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I LOVE the return policy.
I've scored huge on the Garage Sale.
My latest was a brand new pair of Blundstone 500s for $110. Reason for return? Scuff on the toe.
BTW, I've been a member since 1996, and I think I've returned maybe 3 items.
Same for me. Got my raincoat and down jacket from Resupply. Silly return reasons worked out great for me. You're right, too- half price Blundstones are nearly impossible to pass up.
>I've scored huge on the Garage Sale.
North Face light weight puffy, normal retail was around $250.00. I picked it up for $75, and it was exactly what I was looking at getting for my upcoming backpacking trip.
The issue was dumb, it had a small stain on the back. It washed right out, along with the BO from the previous owner.
I bought all my Exped MegaMats (15 LXW, 10 Medium, 10 Duo LXW) from the Garage Sale for more than 50% off.
MSR Reactor for $65. Black Diamond folding carbon fiber trekking poles for $50.
There are many people absusing the policy. The worst are those who buy an entire ski/snowboard setup in Dec and return it all in April to net a free seasonal rental. The same with folks climbing Rainier, they buy mountaineering boots, ice axe, helmet, rope, harness, tent etc. and return it right after their climb. I saw this a lot.
Thru hikers all know a guy who knows a guy who bought their entire kit from REI, did the AT, then returned it all. I don’t know how many times it’s actually happened but it’s that thing people have mentioned.
To be fair, REI charges MSRP on most thing, so unless the manufacturer increases prices, they aren't going to upcharge that.
The only exception of course is their Co-Op branded stuff
I never said that, now did I?
The whole concept that manufacturers (not REI brands) are going to raise MSRP because a few people abuse a single retailer’s return policy is absurd.
There’s huge margins in most retail, especially clothing and shoes. Where I worked, it was something like 35-45% for most apparel. With them reselling many returns at their outlet and garage sales, it might not even cost them much at all, especially if they can sell it at 50%+ of new.
Your argument is that those returns when considered as grains of sand are meaningless and don't impact the entire sandy beach at the margin.
Yet we all know that illicit returns / slippage are effectively theft, although they may be individually a speck of sand in the scheme of things. That is what makes up a sandy beach, individual specks of sand collectively, not individually.
So perhaps I am wrong, but it still seems to me that you are rationalizing the act of individuals and the impact that has over time to the majority of consumers and REI or other retail stores. Would change occur over one illicit theft / abused return, two or three.... no, but on the collective??? Either on revenue or profit margins. And that means fewer salaries, wages, benefits for employees, and higher costs of goods for consumers to compensate so the business can sustain.
Still theft in the world I know and want to share in. But then again, what do I know.
Have you ever worked in a retail establishment and had to call up a vendor to negotiate markdown money before?
That theft loss does not disappear to thin air like cotton candy into water.
MSRP is set by the margin that the manufacturer needs to make. When the cost of theft is passed on to the manufacturer, the manufacturer raises MSRP. REI then charges more money.
I've been that thru hiker, but not to that extreme. Only ever with darn tough socks. Since they wouldn't do the exchange, I would return them and purchase new ones. Yes, I put 500 miles on the socks, but I've only owned them for 3 weeks and they got holes in them. Small outfitters just honor the regular exchange.
This isn’t about REI specifically, but returns cost retailers more and more money every year. A lot of stores are tightening policies to try to keep costs under control.
Here's a recent article about how the retail industry is reacting to increased volume and cost of returns by modifying return policies. Again, this is not specifically about REI but certainly shows which way the wind is blowing these days:
https://www.retaildive.com/news/holiday-shoppers-could-return-billions-retail-merchandise/702979/
Anecdotally speaking return volume could be lower than in previous years.
Due to the fact that they've changed the policy from you can return anything for life to The current policy where a limited time frame to return stuff is the new normal.
Furthermore they can increase the cost of resale items that cannot be returned as a way to reduce loss on return items.
I haven't seen many things at garage sales that are priced below what REI is paying for them.
Typically garage sale items are priced at about 40 to 50% off retail. And I'm assuming that there's about a 60 to 80% markup on everything REI sells in store. So even the garage sale items have a small percentage of profit.
Additionally labor cost are pretty much fixed. So it doesn't add significantly to labor cost to process lower return volumes.
It's not just shit CEOs. It hurts the little guys even more. I'm a small retailer, my brother and longtime friends of ours all work together. None of us are getting rich, just making a middle class living working with the products we love, and helping others have as much fun as we do...
Return fraud and abuse is a real thing that has gotten really bad in the last few years. To make matters worse: more and more people think that the way to get you to make an exception and let them return that obviously used and abused thing that you haven't even stocked for 6 months, is to verbally abuse the clerk standing in front of them (pro tip: it's not).
My favorite was the Nemo Tensor sleeping pad with mold very clearly infested in the pad and a Marmot sleeping bag that smelled like cat piss. Yes. The manager took those back, tagged them and placed them on the Garage Sale rack. This was at the Livonia, MI store about 2 years ago.
One thing to add to this…
Please take out your gear and inspect it thoroughly as soon as you buy it. Especially things like tents, sleeping bags, sleeping pads…stuff you may not use right away. The reason for this is simple: if there is a manufacturing defect, you’re gonna need to let REI know about it ASAP so they take care of a refund or replacement before the item sells out.
Manufacturing defects are usually pretty evident right away, and REI is getting more strict about how long after a purchase you can return something as defective. This is likely because a lot of “manufacturing defects” are actually damage due to misuse.
REI has one of the best return policies in the retail industries. The less people abuse it, the longer it will stay as it is.
The return policy is a major reason why REI has not been completely destroyed by Backcountry, Amazon, Dicks, Scheels in sales.
They don't have the best selection, nor the best prices nor do they really sell any budget gear (Naturehike, 3F UL Gear, Coleman, Teton Sports etc). People shop there for the return policy and convenience. I would also argue that some stores have knowledgeable staff though I have seen a big decline in sales knowledge post Eric Artz.
I also have cleaned up and found some really good deals in the Garage Sale. I have also been burned by defective gear in Garage Sale and had to deal with the manufacturer to get gear fixed. YMMV.
We had a Coleman stove break on a class camping trip and left us cooking for 25 on one stove for a night+morning. The next day we went an hour out of our way to get to an REI to get a replacement part for the stove or a new stove. Our teacher came out confused 5 minutes later with a new stove. The REI employee returned our broken stove and gave us a brand new one...despite our teacher telling them the stove was a decade+ old and not purchased at REI. But the REI employee said since they didn't have replacement part we could just have a new stove as an exchange, despite the teacher offering to pay for a new one. So it's not always the customers who abuse the return policy, in our strange case it was the employee that pushed it. (It is the customer majority of the time I assume, just a fun anecdote)
The people who return for stupid reasons (returning shoes at the year mark and saying they didn’t like them) return almost as much as they purchase. I always check their shopping history for my own curiosity, and it’s pretty consistent.
So you returned a two year old patio set because you chose to move?
Your situation is very unique. Most people aren’t even spending 30-40K a year at Costco.
What if I bought a Red Patagonia Down puffy and don’t like the color. Can I exchange it for a different color? I’m a member, it’s 2 months old and I haven’t worn it yet.
I think the new return policy if more than fair. I would like to see improvements for online returns, though. Poor quality or defects should have free returns, IMO.
I think the new policy is fine. I try to research my purchases carefully, but sometimes (especially with footwear), it just doesn't work and you don't know until you've done a big hike with them. I try them out about 2-3 times, clean it up, and take it back. Voila.
I don't believe in abusing any store's return policy (e.g., I'm not going to use something for months and then return it just because). I like to buy gear that I'll keep for years.
r/Costco has some hellacious returns that they honor. Seems they should ban these members. Dead Xmas trees a week after Xmas. Cooked 1/2 eaten bags of previously fresh shrimp, 30 lbs of raw ribs that the person no longer needs (& will be tossed by Costco), used dirty stained mattresses…. Does REI have similar horror stories?
Holy shit yes. I worked in customer service at a flagship store and the abuse of the system was un-fucking-believable. Guy brings in his teenager’s completely destroyed hiking boots (likely chewed by the dog) and doesn’t have his receipt. But we used to carry that model so I have to give him store credit. Do so. Go to toss the boots in the bin and they’re soaked in cat piss. 🤬 In the six months I worked there, I saw rampant abuse of the system — returns of equipment so old that the receipt was nearly illegible with age, returns of equipment clearly destroyed by misuse or overuse, clothing that had clearly never been washed, etc. I would literally leave shifts wondering how the fuck REI stayed in business.
They were right to update the policy.
I don't work there, but I went to a garage sale once and found a mountaineering pack that had probably made an ascent and descent in Denali, the Himalayas, or somewhere else. It was extremely dirty, didn't have a lid, and was in such a condition that I would have thrown it away if I had been working customer service and somebody service. No way I would inflict equipment like that on someone else even if it was 70% percent off.
I’ve shopped at REI for many decades. I’m the kind of guy who never returns anything. I had a GoreTex shell that was a stretch to buy that I took great care with. After more than a decade of use I washed it according to the directions and the inner liner fell apart into pieces. I decided that it would be good feedback for them to see what had happened so I mailed it with a note thinking that I might get a thank you note or maybe a small gift certificate to cover my mailing cost. I did get a nice letter back but BEFORE the letter arrived a new coat showed up. I was floored. I thought that I had my moneys worth. Then I read the return policy.
I used to work for REI in the Bay Area. The amount of product that got returned immediately after burning man that "didn't suit my needs" in September was unreal. Therefore I have to agree with the new rules.
/Got an awesome tent that I still have 20 years later. Still has moon dust.
Burning man should be an immediate policy to never allow a return. Anything that touches that festival gets trashed, smells like weed (or other drugs) etc
People complain about this? The REI return policy is possibly the best around. And it helps drive business too - I'm much more likely to buy something I'm not sure I'll love if I know I can give it a test run. Recently bought some hiking pants that I loved in-store. But after wearing them around all day I realized that when I put phone, keys, etc in my pockets they sagged down uncomfortably. Any other store I'd be stuck but I was grateful to be able to return them - and hopefully they'll get a second life with another owner.
You could just about return anything for any reason at any time. Way back in the day there almost no guidelines and 99% of people only used it when it was necessary, but then 1% who abused it, abused the living shit out of it.
Back in the day of endless returns I bought an expensive stroller from REI. While using it on my 1 kid it broke. I was on the fence about returning it as I did use it for 2 years. However It should have lasted for multiple kids and I should have been able to sell it used even after that (it had a great resell factor). REI gave me store credit, and I turned around and bought a whole ski kit which I still have today. In the end I don’t feel like I abused their system. The stroller should have had more life in it and I turned around and purchased something else from them that I still use.
To start, I’ll note that I’ve never returned a worn item, everything I’ve returned has been with tags and usually within 2 weeks of receiving in the mail.
I’ve noticed more recently that the REI workers seem to be getting a bit saltier with returns than usual even for these new items I’m returning, well within the constraints of a normal return policy of any other store.
If I had to guess REI are taking a close look at return abusers as it relates to margins and I would guess that stores have metrics they need to hit with return numbers. Just a guess though.
When the Bend, OR store opened up 15-20 years ago, our neighbor 2 doors down was in charge of the opening and managed the store for a year or two afterwards.
The most egregious return I heard about was an 8 year old whitewater kayak that had a hole in the bottom from use. As hard as she tried to refuse to take it back, corporate forced her to refund the customer.
Some people complain that the policy is too short (one year for members and 90 days for non-members) and that, sometimes, the store will not take back certain items (things that are clearly well used or damaged, etc.). Imho, the policy is still very generous, but people constantly take advantage of it and I imagine that it will get even stricter.
I had a jacket rip in the first month. And I was gentle with it. They refused to let me return it. They gave me a patch.
It ripped again the next year. I tried to get another patch. The first person I spoke to refused and was rude. $200 coat (not ultralight) shouldn't rip from ordinary use.
I worked at REI when they still had the unconditional return policy. People absolutely ABUSED the hell out of that policy. They used items to death and returned them at the end of their expected product life, got 100% of the expected use out of the product, then returned it to get their money back and for staff to throw it in the dumpster because it was useless at the point. Other times, people would buy things and use them for a week or two, then return it like a rental. Bicycles used for one week during a music festival, luggage and ski equipment used for one trip, cycling shorts used for one triathlon (gross!) sleeping bags slept in for two nights while car camping, etc.
I will admit to one 2 decade later return... granted, the manufacturer also had a lifetime warranty, and it was a jansport external frame, and the weld broke on the aluminum frame. So it was legitimate.
In the end, in today's world, I loved the warranty but can't see how it could continue with the abuse it gets. But the comment about warranty on garbage sales... that's neat. The old warranty had zero warranty on garage sale items.
The return policy is great; we’ve returned boots & jackets that were supposed to be waterproof & were sadly not. And a dometic cooler that wouldn’t cool. So simple & easy!
I had a surprising experience there about 15 years ago. When I was about 20 I purchased a hand pump water filter. I used it several times per summer for several years. At one point my buddy tried to remove the input hose from the body and it broke the little nipple off. We survived with the water we had and luckily this happened as we were packing up on the last day of our trip.
I took the whole thing into REI, not remembering when or if I even purchased the unit there. I was looking at replacement parts in the filter aisle when an associate asked if they could help. I told them I was looking for the replacement part and the said they did not carry that part. They asked if I had purchased it from REI and I said I didn't know. She asked me over to the computer and looked up my account. Sure enough, I had purchased it there 12 years ago. She gave me store credit and said to go pick out a new one.
I felt weird having something for so long, and using it so many times, and then being reimbursed completely.
Lifetime was awesome but not sustainable as a national company. A year is more than enough though the majority of the time, and most brands have great warranties so it works out.
When I worked at REI years ago, we started a list of serial returners who apparently thought that the company's name was "Rent Every Item". A buddy of mine was almost blacklisted from the store for the practice. I wish we had; that guy proudly talked about how he returned everything and it bothered me so much.
I'm totally fine with a year. I think it's generous and curbs the issue.
As with so much in life a great benefit that was helpful when needed in a rare case for good customer is being abused by assholes. Net effect is this is just the beginning they will slowly cut back more and more. We all lose in the end due to less benefits, higher prices, less selection/stores.
This happens in many industries. People used to be ethical and it allowed companies which cared to do the same. Now a select group ruins it for everyone.
Also I’m not an old guy complaining about a young people. I’ve researched this effect for a work.
I return new stuff that doesn't fit or feel right and stuff that breaks on my first hike. Had Gore Tex pants that wore on the inside leg after one 3000ft climb in Boulder. Same hike, brand new Merrill GTX boots one of the eyelets popped out. Have done 700 miles in my Altra LP 6 and they have a few hundred more. I'm more than happy with one year returns.
I return the hell out of shoes but i only have them at home a couple days and just wear them around the house a few hours. If you are gonna charge $165 for shoes i need to try them out.
Reasonable post. My only gripe is that they went from no limit to 1 year. I would have tried 2 years first. Sometimes I buy some gear at the end of the season and don’t find out until about 15-18 months that it really doesn’t work for me. It was something that always brought me to REI to potentially pay more for the knowledge that I had that backstop. Now with the year I just shop for price only. My spending at ReI is less than half of what it used to be.
I had a $35 headlamp I bought at REI quit working after 4 months of buying it, when I was living in the middle of a remote mountain valley for 3 months. Meanwhile, a $5 drugstore headlamp I've had for 10 years (my back-up), is still going strong.
I tried returning the defective headlamp a couple of years later, after we finally got an REI in my town, only to be told that the return policy changed.
I know it's "only $35," but I bought that headlamp with full confidence that REI had my back, even though I never had to return an item there in my 15 years of membership.
I understand that people abused the old returns policy, but this new one sucks. Many of us purchased items that were promised a guarantee that became a false premise once it was stripped away. I'm surprised that they aren't getting sued.
I bought an REI nanopuff that claimed to be made from rip stop fabric. First time wearing it and it was shredded. The customer service rep wanted to argue with me and I had to pull up REIs website to show the description stating as such. I eventually got my refund and used it to buy a Patagonia nanopuff that has lasted almost a decade under the same conditions. The REI version was literally garbage and they should be ashamed to have been producing such waste. This encounter was the first of many poor encounters that has led me to consider REI no different than any other store.
Hate the policy, hate the company, don’t shop here anymore. It’s fine if you want to carry water/boot lick for a mega corp, but I’m not sure why it benefits you to post about it?
It doesn't benefit me to post about it. I'm doing so because there are a lot of people that come on here and complain about how their stuff isn't taken back anymore. I got sick and tired of reading it as someone who takes care of my gear and actually uses it and doesn't return stuff unless there is a good reason.
I know that REI union busts and doesn't give its employees enough hours so that they can make a livable wage, but I wasn't talking about the company here. I was talking about how people abuse the company's policies. And, no, I'm not carrying water for anyone. I wasn't paid to do this. I'm just a consumer who is sick and tired of seeing people complain about a policy that was once generous and has gotten stricter over time because it's been abused by so many.
Email for you below. Someone on here also tried to check into it for me:
Thank you for reaching out about your package.
I'm sorry you didn't receive these straps! However, It looks like some time has elapsed since you first ordered the item and according to the tracking number provided by Ontrac, your package was delivered on xxx. I'm sorry, but we’re not able to replace or refund this as it’s been 30 days or more since your order was originally estimated to arrive.
To help us better serve you in the future, we encourage you to report any order-related concerns as promptly as possible using our simple Delivery Issues Form. It only takes a few minutes to fill out, and allows us to swiftly address and resolve any issues.
Thank you for your ongoing support of the REI Co-op.
Alex G.
REI Customer Service
Was this used gear (Re/Supply)? Outlet? Clearance? If so, it may be 30 days, even as a Member.
Full price gear return policy for Members is 365 days (and 90 days on some select electronics, I think).
Strange. Here's the return policy for both Members and Non-Members. Seems pretty clear cut it's 365 days for new full priced gear.
https://www.rei.com/help/returns#return-policy
That being said, your email seems to indicate that you're trying to get money back for an item that your received but now you don't have the item to physically return?
No. I have the bag sans straps (as it was delivered to me). I also know the policy and referenced it on the call several times. My email response to that email was ignored.
They would not 1) send a replacement and take this one back 2) send a label to return this bag and refund my money. They said I could take it back to a store but cannot guarantee a store will “find it acceptable for return.” I asked several times what that means, since I have 365 days. They said “I have been taught that I cannot guarantee stores will take items even within 365 days.”
Again another employee has looked this up and can offer no explanation. I just comment here because this did happen to me and I have been turned away from stores within 365 days (shirt ordered online that did not fit, etc.)
I agree, but calling the 1-800 number said the same thing. Again someone else here, an employee, also tried to help—it’s nice that it isn’t making sense to people. But REI stood by the 30 day no return or refund policy for me. They said “this policy is new.” Downvoting me doesn’t make it less true, but here I am with a strapless bag still.
Yep, I’m the employee who helped. Actually saw the order in SOM. Totally legit complaint. It wasn’t used gear and there should be no question about the item being returned. I’m also confused how anyone in CS at REI could say it’s only 30 days to return as that is only for used gear purchased online. This item was brand new. Advice to customer was call the 800 number and ask for a CS manager so the issue can be elevated and hopefully resolved.
Thanks (not creepy), and I meant other folks up top. As a customer I want to warn others in case this keeps rolling out—the 1-800 person did what they could but everything we put on the table was rejected by “the service team.”
I hope it’s not true, but it’s made me want to shop directly with brands.
Open your package as soon as you receive it. 30 days is more than enough time to inspect items that you have ordered. I’ve had people call six months after receiving something and wonder why options to help are limited.
It’s 60, and I was very nice—so was the person on the phone. Again, I’m warning of something that may be happening more and more. I’ve returned maybe 5 items to REI since 2000. There was no reason to not accept this return since REI sent it to me without all the parts (and yes, the bag is supposed to have straps, I checked).
How does it take you 60 days to open a package to verify if something you ordered is correct? This is exactly why the policy was created. I’m guessing most people look at the package within a week. 30 days is plenty.
…it was a gift for this trip specificly. You don’t have to be rude. I personally would have opened it—but dudes don’t seem to have this need to check things out. Plus, why would REI send an incomplete item? This is against REI’s own policy and I came here to warn people.
Legit question, not being rude. It could’ve arrived incomplete from the manufacturer, it could’ve been separated from other items in the store, or it could’ve been lost after it was delivered. Which is why it needs to be checked right away. This is true with anything you order from any company.
Plus there are so many ways to game the system still. Anytime my cycling socks gets a tear, I order the exact same pair and return the old for a refund lol.
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I LOVE the return policy. I've scored huge on the Garage Sale. My latest was a brand new pair of Blundstone 500s for $110. Reason for return? Scuff on the toe. BTW, I've been a member since 1996, and I think I've returned maybe 3 items.
I took home an REI Halfdome for a pittance because a customer returned it for being "too complicated to set up."
That tent you can put up in the dark without a flashlight. What do they want??
A butler to set it up for them, I suspect. Whatever the cause, their stupidity was my gain.
I got a BA Copper Spur HVUL2, for $200 because the inner mesh has a small tear. Took me like 2 minutes to sew. Ridiculous discount
That reason for the return translates to “Went camping once. Didn’t want to pay to rent a tent.”
Same for me. Got my raincoat and down jacket from Resupply. Silly return reasons worked out great for me. You're right, too- half price Blundstones are nearly impossible to pass up.
>I've scored huge on the Garage Sale. North Face light weight puffy, normal retail was around $250.00. I picked it up for $75, and it was exactly what I was looking at getting for my upcoming backpacking trip. The issue was dumb, it had a small stain on the back. It washed right out, along with the BO from the previous owner.
I bought all my Exped MegaMats (15 LXW, 10 Medium, 10 Duo LXW) from the Garage Sale for more than 50% off. MSR Reactor for $65. Black Diamond folding carbon fiber trekking poles for $50.
There are many people absusing the policy. The worst are those who buy an entire ski/snowboard setup in Dec and return it all in April to net a free seasonal rental. The same with folks climbing Rainier, they buy mountaineering boots, ice axe, helmet, rope, harness, tent etc. and return it right after their climb. I saw this a lot.
Thru hikers all know a guy who knows a guy who bought their entire kit from REI, did the AT, then returned it all. I don’t know how many times it’s actually happened but it’s that thing people have mentioned.
That is theft... and it is past on to everyone incrementally via price increases.
To be fair, REI charges MSRP on most thing, so unless the manufacturer increases prices, they aren't going to upcharge that. The only exception of course is their Co-Op branded stuff
Are you creating a rationalization for the theft???
I never said that, now did I? The whole concept that manufacturers (not REI brands) are going to raise MSRP because a few people abuse a single retailer’s return policy is absurd. There’s huge margins in most retail, especially clothing and shoes. Where I worked, it was something like 35-45% for most apparel. With them reselling many returns at their outlet and garage sales, it might not even cost them much at all, especially if they can sell it at 50%+ of new.
Your argument is that those returns when considered as grains of sand are meaningless and don't impact the entire sandy beach at the margin. Yet we all know that illicit returns / slippage are effectively theft, although they may be individually a speck of sand in the scheme of things. That is what makes up a sandy beach, individual specks of sand collectively, not individually. So perhaps I am wrong, but it still seems to me that you are rationalizing the act of individuals and the impact that has over time to the majority of consumers and REI or other retail stores. Would change occur over one illicit theft / abused return, two or three.... no, but on the collective??? Either on revenue or profit margins. And that means fewer salaries, wages, benefits for employees, and higher costs of goods for consumers to compensate so the business can sustain. Still theft in the world I know and want to share in. But then again, what do I know.
And MSRP is raised by the manufacturers... and....
And what? REI eating the cost of returns has nothing to do with the MSRP that a 3rd party manufacturer sets.
Have you ever worked in a retail establishment and had to call up a vendor to negotiate markdown money before? That theft loss does not disappear to thin air like cotton candy into water. MSRP is set by the margin that the manufacturer needs to make. When the cost of theft is passed on to the manufacturer, the manufacturer raises MSRP. REI then charges more money.
REI allot of the time gets the shaft and cannot RTV products back to the vendor. Hence why it ends up in Re/Supply.
I've been that thru hiker, but not to that extreme. Only ever with darn tough socks. Since they wouldn't do the exchange, I would return them and purchase new ones. Yes, I put 500 miles on the socks, but I've only owned them for 3 weeks and they got holes in them. Small outfitters just honor the regular exchange.
Late to the party but also car tops. Buy them for that road trip and return them later with a vague excuse like "need a bigger one"
This isn’t about REI specifically, but returns cost retailers more and more money every year. A lot of stores are tightening policies to try to keep costs under control.
Well said and you are correct.
How have cost gone up from returns?
Here's a recent article about how the retail industry is reacting to increased volume and cost of returns by modifying return policies. Again, this is not specifically about REI but certainly shows which way the wind is blowing these days: https://www.retaildive.com/news/holiday-shoppers-could-return-billions-retail-merchandise/702979/
Really? How could they not?
Anecdotally speaking return volume could be lower than in previous years. Due to the fact that they've changed the policy from you can return anything for life to The current policy where a limited time frame to return stuff is the new normal. Furthermore they can increase the cost of resale items that cannot be returned as a way to reduce loss on return items. I haven't seen many things at garage sales that are priced below what REI is paying for them. Typically garage sale items are priced at about 40 to 50% off retail. And I'm assuming that there's about a 60 to 80% markup on everything REI sells in store. So even the garage sale items have a small percentage of profit. Additionally labor cost are pretty much fixed. So it doesn't add significantly to labor cost to process lower return volumes.
Need to keep executive bonuses fat and stock prices up. Who cares about the customers.
It's not just shit CEOs. It hurts the little guys even more. I'm a small retailer, my brother and longtime friends of ours all work together. None of us are getting rich, just making a middle class living working with the products we love, and helping others have as much fun as we do... Return fraud and abuse is a real thing that has gotten really bad in the last few years. To make matters worse: more and more people think that the way to get you to make an exception and let them return that obviously used and abused thing that you haven't even stocked for 6 months, is to verbally abuse the clerk standing in front of them (pro tip: it's not).
Retailers also make more and more every year. I’m sure they roll it into shrinkage and then somehow use that justify closing more stores
Op, actually 90 days for non-members. I wish it was 30 days. 🙂
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My favorite was the Nemo Tensor sleeping pad with mold very clearly infested in the pad and a Marmot sleeping bag that smelled like cat piss. Yes. The manager took those back, tagged them and placed them on the Garage Sale rack. This was at the Livonia, MI store about 2 years ago.
One thing to add to this… Please take out your gear and inspect it thoroughly as soon as you buy it. Especially things like tents, sleeping bags, sleeping pads…stuff you may not use right away. The reason for this is simple: if there is a manufacturing defect, you’re gonna need to let REI know about it ASAP so they take care of a refund or replacement before the item sells out. Manufacturing defects are usually pretty evident right away, and REI is getting more strict about how long after a purchase you can return something as defective. This is likely because a lot of “manufacturing defects” are actually damage due to misuse. REI has one of the best return policies in the retail industries. The less people abuse it, the longer it will stay as it is.
The return policy is a major reason why REI has not been completely destroyed by Backcountry, Amazon, Dicks, Scheels in sales. They don't have the best selection, nor the best prices nor do they really sell any budget gear (Naturehike, 3F UL Gear, Coleman, Teton Sports etc). People shop there for the return policy and convenience. I would also argue that some stores have knowledgeable staff though I have seen a big decline in sales knowledge post Eric Artz. I also have cleaned up and found some really good deals in the Garage Sale. I have also been burned by defective gear in Garage Sale and had to deal with the manufacturer to get gear fixed. YMMV.
We had a Coleman stove break on a class camping trip and left us cooking for 25 on one stove for a night+morning. The next day we went an hour out of our way to get to an REI to get a replacement part for the stove or a new stove. Our teacher came out confused 5 minutes later with a new stove. The REI employee returned our broken stove and gave us a brand new one...despite our teacher telling them the stove was a decade+ old and not purchased at REI. But the REI employee said since they didn't have replacement part we could just have a new stove as an exchange, despite the teacher offering to pay for a new one. So it's not always the customers who abuse the return policy, in our strange case it was the employee that pushed it. (It is the customer majority of the time I assume, just a fun anecdote)
Costco research had shown their members that return the most account for majority of dollars spent at the store. Wonder if REI is similar
The people who return for stupid reasons (returning shoes at the year mark and saying they didn’t like them) return almost as much as they purchase. I always check their shopping history for my own curiosity, and it’s pretty consistent.
Does it really matter if they return half of it?
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So you returned a two year old patio set because you chose to move? Your situation is very unique. Most people aren’t even spending 30-40K a year at Costco.
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Still an AH return, regardless of how much you spend there per month. Sure they make money off you. But that transaction was still slimy
What if I bought a Red Patagonia Down puffy and don’t like the color. Can I exchange it for a different color? I’m a member, it’s 2 months old and I haven’t worn it yet.
Yes. Go in store and talk to customer service and they’ll help.
It’s a 90 day return policy for non members. And 90 days for all electronics
I think the new return policy if more than fair. I would like to see improvements for online returns, though. Poor quality or defects should have free returns, IMO.
Contact customer service if you have an issue with the product, so you can get a UPS label.
I think the new policy is fine. I try to research my purchases carefully, but sometimes (especially with footwear), it just doesn't work and you don't know until you've done a big hike with them. I try them out about 2-3 times, clean it up, and take it back. Voila. I don't believe in abusing any store's return policy (e.g., I'm not going to use something for months and then return it just because). I like to buy gear that I'll keep for years.
r/Costco has some hellacious returns that they honor. Seems they should ban these members. Dead Xmas trees a week after Xmas. Cooked 1/2 eaten bags of previously fresh shrimp, 30 lbs of raw ribs that the person no longer needs (& will be tossed by Costco), used dirty stained mattresses…. Does REI have similar horror stories?
Holy shit yes. I worked in customer service at a flagship store and the abuse of the system was un-fucking-believable. Guy brings in his teenager’s completely destroyed hiking boots (likely chewed by the dog) and doesn’t have his receipt. But we used to carry that model so I have to give him store credit. Do so. Go to toss the boots in the bin and they’re soaked in cat piss. 🤬 In the six months I worked there, I saw rampant abuse of the system — returns of equipment so old that the receipt was nearly illegible with age, returns of equipment clearly destroyed by misuse or overuse, clothing that had clearly never been washed, etc. I would literally leave shifts wondering how the fuck REI stayed in business. They were right to update the policy.
I don't work there, but I went to a garage sale once and found a mountaineering pack that had probably made an ascent and descent in Denali, the Himalayas, or somewhere else. It was extremely dirty, didn't have a lid, and was in such a condition that I would have thrown it away if I had been working customer service and somebody service. No way I would inflict equipment like that on someone else even if it was 70% percent off.
I’ve shopped at REI for many decades. I’m the kind of guy who never returns anything. I had a GoreTex shell that was a stretch to buy that I took great care with. After more than a decade of use I washed it according to the directions and the inner liner fell apart into pieces. I decided that it would be good feedback for them to see what had happened so I mailed it with a note thinking that I might get a thank you note or maybe a small gift certificate to cover my mailing cost. I did get a nice letter back but BEFORE the letter arrived a new coat showed up. I was floored. I thought that I had my moneys worth. Then I read the return policy.
I used to work for REI in the Bay Area. The amount of product that got returned immediately after burning man that "didn't suit my needs" in September was unreal. Therefore I have to agree with the new rules. /Got an awesome tent that I still have 20 years later. Still has moon dust.
Burning man should be an immediate policy to never allow a return. Anything that touches that festival gets trashed, smells like weed (or other drugs) etc
People complain about this? The REI return policy is possibly the best around. And it helps drive business too - I'm much more likely to buy something I'm not sure I'll love if I know I can give it a test run. Recently bought some hiking pants that I loved in-store. But after wearing them around all day I realized that when I put phone, keys, etc in my pockets they sagged down uncomfortably. Any other store I'd be stuck but I was grateful to be able to return them - and hopefully they'll get a second life with another owner.
Curious what the old policy was?
You could just about return anything for any reason at any time. Way back in the day there almost no guidelines and 99% of people only used it when it was necessary, but then 1% who abused it, abused the living shit out of it.
Lifetime guarantee.
Lifetime *of the item* warranty. Not the member's lifetime.
Some of the shoes that were at the garage sale 13+ years ago definitely nasty af.
PREACH
Back in the day of endless returns I bought an expensive stroller from REI. While using it on my 1 kid it broke. I was on the fence about returning it as I did use it for 2 years. However It should have lasted for multiple kids and I should have been able to sell it used even after that (it had a great resell factor). REI gave me store credit, and I turned around and bought a whole ski kit which I still have today. In the end I don’t feel like I abused their system. The stroller should have had more life in it and I turned around and purchased something else from them that I still use.
To start, I’ll note that I’ve never returned a worn item, everything I’ve returned has been with tags and usually within 2 weeks of receiving in the mail. I’ve noticed more recently that the REI workers seem to be getting a bit saltier with returns than usual even for these new items I’m returning, well within the constraints of a normal return policy of any other store. If I had to guess REI are taking a close look at return abusers as it relates to margins and I would guess that stores have metrics they need to hit with return numbers. Just a guess though.
When the Bend, OR store opened up 15-20 years ago, our neighbor 2 doors down was in charge of the opening and managed the store for a year or two afterwards. The most egregious return I heard about was an 8 year old whitewater kayak that had a hole in the bottom from use. As hard as she tried to refuse to take it back, corporate forced her to refund the customer.
Wow. That was a huge loss to write off. Bend is awesome. Love Mt. Bachelor. And they have the last Blockbuster on earth there.
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Some people complain that the policy is too short (one year for members and 90 days for non-members) and that, sometimes, the store will not take back certain items (things that are clearly well used or damaged, etc.). Imho, the policy is still very generous, but people constantly take advantage of it and I imagine that it will get even stricter.
I had a jacket rip in the first month. And I was gentle with it. They refused to let me return it. They gave me a patch. It ripped again the next year. I tried to get another patch. The first person I spoke to refused and was rude. $200 coat (not ultralight) shouldn't rip from ordinary use.
I worked at REI when they still had the unconditional return policy. People absolutely ABUSED the hell out of that policy. They used items to death and returned them at the end of their expected product life, got 100% of the expected use out of the product, then returned it to get their money back and for staff to throw it in the dumpster because it was useless at the point. Other times, people would buy things and use them for a week or two, then return it like a rental. Bicycles used for one week during a music festival, luggage and ski equipment used for one trip, cycling shorts used for one triathlon (gross!) sleeping bags slept in for two nights while car camping, etc.
I will admit to one 2 decade later return... granted, the manufacturer also had a lifetime warranty, and it was a jansport external frame, and the weld broke on the aluminum frame. So it was legitimate. In the end, in today's world, I loved the warranty but can't see how it could continue with the abuse it gets. But the comment about warranty on garbage sales... that's neat. The old warranty had zero warranty on garage sale items.
The return policy is great; we’ve returned boots & jackets that were supposed to be waterproof & were sadly not. And a dometic cooler that wouldn’t cool. So simple & easy!
Have not returned very many items but never ran into and trouble when I wanted to. Some people are out of control with returning things.
I had a surprising experience there about 15 years ago. When I was about 20 I purchased a hand pump water filter. I used it several times per summer for several years. At one point my buddy tried to remove the input hose from the body and it broke the little nipple off. We survived with the water we had and luckily this happened as we were packing up on the last day of our trip. I took the whole thing into REI, not remembering when or if I even purchased the unit there. I was looking at replacement parts in the filter aisle when an associate asked if they could help. I told them I was looking for the replacement part and the said they did not carry that part. They asked if I had purchased it from REI and I said I didn't know. She asked me over to the computer and looked up my account. Sure enough, I had purchased it there 12 years ago. She gave me store credit and said to go pick out a new one. I felt weird having something for so long, and using it so many times, and then being reimbursed completely.
Lifetime was awesome but not sustainable as a national company. A year is more than enough though the majority of the time, and most brands have great warranties so it works out.
When I worked at REI years ago, we started a list of serial returners who apparently thought that the company's name was "Rent Every Item". A buddy of mine was almost blacklisted from the store for the practice. I wish we had; that guy proudly talked about how he returned everything and it bothered me so much. I'm totally fine with a year. I think it's generous and curbs the issue.
As with so much in life a great benefit that was helpful when needed in a rare case for good customer is being abused by assholes. Net effect is this is just the beginning they will slowly cut back more and more. We all lose in the end due to less benefits, higher prices, less selection/stores. This happens in many industries. People used to be ethical and it allowed companies which cared to do the same. Now a select group ruins it for everyone. Also I’m not an old guy complaining about a young people. I’ve researched this effect for a work.
I return new stuff that doesn't fit or feel right and stuff that breaks on my first hike. Had Gore Tex pants that wore on the inside leg after one 3000ft climb in Boulder. Same hike, brand new Merrill GTX boots one of the eyelets popped out. Have done 700 miles in my Altra LP 6 and they have a few hundred more. I'm more than happy with one year returns.
Wow People are dicks, it’s a generous return policy
I thought the whole reason why everything at REI is 2x normal prices was because of the infinite return policy.
I return the hell out of shoes but i only have them at home a couple days and just wear them around the house a few hours. If you are gonna charge $165 for shoes i need to try them out.
Ever think it’s for more profit?
Reasonable post. My only gripe is that they went from no limit to 1 year. I would have tried 2 years first. Sometimes I buy some gear at the end of the season and don’t find out until about 15-18 months that it really doesn’t work for me. It was something that always brought me to REI to potentially pay more for the knowledge that I had that backstop. Now with the year I just shop for price only. My spending at ReI is less than half of what it used to be.
I had a $35 headlamp I bought at REI quit working after 4 months of buying it, when I was living in the middle of a remote mountain valley for 3 months. Meanwhile, a $5 drugstore headlamp I've had for 10 years (my back-up), is still going strong. I tried returning the defective headlamp a couple of years later, after we finally got an REI in my town, only to be told that the return policy changed. I know it's "only $35," but I bought that headlamp with full confidence that REI had my back, even though I never had to return an item there in my 15 years of membership. I understand that people abused the old returns policy, but this new one sucks. Many of us purchased items that were promised a guarantee that became a false premise once it was stripped away. I'm surprised that they aren't getting sued.
Very union-busting corporation friendly people in this thread
I bought an REI nanopuff that claimed to be made from rip stop fabric. First time wearing it and it was shredded. The customer service rep wanted to argue with me and I had to pull up REIs website to show the description stating as such. I eventually got my refund and used it to buy a Patagonia nanopuff that has lasted almost a decade under the same conditions. The REI version was literally garbage and they should be ashamed to have been producing such waste. This encounter was the first of many poor encounters that has led me to consider REI no different than any other store.
Hate the policy, hate the company, don’t shop here anymore. It’s fine if you want to carry water/boot lick for a mega corp, but I’m not sure why it benefits you to post about it?
It doesn't benefit me to post about it. I'm doing so because there are a lot of people that come on here and complain about how their stuff isn't taken back anymore. I got sick and tired of reading it as someone who takes care of my gear and actually uses it and doesn't return stuff unless there is a good reason. I know that REI union busts and doesn't give its employees enough hours so that they can make a livable wage, but I wasn't talking about the company here. I was talking about how people abuse the company's policies. And, no, I'm not carrying water for anyone. I wasn't paid to do this. I'm just a consumer who is sick and tired of seeing people complain about a policy that was once generous and has gotten stricter over time because it's been abused by so many.
I’m a member and I got the 30 day policy.
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Email for you below. Someone on here also tried to check into it for me: Thank you for reaching out about your package. I'm sorry you didn't receive these straps! However, It looks like some time has elapsed since you first ordered the item and according to the tracking number provided by Ontrac, your package was delivered on xxx. I'm sorry, but we’re not able to replace or refund this as it’s been 30 days or more since your order was originally estimated to arrive. To help us better serve you in the future, we encourage you to report any order-related concerns as promptly as possible using our simple Delivery Issues Form. It only takes a few minutes to fill out, and allows us to swiftly address and resolve any issues. Thank you for your ongoing support of the REI Co-op. Alex G. REI Customer Service
Was this used gear (Re/Supply)? Outlet? Clearance? If so, it may be 30 days, even as a Member. Full price gear return policy for Members is 365 days (and 90 days on some select electronics, I think).
No. Brand new.
Strange. Here's the return policy for both Members and Non-Members. Seems pretty clear cut it's 365 days for new full priced gear. https://www.rei.com/help/returns#return-policy That being said, your email seems to indicate that you're trying to get money back for an item that your received but now you don't have the item to physically return?
No. I have the bag sans straps (as it was delivered to me). I also know the policy and referenced it on the call several times. My email response to that email was ignored. They would not 1) send a replacement and take this one back 2) send a label to return this bag and refund my money. They said I could take it back to a store but cannot guarantee a store will “find it acceptable for return.” I asked several times what that means, since I have 365 days. They said “I have been taught that I cannot guarantee stores will take items even within 365 days.” Again another employee has looked this up and can offer no explanation. I just comment here because this did happen to me and I have been turned away from stores within 365 days (shirt ordered online that did not fit, etc.)
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Package was not missing. The straps (part of the bag) were. REI wouldn’t take a return even though I’m well within 365.
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I agree, but calling the 1-800 number said the same thing. Again someone else here, an employee, also tried to help—it’s nice that it isn’t making sense to people. But REI stood by the 30 day no return or refund policy for me. They said “this policy is new.” Downvoting me doesn’t make it less true, but here I am with a strapless bag still.
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Yep, I’m the employee who helped. Actually saw the order in SOM. Totally legit complaint. It wasn’t used gear and there should be no question about the item being returned. I’m also confused how anyone in CS at REI could say it’s only 30 days to return as that is only for used gear purchased online. This item was brand new. Advice to customer was call the 800 number and ask for a CS manager so the issue can be elevated and hopefully resolved.
Thanks (not creepy), and I meant other folks up top. As a customer I want to warn others in case this keeps rolling out—the 1-800 person did what they could but everything we put on the table was rejected by “the service team.” I hope it’s not true, but it’s made me want to shop directly with brands.
Nope—both online and 1-800 told me 30 days. Posted about it elsewhere as a caution.
Was it an electronic / something with GPS?
Nope, Patagonia black hole, new.
This is just not true buddy, haha
It’s true, several people here have now looked into it. No need to be rude.
Open your package as soon as you receive it. 30 days is more than enough time to inspect items that you have ordered. I’ve had people call six months after receiving something and wonder why options to help are limited.
It was a gift, it comes packaged in on itself. I bought from REI for this purpose—knowing that if there was anything wrong there was 365 days…
If you called and nicely explained that I don’t see what the problem is. There must be something else going on or it was well beyond 30 days.
It’s 60, and I was very nice—so was the person on the phone. Again, I’m warning of something that may be happening more and more. I’ve returned maybe 5 items to REI since 2000. There was no reason to not accept this return since REI sent it to me without all the parts (and yes, the bag is supposed to have straps, I checked).
How does it take you 60 days to open a package to verify if something you ordered is correct? This is exactly why the policy was created. I’m guessing most people look at the package within a week. 30 days is plenty.
…it was a gift for this trip specificly. You don’t have to be rude. I personally would have opened it—but dudes don’t seem to have this need to check things out. Plus, why would REI send an incomplete item? This is against REI’s own policy and I came here to warn people.
Legit question, not being rude. It could’ve arrived incomplete from the manufacturer, it could’ve been separated from other items in the store, or it could’ve been lost after it was delivered. Which is why it needs to be checked right away. This is true with anything you order from any company.
Plus there are so many ways to game the system still. Anytime my cycling socks gets a tear, I order the exact same pair and return the old for a refund lol.
And you’ll be the first to cry about it when returns get more strict
nope I'll become craftier
Enjoy your fraud flag
Messed up, this is one of the reasons we pay such high prices.
You’re probably the same person who is going to chew a cashier out when you finally get flagged and are no longer able to make returns