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REI is changing their return policy...


jstluise

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One of the stores I worked at years ago made about 11 million a year (1996). They took in about $120,000 in returns a year. Then turn around and sell most of it at the used sale.

 

Pretty good turn around if you ask me. I think the main reason everyone shops there is the return policy. If that goes bye bye....I think you can kiss the massive profits REI gets good bye.

 

I think most of us buy stuff because it's price/performance fits our needs and we are willing to support the company that sells it. All modern retailers have decent return policies.

 

A ridiculously generous return policy might be the primary consideration for a scammer, impulse buyer, or a moron who just shotguns their purchase decisions without any research., but most folks are just fine with having a full year to figure things out.

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I'm surprised it took this long. I'm guessing backcountry.com will follow in the near future. REI will probably have more returns than ever this near and take a hit on gross sales. Part of me sees where they are coming from...people may buy an ultralight item, tear the fabric during normal use, and claim it's defective. That's bullshit. But say you purchase an expensive pair of climbing shoes, use them 5 times leaving them in great condition, store them in a clean closet etc. and the soles delam. 54 weeks after purchase. That may be another deal. I have had this happen with sandals before and I will never buy from this sandal company again. I'm my limited experience, adhesive failure seems to be a legitimate reason for limited use returns after >1y. Others may disagree.

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How about if you buy well made durable shit that doesn't fall apart?

 

Cause Arcteryx jackets cost like 500 bucks.

 

Or Patagonia. And both those companies have warranties that now are better than REI

 

If you are not satisfied with one of our products at the time you receive it, or if one of our products does not perform to your satisfaction, you may return it to us for repair, replacement, or refund. Damage due to wear and tear will be repaired at a reasonable charge.
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Or if it lasts long enough that it gets back in style, thats a good brand.

 

I've been pretty stoked on OR stuff recently. Pretty reasonable price, I like the fit (slim), and durability seems good so far. And they sponsor a lot of local athletes.

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http://seattletimes.com/html/businesstechnology/2021116265_reireturnsxml.html

 

1 year return policy...30 day for outlet items.

 

Disappointing...especially when I pay more money for items at REI just because of the return policy, when I could have saved money and bought them online.

 

Oh, and how about a heads up? Policy if effective starting today apparently. Not even an email or letter to their members?

 

I haven't returned anything to REI, but I'll miss that policy all the same because you could tell quite a bit about a person's character by how they responded to it. Not a perfect test, but it was a handy little window into their soul.

 

 

 

 

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I think REI should institute a policy of taking that guy who's returning his 10 year old trail runners in the back room and shooting him in the face.

 

 

 

Closet GUN NUT ALERT!!!

satire at its finest, as tvash would never condone a policy that would condemn his fremont-connection, Deep Friend of Weed & Need, who is arguably the greatest rei-abuser in american history :)

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I am member 285495 and joined in about 1970. If I was a BSer I'd make the number smaller to look impotent; oh I meant important. They have gotten so big that I would rather buy from a small and experienced shop. I know the thread is about return policy but they have retail sales people instead of experienced outdoor people and I don't like it. If you buy from the right people you don't have to return it because you did it right the first time.

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I am member 285495 and joined in about 1970. If I was a BSer I'd make the number smaller to look impotent; oh I meant important. They have gotten so big that I would rather buy from a small and experienced shop. I know the thread is about return policy but they have retail sales people instead of experienced outdoor people and I don't like it. If you buy from the right people you don't have to return it because you did it right the first time.

 

I'm trying to figure out if I'm an outlier because I've never relied on someone in a store's help to buy much of anything, particularly outdoor gear.

 

I have nothing against shop staff, and appreciate that they can have a lot of useful and helpful information for people who choose to engage them, but I've always relied on people I know who are good/experienced at whatever activity it is that I'm buying gear for, my own prior experience, gear reviews, feedback on online forums, etc, etc, etc. Most people I know seem to operate the same way most of the time, but maybe they're all exceptions?

 

Ditto for route conditions, etc, etc, etc, etc, etc. Granted I'm not doing anything at a particularly high level, but then again, neither are ~98% of the people that walk through the average store's door. Do lots of people really rely on shop staff in a big way while buying gear?

 

 

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I'm trying to figure out if I'm an outlier because I've never relied on someone in a store's help to buy much of anything, particularly outdoor gear.

 

I have nothing against shop staff, and appreciate that they can have a lot of useful and helpful information for people who choose to engage them, but I've always relied on people I know who are good/experienced at whatever activity it is that I'm buying gear for, my own prior experience, gear reviews, feedback on online forums, etc, etc, etc. Most people I know seem to operate the same way most of the time, but maybe they're all exceptions?

 

I'm right there with you. While I'm sure the small shop employee has a good idea on what I should buy, that is only one data point. Going online to check out gear reviews, forums, etc, and talking to other climbers I know gives me a much better idea of what I should buy.

 

I've always used this method and I'm happy with all my gear because of it...actually I can only think of one time where I returned something that was used, and that was because of a manufacturers defect (I exchanged the item with a new one and haven't had problems since).

 

All the other returns I've had at REI are brand new items, mostly items off the online outlet where you can't try it out in person. A pair of running shoes for half off? Sure, I'll order it. Crap, they don't fit? No problem.

 

I stopped by REI today to get some fuel canisters for this weekend, and so I popped into customer service to see what the scoop is. They guy basically told me that all the news outlets put a pretty bad spin on the new return policy. Now, this is what he told me:

 

-First off, the return policy becomes effective today, meaning that jacket you bought 2 years ago is still covered. Only items purchased after today fall under the new return policy.

-Secondly, there is still a lifetime return policy for item "defects". I didn't ask about how subjective that is, i.e. who decides if it is a defect or just wear? Of course, you would think the user would be honest and not try to return something they used for years that finally wore out. This idea was touched on in this thread.

 

Anyways, as far as I'm concerned, after talking with the REI employee, nothing much has changed for me, since I've never abused the system. Defects are still covered, so that is good enough for me. Now the only thing that has changed is that I only have 30 days to decide if I want to hang onto that latest outlet deal that I might find...but I think I can deal with that.

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I think it's great.

 

Would you take your tires back after putting 75,000 miles on them and ask for a new set? If you did Goodyear and the retailer would laugh you out the door. Or, maybe they would shoot you in the face. ;)

 

Businesses outside of the 'Outdoor Industry' require the consumer to be responsible for wear and tear. Why does outdoor retail somehow differ? The retailer should help you contact the manufacturer if there is an issue with a product that falls within the manufacturer's warranty.

 

All products have a life. If you bought it and you break it you broke it. If you buy it and it is truly defective then let the company know and they should make you happy if they made a bad product.

 

Most brands have good warranties.

 

By from a local shop and they will help you get your product warrantied if need be.

 

Good Luck

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REI's old policy helped create a throw away mentality. A $25 sewing machine, some Tenacious Tape, Shoe Goo, and a little hand stitching go a long way to extending gear life. This used to be standard procedure for most climbers. The ability to fix stuff comes in even handier today with the new light weight gear, which tends to begin the pilgrimage to Holy Land soon after purchase.

 

That, and I've always wondered why Bacon Bars never made a comeback.

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