REI returns...

Tony T. wrote: So my "friend" tells me the process is as follows: Well, first the Fortune list starts as a self-nomination process. Then Fortune gives the corporate office "anonymous" survey packets. These packets are given to employees that are selected by management. These employees are generally considered the cheerleader types, who believe their company can do no wrong. That backfired for this year's list, as many employees who got the survey, thought to be REI cheerleaders by management, actually gave very honest reviews which resulted in poor marks. I will bet management will not allow this mistake to happen again. Now, do you notice how it's been steadily falling down that list? It's #17 now, after previously being #8. It's no small wonder that it was the past few years that have been getting progressively worse there with stagnant and low pay, unpredictable and low hours, and an increasingly inept leadership team. Apparently REI does it's own internal survey among employees, and I hear those numbers are far more telling of the real REI.

If the scenario is exactly as you have laid out then that bias should be seen in every company since there's no reason to believe REI is the only company to "game" this system.

REI can't be in the top 100 companies to work for because they aren't incorporated.

REI is a co-op. That means they are legally obligated to serve their members. Guess what! WE ARE THE MEMBERS. REI is not a company, it is not obligated to pursue profits, it is obligated to serve its members.

We should be asking why a majority of REI board members have finance backgrounds when they should be experienced in outdoor education? Oh yeah, cuz Sally Jewell sold out & is now just another revolving door joining the likes of Monsanto, the FHA, and the wallstreet 'regulators.'

Each year REI lets their members vote for the board of directors. Most recently, only one of the members on the ballot had any outdoor experience. All the rest were financial people.

The Board is legally obligated to serve the interests of its members. If we mutually decide to pursue quality affordable equipment over massive profits that don't flow to REI members, then the board must act accordingly or risk being sued.

Peteoria wrote:Since it's actually illegal for them to place any priorities above us, the members, we can technically sue the board if the members collectively decide the new return policy is contrary to members' interests.

i will hop on that ban wagon, i will be the first to sign any petition against it, not because i abuse the system but because for a company that is here to serve its members, it so seems that there is only financial interest from the people that run the company, the idea of REI sounds awesome, but the reality of REI sucks ass

Peteoria wrote:REI can't be in the top 100 companies to work for because they aren't incorporated. Guess Forbes' billionaire son was too busy with strippers to put that one together! REI is a co-op. That means they are legally obligated to serve their members. Guess what! WE ARE THE MEMBERS. REI is not a company, it is not obligated to pursue profits, it is obligated to serve its members. So maybe we should ask, how come a majority ob REI board members have finance backgrounds when they should be experienced in outdoor education? Oh yeah, cuz Sally Jewell sold out & is now just another revolving door joining the likes of Monsanto, the FHA, and the wallstreet 'regulators.' Did you check who you voted for when you got that little post card each year? Most recently, only one of the members up for election had any outdoor experience. All the rest were financial people. So when you ask why they changed the policy, look at the dudes with the really really large pockets. I guess if voting did anything, it wouldn't be allowed. Since it's actually illegal for them to place any priorities above us, the members, we can technically sue the board if the members collectively decide the new return policy is contrary to members' interests.

+100. I have been a member since i was in Jr HS, buying from their catalog before there was even a store in AZ. It used to be that the REI band represented quality and durability at a fair price. They used to have a well rounded product offering to support both the hardcore climber and the occasional day hiker. The folks working there actually knew about the equipment they were selling. It wasn't all about profit... Things have changed. REI's management team TOTALLY sold out, and REI is a co-op in name only. IMHO the company is making decisions and moving in a direction that goes 100% agains its roots. REI co-op is dead. Long live REI Incorporated - low quality, mediocre service at average prices... but they are everywhere!

Brennen T wrote: but the reality of REI sucks ass

Seriously!? It sucks ass? Hyperbole much? Seriously, quit bitching about REI so much. What store is it that is the shining light that makes REI look so bad? THEN SHOP THERE!

Rei is a crap store anyway, no big loss, mom and pop garbage.

Whatever advantage they get for being a so called co-op should be revoked. They are not a co-op they are a corporate giant!

If you think REI sucks, and I am not saying it doesent, you should check out MEC in Canada. MEC actually charges you for parking to shop in their store. They want you to pay them to shop at their overpriced store. Yea, sure. I guess there is one benefit to climbing in a country you are not a citizen of. It is kind of hard for a Canada-based company to fine the driver of a US-based vehicle.

20 kN wrote:If you think REI sucks, and I am not saying it doesent, you should check out MEC in Canada. MEC actually charges you for parking to shop in their store. They want you to pay them to shop at their overpriced store. Yea, sure. I guess that is one benefit to climbing in a country you are not a citizen of. It is kind of hard for a Canada-based company to fine the driver of a US-based vehicle.

The MEC is a direct copy of REI because REI help set them up

Peteoria wrote:So maybe we should ask, how come a majority ob REI board members have finance backgrounds when they should be experienced in outdoor education?

REI board members aren't teaching backpacking classes, they're running a multi-million dollar company. I don't give a shit if the CEO knows how to tie a Prusik, that's not her job.

+1 for that. Hippies are dumb.

Ian Stewart wrote: REI board members aren't teaching backpacking classes, they're running a multi-million dollar company. I don't give a shit if the CEO knows how to tie a Prusik, that's not her job.

Thank Jeebus someones's head is out of their ass on this thread.
Sue board members? Putting the needs of the members above all else? WTF is this, utopia? As someone correctly pointed out, a CORPORATION will shit in your mouth if there's money in it. Maybe the co-op part will make it so the corporate entity doing the shitting hands you a tissue and thanks you for your troubles but they sure won't be shitting in someone else's mouth in the name of your well being as one of their members...
Keep your sense of entitlement sharp and start an e-petition, I'm sure REI will change the policy as soon as it becomes aware than 37 beaters on a climbing website disapprove of their actions.
The fact that some people manage to survive these days with such a feeble understanding of how their world spins is way beyond me.

REI is the Walmart/ Home Depot of gear shops. I stopped shopping there a long time ago 'cause they just don't carry a wide enough selection of gear for any one type of sport IMO.

Boissal wrote: Thank Jeebus someones's head is out of their ass on this thread. Sue board members? Putting the needs of the members above all else? WTF is this, utopia? As someone correctly pointed out, a CORPORATION will shit in your mouth if there's money in it. Maybe the co-op part will make it so the corporate entity doing the shitting hands you a tissue and thanks you for your troubles but they sure won't be shitting in someone else's mouth in the name of your well being as one of their members... Keep your sense of entitlement sharp and start an e-petition, I'm sure REI will change the policy as soon as it becomes aware than 37 beaters on a climbing website disapprove of their actions. The fact that some people manage to survive these days with such a feeble understanding of how their world spins is way beyond me.

I am glad to hear that I am not the only one that understands that everything you see about a corporation is all a game of charades to try to hide the fact that the only thing they give a shit about is making as much money as possible, irrelative to what happens to their customers. A corporate CEO would happily lay off 10,000 workers if it meant he could increase his personal worth by another $100M as has been proven many times by the economic collapse of 2007 which was largely caused by bankers selling falsely-rated CDOs and by knowingly selling worthless debt/ hedge-fund packages in a fire-sales.

I find it disgraceful that a teenager can rob a liquor store, steal $400 and get ten years in prison, but hedge-fund presidents and investment-bank CEOs can cost tens of millions of jobs and trillions of dollars from global residents, but not even have to answer for their actions let alone face prison time.

I'm an admitted abuser, at least I did it once and my friends still hassle me about it. I'm not all that upset about it. I'll still shop there for the dividend and to avoid douchie, unhelpful local stores. And eh, I've got a couple more months to "resole" my TC Pros at least.

I work for a to remain unnamed cable company. Every day of my life is ruled by corporate bean counters with big fancy computers analyzing countless metrics. C'est la vie.

Count Chockula wrote:REI is the Walmart/ Home Depot of gear shops.

Yet you still shop at Home Depot, right?

Getting quite tired of this comparison. REI is what it is... Which anymore is a pseudo-fashion store looking to lighten the wallets of ex-urban yuppies and Gen-Xers. They used to have a great selection of climbing gear (even made their own, including the 1993-vintage REI brand climbing harness I spent the bulk of the week wearing), but no longer. Need some cord or biners quick and they're down the road? Sure. Anything more esoteric and you're out of luck.

Which I guess proves the comparison, and begs the question as to why anyone expects anything different in this day and age?

Perhaps we can start complaining about how Home Depot has driven all the Mom and Pop lumberyards out of business? Or are we ok with the cheap plywood and T-nuts to build our basement bouldering caves? After all, that's not really climbing...

Oh! Maybe we can complain about Ikea next!

On a side note, I'm rather amused that this change happened right before I needed to return something... The riveted button on a pair of shorts i bought last year has gone missing. Seems a warranty issue to me, but if not I'm going to be pissed at you abusers for ruining a good thing for the rest of us. This would be the 4th thing I've returned in 20 years, with the others being unused wrong sizes and a not-working-right-out-of-the-box headlamp.

Aric Datesman wrote: REI is what it is... Which anymore is a pseudo-fashion store looking to lighten the wallets of ex-urban yuppies and Gen-Xers.

100% accurate.

Shop there if you find deal/like the selection. Otherwise patronize your local gear shop, and quit telling the internet how much you hate REI. Despite some assertions on this thread REI has not put every other gear shop on the planet out of business, and there are plenty of internet REI's (IE backcountry) to patronize as well. With the internet age you have infinite options....But you like REI because you can go there, feel product, try it on, return it if you don't like it. Its got its ups and downs.

REI definitely does not have great customer service (especially lately I've noticed, others have addressed this), however I feel most times I go into my local gear shop I've been met with such a snobbish dismissive attitude I have no impetus to patronize them instead.

Aric Datesman wrote: Yet you still shop at Home Depot, right? Getting quite tired of this comparison. REI is what it is... Which anymore is a pseudo-fashion store looking to lighten the wallets of ex-urban yuppies and Gen-Xers. They used to have a great selection of climbing gear (even made their own, including the 1993-vintage REI brand climbing harness I spent the bulk of the week wearing), but no longer. Need some cord or biners quick and they're down the road? Sure. Anything more esoteric and you're out of luck. Which I guess proves the comparison, and begs the question as to why anyone expects anything different in this day and age? Perhaps we can start complaining about how Home Depot has driven all the Mom and Pop lumberyards out of business? Or are we ok with the cheap plywood and T-nuts to build our basement bouldering caves? After all, that's not really climbing... Oh! Maybe we can complain about Ikea next!

You correct on all accounts, no doubt. However, regardless of REI's evolution in business model, REI exerts substantial competitive pressure on the outdoor industry with its return policy. As I'm sure you're aware, there are many retailers who share the same return policy as REI simply because of REI. This change in policy marks the beginning of a change in the industry for returns.
REI's return policy was unsustainable and it was only a matter of time before it changed. I think this is the first step and that "abusers" is a convenient way to get consumers on board with the change. The next step is limiting warranty returns outside of the manufacturer's return policy. I don't think future changes will receive notice.

For the most part I don't think MP members are the core demographic of REI and any lost sales due to this change will be made up in margin retention.

I've scored stuff at the REI gearsale I would have been ashamed to return myself. I'm wearing a pair of climbing oants right now taht said "customer lost weight" on the return tag.

The returned it because they LOST WEIGHT?! Are you f¥¥¥¥¥¥¥ kidding me? I paid 15 bucks, and the previous owner forgot 4 bucks in the pocket.

It was being abused. REI also gives you a percentage back. Please people, quit complaining. Jezus.