There is employee theft. REI had never exchanged practically anything for any reason, or, no reason. REI never had so liberal a return policy. It is my impression, REI is being ruined by its own management.

Indeed: what has happened to REI?

I have always found REI's return policy to be rather liberal as compared with other retailers. Employees don't have a lot of latitude in what is accepted for return and what isn't, though I have seen managers called in to make the decision as I stood in line waiting for some guy returning 5 year old trekking poles that have worn out grip straps, then arguing for 20 minutes with the "no" answer. oy

Theft is a pretty serious accusation to make in print. Do you have examples like names, dates, and items, or have you just heard this?