While other retailers debate whether they should open on Thanksgiving Day or not, last year outdoor gear co-op REI had a novel idea: it wouldn’t just keep its doors closed on the holiday, but it would close on the biggest shopping day of the year as well. That apparently worked out for them, and the retailer is doing the same again this year. [More]
rei
Why Are So Many Sporting Goods Stores Going Bankrupt?
By 4.19.16
196. That’s the number of sporting goods stores that are set to close after two retail companies filed for bankruptcy in recent weeks. While the failures of Vestis Retail Group — the operator of retailers Eastern Mountain Sports, Sport Chalet, and Bob’s — and Sports Authority were accelerated by mountains of debt both incurred in recent years, there’s more at work when it comes to the apparent demise of sporting goods retailers. [More]
REI Won’t Open On Black Friday, Tells Everyone To Go Play Outside
By 10.27.15
The outdoor equipment co-op REI sells gear for people to have fun, well, outdoors. That’s why it makes sense that they’ve started a campaign encouraging all of us to spend the day after Thanksgiving having fun outside. Oh, and they’re including store employees in that mandate: stores will be closed, and employees will have that day off with pay. [More]
Costco Takes Unusual Stance That Retail Employees Should Have Thanksgiving Day Off
By 10.24.14
As the beginning of Black Friday and thus the holiday shopping season has crept backwards into the early hours of Thanksgiving, we at Consumerist have taken a cantankerous stance against these early openings. Even we can take heart, though: a few businesses have confirmed that they will not be opening on Thanksgiving Day, because they’d like employees to spend the holiday with their loved ones or something. [More]
How Does An Unlimited Return Policy Help L.L. Bean?
By 9.30.13
This summer, outdoors equipment co-op REI made a change: they cut back on their return policy. They no longer accept any item back for any reason indefinitely. Other companies continue the practice, most notably L.L. Bean and Costco. It must be expensive and there must be customers who abuse it. So why do they do it? [More]
REI Revises Return Policy: Must Be Within 1 Year Of Purchase
By 6.4.13
REI is a retailer of outdoor equipment and claims to be the world’s largest consumer co-op. They’re also famous for their generous return policy, similar to that of Consumerist favorites like L.L. Bean and Costco: they’ll take anything back for just about any reason, indefinitely. At least, they used to. That policy changes, as of today. [More]
REI Ate My $385.04 Store Credit Like So Much Trail Mix
By 2.2.11
REI, the outdoors equipment co-op, has a very generous return policy. Brandon returned something and received a store credit in return, but can’t actually exchange it for merchandise. Company representatives told him that the credit still exists, but is mysteriously “on hold” – but no one knows why, or what that means. [More]
REI Says ATM Photographer Is Welcome In Their Store Any Time
By 5.15.09
REI’s Director of Corporate Communications contacted us with an official statement about the recent showdown between two Loomis security guards and a customer with an iPhone at one of their Seattle stores. She says despite the document Shane says he was forced to sign at the police station, he is not banned from their stores. Below is REI’s official statement.
Loomis Rent-A-Cops Have Shopper Cuffed, Hauled Away Over ATM Photo
By 5.11.09
While Shane was standing in the customer service line at a Seattle REI, he watched two Loomis employees open and change out the cash in an ATM machine. Shane took a photo of them with his iPhone. This apparently freaked out the Loomis guards, the REI security staff, and then the Seattle police, who put handcuffs on Shane, drove him to the police station, and then made him sign a statement that he wouldn’t return to a REI store for a year. You might have noticed in that summary that they didn’t actually bring any charges against him, which should make it clear to anyone who wants to side with the faux Po-Po that what Shane did wasn’t illegal, that the rent-a-cops should be fired, and that REI and Loomis owe Shane a big apology.
Morning Deals
By 8.25.08
Highlights From Dealhack
- REI: Labor Day Clearance: Save up to 30% off Clothing & Gear
- Meritline: PQI 8GB SDHC Card now $25 Shipped & Other Discount
- Buy.com: Dynex DX-LCD32 32-inch LCD HDTV $480 Shipped
Highlights From Bargainist
- Kmart: Jeans, all apparel BOGO 50% off
- Hoover: Summer Canister Sale: Save up to 56%
- JC Whitney: Up to $40 off purchases coupon
Morning Deals
By 8.4.08
- Amazon: 3 months of Amazon Prime free with $100 worth of textbooks in cart (No actual purchase necessary)
- Froobi: Refurbished SanDisk Sansa e270 6GB MP3 Media Player w/ FM/Voice Recorder for $55.95
- Amazon: “Narrow Stairs” by Death Cab For Cutie, $5 DRM-free MP3 album
Highlights From Dealhack
- REI: Summer Sale: Up to 40% or More off Apparel, Footwear, & Gear
- Staples: Envision 22-inch Widescreen Dual Input LCD $200 Shipped
- Design Within Reach: Save 15% off Upholstered Furniture & Free Shipping
Highlights From Bargainist
- Headsets.com: Free Bluetooth headset if you get cited driving while on phone (a promotion that incentivizes breaking the law, um ok)
- Yves Rocher: 50% off select beauty products
- Busted Tees: After Christmas in July Sale: Select shirts $10
REI Gives Great Customer Service, Refunds 4-Year-Old Skis
By 7.21.08
It sounds like sports-equipment company REI actually enjoys providing good customer service—their official Return policy seems pretty lenient, and it turns out they stand by that,at least for Tom’s family:
Amazon.Com Wins Best Customer Service
By 11.7.06
Online megastore Amazon.com won top honors in a national customer service survey released last Thursday. Here’s the top ten list, according to a National Retail Federation/American Express study.
