REI explores another user group

[RobBob]

[wayne]

As long as we are REI bashing , I was in there the other day and was amazed at how the clothing dept has taken over the whole store! The kids clothing is larger than the climbing dept. But try to find a pair of mens sweats that arent the color black!!

[snoboy]

quote:

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Originally posted by Cpt.Caveman:

Lbs of Toblerone and 12 inch inflatable mattresses is enough to make me puke.

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I suppose if you ate it all at once...

 

But really guys what is wrong with Toblerone?

[jordop]

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Edited June 15, 2021 by jordop

[jordop]

quote:

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Originally posted by wayne1112:

The kids clothing is larger than the climbing dept. But try to find a pair of mens sweats that arent the color black!!

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Yeah, i guess they don't have power drills either , what's your point. Target might be a good bet

[allison]

But the great news about REI's rather unimpressive climbing department is that shops like Pro Mountain Sports are still in business, while REI continues to provide crap for the masses.

 

Just think if things were different!

[Scotch-a-Go-Go]

Yeow,

 

Don't knock the Big Green Machine!

 

They sell the best, cheapest, Chinese-prison-labor fleece and clothes anywhere!

 

 

AKA Replace Every Idiot's gear....

[mattp]

That was pretty much my point, Allison. Although I complain about REI, the fact is they obviously serve a viable business market and they also serve most of us, too. When I want to buy a specialty item - like a helmet or a pack or a pair of crampons or something - I go to Pro Mountain Sports, and I check out Feathered Friends and sometimes Marmot. When I have a big list of items I want for an extended vacation, I am more likely to go to REI. A small shop like PMS cannot carry folding tables, camp sandals, stove fuel, bug dope, topo maps and climbing gear, and I bet they don't want to deal with parking passes either. I don't always plan ahead and I often don't want to mail order what can't be had from the little shop, or to have to go there and to Big Five and Fred Meyer as well. What the specialty shops may lack in breadth, they make up for in qualities that may well be beyond the scope of REI: they can provide real expertise and train their employees to know their stock and the needs of local climbers in a way that is probabliy not feasible for REI. The small shops may be able to pay special (personal) attention to a special order as well.

 

[ 11-22-2002, 10:31 PM: Message edited by: mattp ]

[Beck]

Thanks, Allison, I was testing gear for MSR when they sold, knew that, just poking fun at a co-op who continues to expand user group focus to compete with Big5 and GI Joes, want to get bighair, mullet wearing families to drive the pickup truck from the trailer park to the store with all the kids in tow.

[Beck]

Well,i just went through my glossy, sixteen page "Winter Sports" mailer from REI again, pulled it out of the recycling bin to take a look, and saw NOT A SINGLE beacon, one shovel, no probes, not a single cable or AT binding in the catalog, asnd it appears they are paired with TNF and who is it, Esprit, Or some other fashion house ? to make its stuff with child labor all across the pacific rim.

[tread_tramp]

So Beck, are you trumping business for that Bellevue shop you're in cahoots with now? What with the holiday shopping around the corner and all.

[Beck]

No, Ralph, the Bellvue Nordstrom's doesn't offer any avalanche beacons in our winter sports mailer either !!! I just saw it as a total misreprentation to the masses, what REI wants to push sales wise, for winter adventures, and as to what "Winter Sports" means to the advertising jockeys at REI Renyolds. Did they think offering them in a mailer would decrease sales, due to negative connotations associated with the word "avalanche?"

I do know a couple of stores on the east side where you can still buy avalanche beacons from people that consider them rather important winter sports tools.

[Son_of_Caveman]

The way I see it if the store is big enough to sell anything and everything, why not. Pro Mtn. and Marmot can pick up the leavin's and the specialty shit. Is it really that fucking important whether they sell key chains and candy?

 

I though real climbers shopped at Goodwill anyway.

[EddieE]

Winter sports for most people involve getting out of their car at the Paradise parking lot and going sledding in the designated sledding area...and that's okay with me. You want every Joe Sidewalk strapping on a beacon and running around in the backcountry? More freshies for me

[allison]

I never thought I'd find myself in the position of defending REI....but.....

 

1.They do have most of their Brand stuff made in Asia. It is not made in children's prison camps. There's a thing called 'social compliance' that REI is using to bring their overseas factories into a realm of labor practices that most Americans find acceptable.

 

Having said that, I still don't want to buy the stuff.

 

2. Marmot Brand manufactures in China as well. I bought a tent that was non-refundable, and then I looked at the tag and found that out.

[allthumbs]

Asian folks are better sewers than Americans. True story...whatcha gonna do???

 

[ 11-25-2002, 10:33 AM: Message edited by: trask ]

[allison]

I understand that that may be the case....but the quality of work is not why companies like REI and Marmot are taking their work to Asia, guarantee it.

[MtnHigh]

For all the REI whiners out there this is why I occasionally shop there:

 

- Marmot Ice Gloves $60

 

- Stinger picks for 7 bucks each

 

It boils down to simple economics. I'll conduct business with a reputable establishment that offers discounted services or products. However, if an establishment has totally sold their soul to the dark side then I'll shop elsewhere.

[Chepe]

I'm going to REI right now. They still suck though. I just want to look at thier 2 way radios and compare them with Radio Shack and other stores.

 

If they were smart they'd be selling stuff like micro sized MP3 players or other radios so we could blast obscene music into our ears while in basecamp or hiking\skiing along. Or even gameboys or something too.

[iain]

you're just going there to check out the ruffwear doggie booties and $4,000 water dish. you're not fooling anybody.

[Chepe]

Ruffwear is lame. I like whisker biscuits though

[iain]

hmmm.

[snoboy]

quote:

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Originally posted by iain:

hmmm.

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hmmm what?

[Dru]

page bottom!

[iain]