REI CLOSED on Black Friday but there's more!

[QHShowoman]

Someone must not have read the article! It is NOT just that REI is closing upon volition of company policy! There is MORE. Since it seems it's too hard to click on a link I'll post what's more.

Not only will REI stores be closed, but the company will give its employees a paid day off to spend outside. REI president and CEO Jerry Stritzke says this about the campaign:

For 76 years, our co-op has been dedicated to one thing and one thing only: a life outdoors…We believe that being outside makes our lives better. And Black Friday is the perfect time to remind ourselves of this essential truth…

That's initiating CHANGE to a connection with the outdoors rather than a connection to consumption and materialism. REI even puts their money where their marketing and HEART is. This move again demonstrates REI's commitment to fufilling their Mission Statement fostering a connection with the outdoors and Nature rather than rampant unquestioned accumulation of "stuff.

I am a fan of REI (and a former employee), but I do wonder what the fine print is on this. Like, as a part-time employee, we didn't get paid days off. If the store was closed for a holiday, we didn't work and didn't get paid. So I wonder if this is just for full-timers?

[Coffee]

Regarding Dogwood's comment on waste, I find it amazing how much waste I generate in day to day life compared to what I generate on the trail. I can go five days on the trail and come out with a gallon ziplock bag maybe filled 1/3 full at the most. At home, I'll take out a nearly full 13 gallon kitchen trash bag every few days! And that's with all recycling separated.

[Dogwood]

I am a fan of REI (and a former employee), but I do wonder what the fine print is on this. Like, as a part-time employee, we didn't get paid days off. If the store was closed for a holiday, we didn't work and didn't get paid. So I wonder if this is just for full-timers?

You quit too soon?

[Rabbity9]

At least it sounds like the CEO, who took over somewhat recently, is genuinely surprised by the complaints. It really doesn't make sense for REI to penalize employees who don't sell a ton of memberships but are otherwise reliable, knowledgable staffers. I really value the REI employees who tell me what gear they like and what my best value will be, not the ones who try to sell me something I already have.

Plus, it doesn't make much sense for them to push memberships unless people don't use them. I've only been a member for a couple of years, and thus far I haven't bought any big ticket stuff like kayaks, bikes, or the fanciest most ultralight gear, but the dividends I get back have more than covered the $20 I originally paid. They lose money from me because I'm a member, basically.

[QHShowoman]

At least it sounds like the CEO, who took over somewhat recently, is genuinely surprised by the complaints. It really doesn't make sense for REI to penalize employees who don't sell a ton of memberships but are otherwise reliable, knowledgable staffers. I really value the REI employees who tell me what gear they like and what my best value will be, not the ones who try to sell me something I already have.

Plus, it doesn't make much sense for them to push memberships unless people don't use them. I've only been a member for a couple of years, and thus far I haven't bought any big ticket stuff like kayaks, bikes, or the fanciest most ultralight gear, but the dividends I get back have more than covered the $20 I originally paid. They lose money from me because I'm a member, basically.

From what I understand from employees, the push to sell memberships really happened in the interim between when Sally Jewell left and Jerry Stritzke took over and how hard the push was really depended on store leadership. When I worked for REI back in the Sally Jewell days, we had monthly membership requirements, but nothing bad ever happened if you didn't meet your monthly goal. I think we may have gotten an extra $1 per membership sold, if I remember correctly.

There were lots of other changes that impacted staff negatively that took place during the interim between CEOs that I think REI is still trying to recover from.

[JustaTouron]

At least it sounds like the CEO, who took over somewhat recently, is genuinely surprised by the complaints. It really doesn't make sense for REI to penalize employees who don't sell a ton of memberships but are otherwise reliable, knowledgable staffers. I really value the REI employees who tell me what gear they like and what my best value will be, not the ones who try to sell me something I already have.

Plus, it doesn't make much sense for them to push memberships unless people don't use them. I've only been a member for a couple of years, and thus far I haven't bought any big ticket stuff like kayaks, bikes, or the fanciest most ultralight gear, but the dividends I get back have more than covered the $20 I originally paid. They lose money from me because I'm a member, basically.

The point of getting you to become a member isn't the membership fee. It is having the postal address, email address and phone number of a consumer in the outdoor equipment market. Plus if that consumer feels they are ahead of the game every time they buy something all more the better.

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[dervari]

The point of getting you to become a member isn't the membership fee. It is having the postal address, email address and phone number of a consumer in the outdoor equipment market. Plus if that consumer feels they are ahead of the game every time they buy something all more the better.

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I give a PO Box and Google Voice number.

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[QHShowoman]

I give a PO Box and Google Voice number.

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As somebody who understands the business of buying and selling names, it doesn't matter as long as the address is valid. And if it's an old address, the post office will update it, anyway.

[Lyle]

In contrast, not only will Gander Mountain be open at 5 AM on Black Friday, they will be open from 8 AM to Midnight on Thanksgiving Day. A relative of mine, and her small child, will be unable to attend Thanksgiving Dinner because she has to work. I, for one, will NOT be doing any shopping at Gander Mountain in the foreseeable future. True Greed.

[Offshore]

As somebody who understands the business of buying and selling names, it doesn't matter as long as the address is valid. And if it's an old address, the post office will update it, anyway.

True that - Going to the (ineffective) effort of using a Google Voice number and PO Box to attempt to hide one's identity from that nefarious REI marketing team is about one step away from aluminum foil hat territory. Besides, if dervari was that concerned about his privacy, Google Voice is a far, far bigger issue than REI.

[Marta]

Since my holiday shopping consists of some extremely minor gifts (I'll probably give my husband a scarf, and give the (adult) kids some gift certificates and/or charitable donations made in their names), the idea of going shopping for anything besides food and normal household supplies on Black Friday or any other day between now and Christmas makes no sense at all.

On the other hand...one of the outside places you can go on Black Friday is visit Glacier National Park on the cheap--GNP is having a no-entry-fee day tomorrow.

Front-country camping in GNP is also no-fee this time of year, I believe. It's not for the faint-hearted, of course. It's zero degrees right now...but all the more gorgeous for it. There's not a lot of snow on the ground in the low country yet, so getting around on foot is still pretty easy. Microspikes help. Some of the higher places already have 100" of snow, so there are hikes for which snowshoes are a good idea. Some of the impatient youngsters are wagging their skis around, but it's not really time for that yet.

Happy Thanksgiving, everyone!

[JustaTouron]

I use google voice, because it allows me to tell it to forward calls to my cell phone during business hours and to voice mail at night.

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