WSJ article: "REI Ends Era of Many Happy Returns"

David - No question that REI has contributed to the demise of many local smaller shops in some areas. I also personally view this as a negative outcome. I do not think this gives me the right to blatantly lie and cheat however.

Pretty simple.

Ben Hicks wrote:Can't be your responsibility. Gotta have a scapegoat.

I blame Kyle!

mountainproject.com/v/rei-r…

CJC wrote: This one policy is the reason REI was able to outcompete the smaller retailers huh? Which business school did you flunk out of? .

My business school was an actual business, something you obviously know nothing about. I owned an outdoor retail store that went out of business after 20 years when REI opened a shop right next door. The number one reply of former customers as to why they decided to shop at REI "it's their return policy". Some of those same customers now regret their actions because the only store left in town is the wall-mart of the out doors. Their return policy no longer exists, and as soon as I went out of business they reduced their inventory by 20%. Pure class.

Being a right wing ball sucker does not make you right, just a ball sucker.

Mark Pilate wrote:David - No question that REI has contributed to the demise of many local smaller shops in some areas. I also personally view this as a negative outcome. I do not think this gives me the right to blatantly lie and cheat however. Pretty simple.

How is making use of the below policy lying or cheating?



pretty simple.

David Sahalie wrote: How is making use of the below policy lying or cheating? pretty simple.

Well in my mind taking a 10+ year pack in for a refund by saying that it had a rip etc, then as per the article actually MAKING money off it.

Sure the policy says they'll take it back, but how in good conscious can you beat something to death and bring it back saying "it's broken". And honestly most people are lying or bending the truth to enact the return. A white lie is still a lie no?

I personally think this type of self-centered mentality and Miley Cyrus are what's wrong with this country.

Scott, if it is a 'lie', regardless of color in 'your' mind then don't do it.

Don't like gay sex, don't have it. Don't like weed/ don't smoke it. Feel icky returning to REI?, don't do it.

But, if there policy allows it, why tell others not to use it?

Or, do you think REI is like a special ed or old person who can't take care of them self and we, the consumers, have to think for them?

As I said i absolve myself of my sins by bowing to the big box Mecca that is REI 3 times a day. What do you do to repent to REI?

David - I'd say your last post was an example of dishonesty. You know exactly what I mean. There were legitimate users and flagrant abusers. You can self sort accordingly

And who is the judge of that? You? Good on ya, don't do it.

David Sahalie wrote:And who is the judge of that? You? Good on ya, don't do it.

My friends made your exact point when telling to return those Technos. The policy's there so use it.

David Sahalie wrote:And who is the judge of that?

I believe I said "you can self-sort accordingly"

(although secretly, I sit in judgment of you)

Gotcha. I misunderstood. Judge away.

This right wing Christian like defining morality by REI followers is absolutely amazing.

I don't get it. Did anyone go in with a gun and demand replacement boots, jackets or tents? Or did REI offer a 100% return policy and willingly exchange these items? Returning a used item to REI doesn't seem dishonest, shady, or unethical...it seems like an intelligent business decision. Is this a free market or what? This is just as much an "ethics" debate as all the to bolt or not to bolt BS.

I never "abused" the policy, but now that everyone is so f'ed over it I'm going to take back my 8 year old tent that ripped after overturning by the insane winds in Patagonia.

By the looks of it REI did quite well for themselves with their policy. They are changing it due to fact that they have outgrown the use of it. A business decision that probably has nothing to do with ethics.

REI? They still exist? I remember when they and EMS,of course LL Bean too, were the best of the best and usually only way to get gear via mail order across the country. Yearly dividend was huge, and useful. But I haven't seen them being price competitive in most of anything they offer for over a decade. They had a great thing going, but my old low digit membership number has had no action with them for a long long time.

Woodchuck ATC wrote:...But I haven't seen them being price competitive in most of anything they offer for over a decade. They had a great thing going, but my old low digit membership number has had no action with them for a long long time.

Nope. They aren't price competitive, especially compared to internet sales. But I buy most of my stuff there because I like being able to see things in person before buying them, and I liked knowing that I could easily return things (see above where I returned 3 month old shoes that had developed a tear in the side). They're still doing OK so I'm guessing I'm not the only person who likes these things.

David Sahalie wrote:Scott, if it is a 'lie', regardless of color in 'your' mind then don't do it. Don't like gay sex, don't have it. Don't like weed/ don't smoke it. Feel icky returning to REI?, don't do it. But, if there policy allows it, why tell others not to use it? Or, do you think REI is like a special ed or old person who can't take care of them self and we, the consumers, have to think for them? As I said i absolve myself of my sins by bowing to the big box Mecca that is REI 3 times a day. What do you do to repent to REI?

Right or wrong REI is taking care of themselves. They recognized they were loosing money from people "abusing" the policy. Therefore they have changed the policy.

In my opinion it is still very possible to destroy gear to return it within a year. Actually I do not know why I did not buy my trad rack from them. I can climb on it for a year say the cams got sticky. Return them and proceed to buy a new rack. Free gear rental is awesome...

This change is really just a reason to get our and climb harder and rent more. (I have never returned anything to REI)

Looks like some are slow on the uptake, yet quick to go into sudden paroxysms of self justification (no doubt guilt induced!)

But let me clarify. There is no doubt that everyone HERE has never abused the return policy. Amongst present company, only defective or ill-fitting goods were returned within a reasonable time, I'm sure.

We ALL agree that there are legit returns for good reasons, and the consumer should not feel guilty about a store living up to its agreement.

That said, you would all likely agree that SOME people clearly abused the system and returned stuff bought elsewhere or treated it like a free upgrade process where perfectly good, but worn out gear was returned just to get a new one. I'll bet nobody was so low as to "buy" something and use it on a road trip and then "return" it after they were done --or if they did, it was obviously unsatisfactory during that time.

Now maybe we can quit arguing and just agree that THOSE types of people are scum-sucking ass clowns.....likley inflating grades at the local crag to boot.

Interesting US and THEM argument you have there Mark.

Problem is, I am a scum-sucking ass clown, but I think you are too for adhering to some sort of self-righteous, holier-than-thou paradigm by not returning items.

In fact, given that those returned items didn't end up at a scratch n dent sale, and the manufacturer did not have the chance to sell REI a replacement to give to you, I think you are anti-free enterprise and a communist.

Why do you hate freedom?

Do you also look down at people abusing the 'free refills' option at the soda machine?

How about people that take too many packets of ketchup for their fries?

Also, every time an assclown does an REI return, god kills a kitten.

David Sahalie wrote:Also, every time an assclown shops at REI, god kills a kitten.

There, fixed it for ya.

Kirby1013 wrote: My friends made your exact point when telling to return those Technos. The policy's there so use it.

From what I gather from your original post, you blew the shoes (i.e. wore them hard) to beyond repair. It takes a lot of wear to blow through the rands of the shoes, how did you manage that if the shoes didn't fit right?

Kirby1013 wrote:I returned a pair of Technos that were two years old. The shoes were so bad I was told they couldn't be resoled! I wasn't abusing the policy it's just I found out they were the wrong size six months after I got them. I should have known not to get fitted for climbing shoes at REI in Baltimore! I didn't hear about REI return policy until two years had passed. So I returned a pair of two year old Technos that were blew out. Abuse of the system.. The guy should've gave me the right size!! I used the credit to get a pair of Muira VS. Too much shoe for a noob like me but for $19 and change WTH!.. Haha.

David - let me get this straight...over the course of a couple posts, you have me pigeon-holed as a "right wing Christian, freedom hating communist" ?

Pretty close...but you erred when you accused me of not-returning things to REI. I have. So I'm also a self-righteous hypocrite (or is that an "oxymoran")

How you like them apples???