I give two stars because the staff is nice and friendly. I am here to write a review on the corporate overhead, regarding recent changes to the bike shop services.
On Monday, March 30th, 2021, I walked into rei, just as I have for years before, with my brother to get his ebike tuned up. We walked up, and they asked what we needed, so we told them his bike needed a basic bicycle tune up, and all of a sudden the 3 employees just gave me this grim stare, and told me "sorry to have to be the bearer of bad news, but we won't work on your bike." I asked them why, and they said it was a new "corporate overhead policy, which says that from now on the bike shop is reserved only for ebikes that were purchased directly from REI".
(Keep in mind, without power this is just a normal ordinary bike, nothing special. I didn't mention anything about the electrical system, as this needed no help.)
I asked if they would just give it a tune up on the bike parts that they could tune, and they still completely refused. I asked them to show me the policy change and their response was "I know it was recently, let me try to find it" and they proceeded to look on the computer for 10 minutes, unable to find any policy change documentation whatsoever. They showed me an older document, which very clearly stated that our bike fit the necessary requirements to be serviced at rei. Still they refused to help.

So later on, we decided to test something. We took off the wheels of the same bike and walked back in with just our wheels and ask them to service them, and sure enough they did it without question... for some reason they could service the wheels, but not the bike?
Oh and the best part, after they trued the wheels, as we were walking out, the employee at the front sending us off asked "I think you're missing the rest of your bike"... yeah how ironic that was.

I'm very disappointed and as a loyal rei co op member, I've grown to love the bike shop and come regularly for advice and parts. Unfortunately it looks like they're about to lose the first of I'm sure many loyal customers with this undocumented corporate overhead change of policy that doesn't make any sense. I will be patient for a little while as I have reached out to rei corporate to see if they can straighten this out, but otherwise, expect me to never go to rei for bike maintenance EVER again.

Recently returning some items given to me for my birthday I had the misfortune of going to our local REI. Dutifully donning a mask ( something I completely disagree with) I entered the store and approached the counter. Because of breathing issues I had the mask just below my nose, even though the the guy at the register was behind plexi glass he asked me to pull the mask up. I explained my challenge and much to his credit he proceeded to do the return and hand me a gift card for the store.

As I started to walk deeper into the store an employee suggested to me that I needed to pull my mask all the way over my nose or leave. No problem I turned toward the exit and walked away. On the way out I stopped (mask still on and more than six feet away form anyone) turned to the customer rep standing by the door and suggested that the store policy was not appropriate. She said it was company policy I acknowledge and told her I was just voicing my disappointment which hoped she would relay to management. It was at this moment things went bad in a big way.

At least five 20 somethings who worked for the store gathered about me, I most certainly felt threatened. A woman stepped very close to me and demanded I stop yelling at the other employee. I was not yelling in any way shape of form and suggested that to her. She then demanded in a harsh tone that I step away from the other person to create a 6ft gap. I was already more than 6ft away and told her so, reiterating that I was only expressing my concern for the store policy. It was very tense, I felt as If I was being threatened by multiple employees and thought I was going to have to defend my self physically. The woman making the demands most certainly escalated the situation.

Fortunately, Ryan the store manager inserted himself into the situation just in time. Stepping forward he addressed me in a manner that showed he wanted to help not hinder and was able to diffuse what his coworker escalated. He assured me that he saw how the other employee had escalated and would be coached. He is the only reason this review gets two stars and not just one.

The end result of this challenge is that neither me or the person that spent the $250 on the gift items will ever shop at REI again. Additionally I will be telling of the experience and how I felt threatened to all who will listen.

There are other outdoor outfitters, priced better with just as good of equipment. It would behoove senior leadership to rethink their policies and how they are implemented. It may be that once this ends so may of your customers have been alienated that no one will want to shop there even if masks are not required.

Second star only for the gear quality and friendly staff. I don't expect any company to bend their rules for customers. It would just be nice if they knew them. Clear pattern of zero training, and that includes managers. Almost as if they thrive on providing misinformation.

1. Return policy. Their web site clearly states REI will issue refunds for a manufacturer defect, which by phone I was informed is as determined by the store manager. When I brought in a malfunctioning GPS unit (freezing and rebooting) which started acting up after the 90 day warranty, manager refused to evaluate it and repeatedly said warranty's over, no full year warranty for outdoor electronics. I could have paid $100 less on Amazon but thought I was getting a defect warranty from REI. I tested my batteries and SIM card in their store display model myself, encountered the same issue, and determined my SIM card was probably at fault, not the GPS unit, but no one in the store was wiling to check this out on my behalf.

2. Scope of repair services. Intake tech said Silver Tune package for cross country skis includes repair with extrusion gun, not just sanding, because less is done to cross country than downhill skis. Bought the Silver Tune. Outtake tech said nah, you need the Gold Tune for that, but if we have time we try to do a little extra for the customers.OK, whatever. Why don't you just charge me the extra $15 bucks for the right service?

3. Use of REI credit card. Friendly associate told me I could call their online service to transfer credit card purchases I'd made in the store to my REI Mastercard, which I wasn't carrying at the time, so I could earn more dividend points. Great, so the lady on the phone says "I don't' know who told you that. You have to bring the purchases back to the store." You'd think it would end there. I went back to the store. They credited one card and debited the other but said it wasn't necessary for me to have hauled the merchandise back in.

4. Bored? This one's the most fun. They set up store and online purchases so you use your dividend refund unless you ask them not to. When I used my dividend toward boots I later returned, I could only get store credit, not a cash refund, because there was no payment source to return the money to. At the time I was temporarily unemployed and could have used the nearly $200 cash, not more gear. Now when I make a purchase and the cashier asks if I want to use my dividend, i tell this story and they say "Oh no, who did that? That's not right. You should be able to get a refund." I did get a refund, just not one of any use to me. They are basically good at smiling and taking your money. I always request a paper check for my dividend now. Their robots seem to behave consistently.

I received an email from REI telling me my bike was ready to be picked up. I went to pick up the bike at the REI at Easton Mall and saw two them assembled and ready to go at the bike desk. I stood at the counter for 5 minutes before the tragic hipster bike tech stopped assembling something and looked at me. Even then i had to say something to grab his attention. He came over and asked my name. He then asked if he had called me about my bike. I said "no. I received an email telling me to come and get the pick. Bring an ID". The hipster told me bikes were only ready for pick up when he calls. Well, why did i receive an email then? I explained there might be a mistake because sitting next to me was a completely assembled 24" Coop bike I purchased (two of them no less). The hipster told me "those bikes are not for you." lol - really? Another REI employee standing next to him then asked the other tech if he had called the other people to let them know their bikes were ready (the same one i bought no less). He said "NO". Now... customer service 101 dictates the natural course of action here would be to give me one of the assembled bikes. Nope - not at REI. To make matters worse i then had the terrible misfortune of having to deal with a supposed "manager" called Lauren. I showed Lauren the email stating "Your order is ready to be picked up." She then precipitated to apologize for the "confusing" email. Ummm... I told Lauren there is NOTHING confusing about the email. It says to come pick up your bike! Lauren was the rudest, snarkiest "manager" i have ever had to deal with in my 45 years on this earth. She told me "good day" as if to make a point she was done talking to me. Thats right... SHE was done with ME. I wasnt there for a bike or anything. I wasnt there for customer service. I was there because Lauren permitted me to speak with her. She repeated multiple times "good day sir" as if I was an actor forgetting my lines in a bad play.

There was a time when i enjoyed REI. I love the gear. I love going there to look at new stuff. The people there have always been some of the nicest people on earth to deal with. The millennial hipsters working there now are the rudest asses east of the mississippi. What happened to REI? THESE ARE THE FOLKS RUNNING THE SHOW THERE NOW? I can understand the rude bike tech. His job is not to help me. His job is to assemble bikes. What on earth is REI's excuse for Lauren? They pay her to deal with people? REI sent me the dam email telling me the bike needed to be picked up! I DIDNT ASK FOR THAT EMAIL! In lieu of doing the right thing and giving me the assembled bike, they told me was ready to be picked up, I was treated horribly. My wife and son were with me. He knew his bike was ready! He sat on the bike! I had to tell him I lied. His bike wasnt ready. I had to drive over an hour to get to that REI. Its not around the corner and down the street. REI screwed up big time here. Hell will freeze over before i buy another piece of gear from them or even a new winter coat for my kids. No matter how much i like REI. Principle will prevent me from ever giving them another dollar.

C lenell

How can you go wrong?

Over the past several years, REI's continued promotion of its 100% Satisfaction Guaranteed policy and its Limited Warranty under which if "your item has a manufacturing defect in its materials or workmanship, you can return it at any time." has been a sham.

The 100% Satisfaction Guaranteed policy is still generous compared to that of other retailers. However, 100% Satisfaction Guaranteed means within 1 year as compared to being able to return an item without a time limit under the previous policy. No big deal.

The Limited Warranty, however, doesn't seem to mean much any more. For most premium outdoor brands, a lifetime warranty means that an item is repaired or replaced if the materials or construction is defective within a reasonable product lifetime. REI's private label product purport to be a better value as the higher priced, but one thing you should know is that REI is now much more restrictive in what they accept under the REI product warranty than the warranty provided by most premium outdoor brands. You need to both show proof of purchase and be able to prove the defect is due to materials or construction to have any chance of claiming under the warranty for REI brand products. The burden is on you, as the customer, to provide that something is not right with REI products. I have a REI brand blow-up sleeping pad which was given to me as a gift. I've used it for about 12-15 nights total. On my last trip, I woke up two nights in a row finding my sleeping pad halfway deflated and me lying on the ground. REI refused to warranty the product claiming that they could not find a record of a member purchase of the sleeping pad. Clearly, there was something wrong with the product.

I'll buy name brand products from REI, but no more REI branded products for me. Honestly, if REI considers their own branded products to be disposable, I need to rethink where I buy value-priced outdoor products. Decent outdoor gear is no longer only available at the high-priced outdoor stores. I got some great carbon fiber hiking poles from Costco. They aren't as slick as the pricy carbon poles at REI and don't have a lifetime warranty, but at 2 for $30, I'm willing to take a chance on an unproven product for a usage that is not mission-critical if the poles happen to break while on a trip. I will also add that Costco has a great return policy and has taken away $thousands of our spending away from grocery stores/Target/Wal-Mart since it is just a no-hassle place to shop with great prices if you are willing to buy higher volumes.