REI membership pays off!

[Skunk]

So, a few years ago I paid for an REI membership and it has been paying off just about every time I go there. Yesterday I slipped into the nastiest water you can think of and my Keen Dry shoes were soaked as well as my feet.

Needless to say that I wasn't planning on wearing these shoes ever again after this episode. So I went to REI to find a new pair of waterproof kicks. I found a pair that was almost identical as the ones that I bought last March...only cheaper. I approach the customer service desk, provide them with my information and tell the associate that my previous shoes had a "breech" and my toes were getting wet.

The girl behind the desk said that I could exchange the shoes for the new ones. I said that they were "seasoned" and quite used. Due to my membership, there seemed to be no questions asked, so I went out to my car and got my dirty nasty shoes.

I exchanged the shoes, bought a Dri-fit shirt, used a 20% discount (because I am a member), and received $11 and change back! I paid $25 for a lifetime membership and so should everyone else!

 

[prerube]

Very cool story!

 

[Skunk]

I was expecting some sort of resistance even though I was prepared to pay for the shoes.

I've heard only stories of this place that makes legends. Now I have experienced it!

 

[Bhoffman09]

Like many golfers, I wear holes in my DG shoes pretty quickly from dragging along concrete. I've heard rumors that REI will actually replace the shoes that experience this wear, but I couldn't quite believe it could be true. This story makes me think it's legit though - anyone know for sure? And if so, is membership required?

 

[fliphyzer]

Membership definitely required and well worth it. I've replaced 2 pairs of $120+ Solomans due to toe drag wear. I buy aloT at REI, And I usually get around $100 back every year in Dividends.

 

[LoPan12]

Yes, you must be a member. Yes, you can exchange them.
Go Here for the most recent discussion about the program, and chime in on whether you will or will not feel like a dirtbag by thinking "25 bucks, and I get free shoes for life!"

 

[Matt B.]

Way to rip them off! That's so cool! Awesome!

 

[mashnut]

I still think some are still missing the point that companies like Merrell offer the same lifetime guarantee that REI is offering, REI is just doing the legwork to deal with it for you as a member service. They may be eating shipping, but the vast majority of those returns aren't coming out of REI's pocket.

 

[Matt B.]

Merrell is not going to give you a new pair of shoes because you stepped into some foul smelling water, and that is definitely not the purpose of REI's exchange policy. Having a pair of shoes wear out prematurely is one thing....

 

[jrawk]

coops make me nervous

 

[jrawk]

Merrell is not going to give you a new pair of shoes because you stepped into some foul smelling water, and that is definitely not the purpose of REI's exchange policy. Having a pair of shoes wear out prematurely is one thing....

btw... REI will clean those shoes and resell them at a "garage sale" type expo.

It's a cool store. I've been to a few in the DC area. Great business model for sure. but I find the prices are 20% higher than other major sporting good stores on the merchandise they share. I guess the membership will pay itself off eventually and the warranty on shoes/everything is worth it if it means avoiding the hassle of dealing with the vendors directly.

Kinda wish i had one closer to me :\

 

[NOStheBOSS]

Way to rip them off! That's so cool! Awesome!

If it was truly "ripping them off," then they wouldn't offer it. People seem to forget that we buy in a capitalist market. cash is king, and if REI was losing money because people were exchanging shoes, then they'd be out of business. You may not want to use the system, but that's your loss because they are still going to offer it whether you pout about it on the internet or not

 

[mashnut]

btw... REI will clean those shoes and resell them at a "garage sale" type expo.

It's a cool store. I've been to a few in the DC area. Great business model for sure. but I find the prices are 20% higher than other major sporting good stores on the merchandise they share. I guess the membership will pay itself off eventually and the warranty on shoes/everything is worth it if it means avoiding the hassle of dealing with the vendors directly.

Kinda wish i had one closer to me :\

There's no question you'll pay more at rei than most competitors. If that's the trade off for ridiculously good customer service I'm happy to pay that premium. The people who say they feel like they're ripping off the. Ompany on returns should definitely be shopping somewhere cheaper.

 

[little oz]

I shop at REI here in Colorado for all of my kayaking, cycling and backpacking needs. They do have a few Innova discs (maybe 20 in total). Great store, good equipment, slightly higher prices and awesome customer service. I only return gear and apparel that is truly defective. If i wear something out legitimately, then i buy another item. I don't feel right returning something if it was my fault.

 

[mashnut]

I shop at REI here in Colorado for all of my kayaking, cycling and backpacking needs. They do have a few Innova discs (maybe 20 in total). Great store, good equipment, slightly higher prices and awesome customer service. I only return gear and apparel that is truly defective. If i wear something out legitimately, then i buy another item. I don't feel right returning something if it was my fault.

To me it depends partly on the manufacturer's policy. Every piece of OR gear (and others, just the first brand that comes to mind) comes with a tag that says it's guaranteed for life. I had a pair of gloves that were 12 years old that just plain wore out. Knowing there was a lifetime warranty, I called OR to see if that covered heavy use over many years, assuming they'd laugh at me. They said that a lifetime warranty meant exactly that and they would be happy to send me a new pair, but asked where I bought them. When I said REI, they said I could either send them in myself or let REI pay for shipping, either way they encouraged me to return them rather than simply buying another pair.

 

[SomeChump]

It's $25 now? It was 10 when I joined....2 decades ago.

 

[mashnut]

If that's your sticking point, you can't afford their shoes

 

[SomeChump]

There's no question you'll pay more at rei than most competitors. If that's the trade off for ridiculously good customer service I'm happy to pay that premium. The people who say they feel like they're ripping off the. Ompany on returns should definitely be shopping somewhere cheaper.

Nah. Remember that you knock 10% off the price of everything (actually 15% if you use the REI visa.) Plus you get the 20% off coupons a few times a year. That knocks the price down to reasonable.

My problem with REI is that they don't carry very specialized climbing gear, and that was the original point of the coop! I actually have to go buy climbing gear elsewhere!

 

[Fishy]

My problem with REI is that they don't carry very specialized climbing gear, and that was the original point of the coop! I actually have to go buy climbing gear elsewhere!

they don't carry specialized, but they carry anything you are going to need for 99% of your climbing. Unless you are the DB that bolts routes (don't think they carry bolting kits at the one closest to me), and then you can go suck a dick for all most of us care about. Learn to place your own pro. I also don't think they carry some stuff for big wall climbing, but again if you are in the 1% that do big walls you probably have a specialty store to get that stuff at, here's it Mountain Chalet and Gearonimo. I can't find specialized caving gear at REI but I am also aware that caving is a very specialized activity and we've always had to get our stuff via catalog(now the web) from Karst Sports. When REI started there wasn't many climbers, so ALL gear was specialized, now that climbing has blown up like it is now they carry the most popular and useful stuff for the 99% of the climbers. By saying that they don't carry the 1% that YOU need you are in fact making yourself into an elitest sounding douchebag.
Just my 2 cents.

 

[Lewis]

Just one small point: although the membership pays for itself many times over in many ways, you don't have to be an REI member to take advantage of their 100% lifetime satisfaction guarantee -- it's not just a warranty, since you can return a product simply because you discover you don't like it, such as learning that a pair of shoes you bought online don't fit your feet. But if you're not a member, you'd better save your receipts for proof of purchase, because they only save the purchase history of members.