REI

Reviews 4

CH

Chris Parish

After being a loyal REI shopper since opening day of this store and spending thousands of dollars just at this location I finally had a product fail. Back in 2014 I purchased a Kuhl brand fleece pullover and used a 20% off coupon taking the price down to $59. The stitching on the elbow of the shirt separated and the sleeve started to tear in half. On several visits I have been reassured of REIs policy to stand behind the items they sell for one year. I figured with all of this reassurance that if I did in fact ever need to return to the store to return something due to a defect that it would be as hassle free as promised. This couldnt be further from the truth. The first person that helped me with the exchange was clueless as to how to look up the original purchase and insisted that they couldnt find it even though I had pulled it up on my phone faster. They couldnt find my REI member number even after I showed them REPEATEDLY where it was on my REI Credit Card. Finally after listening to me and entering the correct number they found the purchase. Next the manager or supervisor came up to approve or take a look at the transaction. VERY RUDELY I was informed that they would be making an exception for this return and that it was questionable due to the fact that I was exchanging/returning the item two weeks before the one year policy was up. I was told that my item failed do to clear abuse. I didnt need the lesson in their policy, I dont care that it was two weeks shy of the 1 year. I didnt abuse the shirt that I had worn a total of 4 times. You would think that it stopped right there and we exchanged items. Nope, I was told that I used a 20% off coupon (like I was some cheapskate) and that Id only be receiving $59 credit. Truth be told I was happy that Id have $59 credit to spend on the $85 shirt I was exchanging this one for. I was happy to pay the difference and receive a new one. I was just happy that the company was standing behind the product. What made me unhappy and what will keep me from returning to this REI and spending my money at Scheels from now on is this one person. This one employee that managed to take my previous experiences and confidence in REI and turn it around into something negative. To make me feel guilty for returning an item - one item out of the thousands of dollars Ive spend in the store - and teaching me some sort of lesson for using the return policy. Since this visit we have not returned to this store and have no plans to come back. I shopped at REI and paid higher prices because of my experience in the store and my love for a company that gives back to their community while sharing my same passion for the outdoors. I shopped at REI because of the excellent customer service weve experienced from people that use and learn about your products. I stopped shopping at your store because all of this changed with this visit and what once made your store great seemed to be gone. Good luck REI Overland Park, youre going to need it.

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JE

Jeb Flynn

Before my experience yesterday, at REI, this WAS my favorite store. I enjoy hiking and backpacking and a variety of other outdoor activities. Naturally, REI products equip a person well for these kinds of things. I would regularly pay the higher price for the products here in knowledge that REI is committed to quality, so much so that if an item is reasonably defective, it can be returned within a year of the purchase. However, yesterday completely changed my attitude towards REI. I went to the store in order to return a product. It was a backpack I had purchased approximately 11 months earlier and I had been meaning to return it for a couple of months now because two zippers broke and the stitching in one of the pockets began unraveling completely. I showed the problems with the backpack to Sam, the employee helping me and to her credit, she was kind. However, I had a completely different experience when she called over the sales manager to help her with the return. Sales manager Chad, after looking over the materials, agreed that the defects in the backpack were satisfactory reasons to return the product and that the product would be returned. Then, Chad proceeded to speak to me in a stern and accusatory tone, telling me that sometimes, these defects are considered normal wear and tear. He continued to give me a wide-eyed and stern-toned lecture about how in the future, this would not be returnable. I have NEVER been spoken to this way in my life at a store! Chad made me feel as if I was doing something wrong, as if I had somehow damaged the backpack in order to get a new one. I did nothing of the sort! However, this REI Sales Manager treated me as if I was in the wrong. So, I naturally asked if this backpacks defects were not satisfactory for it to be returned. Again, Chad agreed that these were satisfactory reasons and my return was accepted. I plan to NEVER shop at REI again. The service I received yesterday outweighed all of the positive experiences I had previously there. To be treated as if I was akin to a shoplifter or something, I plan to NEVER shop at REI again, despite it having been my favorite store just a few days ago. It seems to me because of my experience with Chad yesterday, that REI allows and may even encourage intimidation of customers returning items. If anyone would like a similar experience as the one I had, please ask for Chad.

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AU

Audris Ly

I went in today to get an Osprey pack fitted that I had purchased from REI online. The girl helping me, Torrey, was extremely helpful in getting the right pack sized and fitted. I actually brought two packs of mine in to get fitted and neither of them worked so she took extra care in trying different ones on me. Once we found the right match we had an issue with finding the exact one in stock ANYWHERE. No REI store had it, not even straight from Ospreys site. Torrey and another girl Tawny called other stores, talked to their manager, and even called Osprey directly to find that it was a manufacturing/stocking issue. Finding the perfect backpack is already hard enough, but to run into an even more unusual problem from the makers themselves caused a huge mess. I wasnt able to purchase the pack from REI, but Torrey and Tawny did everything they could and were above and beyond helpful.

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SA

Savannah Stevens

My fiance and I went on memorial day (very busy) and were looking for weekend packs. Two male sales associates in the backpack department were a little unprofessional (staying things like I hate how many people are here etc.). We had never purchased packs before and were not quite sure how they should fit or how to adjust them. Both of the previously mentioned associates were brash and impatient. We then found a female associate (not even in that department) who explained everything to us. She was so helpful and genuinely interested in making sure we chose the right pack. She definitely made the experience a positive one. Additionally, the cashiers were very friendly and helpful as well with questions about our membership. I think if we were to go back when the store was not as busy, we would have avoided some of the issues.

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