REI ends return policy...

[V Eight]

A guy around here was buying REI branded gear, mostly clothing
from ebay, crags list and garage sales and taking them to the store
for a refund of the full price.

I don’t mind the correction in policy. That is how I look at this move, a correction.

[finish9]

I fully agree with REI!! However, I once purchased a pair of pants from REI in Atlanta and within 3 months the front zipper totally blew out. When I returned the item I was hassled beyond belief by a store employee about the return. Stupid me then purchased a replacement pair of the same style/make and within 9 months the exact same problem with the pants occurred. So instead of incurring the wrath of REI I just threw the pants away. Since then REI has not been my store of choice.

[rocketsocks]

Good, for to long people have been taking advantage, and we all pay higher pricing for it. I've worked with many who would return a craftsman tape measure after it breaks cause they dropped it.....That's BS, and again causes me to pay more for the products I use. I only recently joined REI's co-op, and am glad to see them finally running the company right....anyone who knowing returns something they used for years, just because they could....is a scum bag in my book...that is all

[Cookerhiker]

REI is being entirely reasonable.

[Shutterbug]

As I've pointed out before, REI is not a them, It is a we, a co-op owned by it;s members. Nobody takes any profit out of the business, excepting the annual dividend base on purchases. Returns fraud does result in higher prices and/or lower dividends.
And maybe now the garage sales will have less outright junk to sort through.

I agree. It isn't like an unfair return is cheating REI. When someone abuses the system, it is their fellow members that are being abused. Every dollar spent for buying back returns either increases prices or reduces dividends.

I have returned a number of products to REI over the years, but I have also thrown away some that could have been returned because I didn't think I it would be fair to my fellow members. I fully support this clarification of the policy.

[Shutterbug]

A guy around here was buying REI branded gear, mostly clothing
from ebay, crags list and garage sales and taking them to the store
for a refund of the full price.

I don’t mind the correction in policy. That is how I look at this move, a correction.

I don't understand how he could have done that. It is my understanding that REI keeps a computer record of every member's purchases. If you return an item, they check the computer to verify how much you paid. That is the amount of the refund.

If one is not a member of REI, they have to have a receipt to return merchandise.

How would a person who bought an REI brand item at a garage sale come up with a receipt or a computer record?

[Feral Bill]

I fully agree with REI!! However, I once purchased a pair of pants from REI in Atlanta and within 3 months the front zipper totally blew out. When I returned the item I was hassled beyond belief by a store employee about the return. Stupid me then purchased a replacement pair of the same style/make and within 9 months the exact same problem with the pants occurred. So instead of incurring the wrath of REI I just threw the pants away. Since then REI has not been my store of choice.

Very much the exception, fortunately.

[Feral Bill]

I don't understand how he could have done that. It is my understanding that REI keeps a computer record of every member's purchases. If you return an item, they check the computer to verify how much you paid. That is the amount of the refund.

If one is not a member of REI, they have to have a receipt to return merchandise.

How would a person who bought an REI brand item at a garage sale come up with a receipt or a computer record?

Over indulgent staff, I would expect.

[RF_ace]

More of a reason to shop at backcountry.com

[bfayer]

Over indulgent staff, I would expect.

I'm not sure over indulgent is the issue. People that do this kind of crap know how to work the system.

I worked retail long ago in a former life. People would return stuff that the store did not even sell.

Management would always grant the refund because the scumbags would always put on a show in front of other customers. It was better to grant a small refund than to leave the other paying customers thinking that the company was not serious about "Satisfaction Always" policy.

[rocketsocks]

I fully agree with REI!! However, I once purchased a pair of pants from REI in Atlanta and within 3 months the front zipper totally blew out. When I returned the item I was hassled beyond belief by a store employee about the return. Stupid me then purchased a replacement pair of the same style/make and within 9 months the exact same problem with the pants occurred. So instead of incurring the wrath of REI I just threw the pants away. Since then REI has not been my store of choice.

Maybe the pants weren't the problem, some would say your gifted and that this was a blessing in desguise.

[bfayer]

Maybe the pants weren't the problem, some would say your gifted and that this was a blessing in desguise.

You did not need to go there. :banghead:

[Pedaling Fool]

Maybe the pants weren't the problem, some would say your gifted and that this was a blessing in desguise.

That's my problem -- I'm gifted, it's a blessing and sometimes a curse.


Whenever I get a bike I usually break something, because of my powerful "pistons" I don't return, despite having a warrenty, I simply upgrade to match my gifted legs

I just broke an axle on my bike, still under warrenty, but didn't return, because with my gift comes responsibility to know I can't hold the manuf. to my higher level of performance. So I simply upgraded and rebuilt my wheel to withstand the extra horsepower.



...OK, maybe I'm laying it on a little too thick, but it feels so good....

[rocketsocks]

That's my problem -- I'm gifted, it's a blessing and sometimes a curse.


Whenever I get a bike I usually break something, because of my powerful "pistons" I don't return, despite having a warrenty, I simply upgrade to match my gifted legs

I just broke an axle on my bike, still under warrenty, but didn't return, because with my gift comes responsibility to know I can't hold the manuf. to my higher level of performance. So I simply upgraded and rebuilt my wheel to withstand the extra horsepower.



...OK, maybe I'm laying it on a little too thick, but it feels so good....

Your a Machine

oh and i'll have the Ruben w/ extra corned beef.

[rocketsocks]

You did not need to go there. :banghead:

You are abbsolutely right....sometimes (most times) I have no filter.

[atmilkman]

Your a Machine

oh and i'll have the Ruben w/ extra corned beef.

No corna beef. This a Chinese wesawant.

[rocketsocks]

No corna beef. This a Chinese wesawant.

there goes the neighborhood.....Drifting!

[rocketsocks]

Sorry, Now back to our regularly scheduled show

[coach lou]

Sorry, Now back to our regularly scheduled show

You soooooo fuuuuunnnny!

[rocketsocks]

You soooooo fuuuuunnnny!

Everybody funny, now Lou funny too.