REI

Reviews 4

A

A Private User

The staff (especially at this, the flagship store) range from friendly and helpful to rude, aloof and not-so-helpful. We have noticed more of the latter at the this store (the smaller outlying stores seem to have a better sales staffs). This is painfully obvious in the shoe department, where you can expect to be ignored even if you make obvious hey-i-need-help eye contact and smile at a staff member. I was in today attempting to try on some shoes. I waited right by the door where the sales staff come in and out hoping to catch one. While I was waiting two employees were just on the other side of the door having a conversation. this lasted 5 minutes and I was in plain view, standing there looking at them! When I was helped by a young woman she was friendly and brought me the shoe I wanted to try. A short while later I needed more help and was repeatedly ignored as employees wandered or hurriedly brushed pass (since you are going back there maybe you could grab me a pair of shoes too? guess not) Some of the employees arent even friendly when you look at them; just cold, snobby looks in return. I chatted with another customer while I was waiting by the shoe department door for the second time attempting to get help. He was flabbergasted by the employee having an extended phone conversation right in front of us. We could tell that someone had called to ask questions about footware, but he was having a very drawn out, not to the point conversation when customers at the store needed help; not even a smile or an Ill be with you in a sec to us. I finally dropped the shoes I was attempting to trade for a bigger size and left. I would have purchased the next size up but I have things to do with my day. Some REI employees are very helpful and friendly, but I suspect they received training on how to give customer service at another job (as I have), or are the ones who are naturally like that. REI is clearly lacking in their training department or in the motivation they give their employees to be polite, courteous and helpful. On another occasion my girlfriend was given a hard time by an employee when she was returning a pair of shoes. The seam on the side had failed and the side split open. the shoes fit and she only wore them once a week or so (for 6 months). the tread was barely worn. REIs return policy is 100% no-matter-what. The clerks response to her was "do you think shoes are supposed to last forever?" This line was delivered in a very impolite tone. Unbelievable! This was at the Tukwila store, which mostly has a good staff. The only reason I give REI any stars is their fantastic selection and for the half or so of the employees that do do a good job. I have been shopping at REI for all of my adult life and am not prone to writing reviews. After many, many poor customer service experiences I am finally fed up enough to write this, citing only my most recent experience with their failure. REIs unbelievable failure with there customer service, especially at the FLAGSHIP store is astounding.

---

AL

Alex Stuart

I think my experience here today has been one of the most offensive experiences Ive ever had in any store ever in my life. One of the biggest problems I had here was how almost the entire staff treated me as if I didnt belong in their store but instead in the dumpster out back. I am currently homeless but just because a person who likely had a life very similar to anybody else inside REI today has recently lost their place to live doesnt mean they have lost their job, their sense of dignity or their pride as a human being. I was in the store for around an hour, possibly an hour and a half, and in that time I was asked if "I needed any help" or "What was it exactly that I was looking for?" approximately 15-20 times, some of which were literally less than 2 minutes between each other. Also, I got the full "What could you possibly afford here?" treatment consisting of at least 5-7 employees in uniform that were always near me in the store no matter what section I was in... (By near I mean around 15-20 feet.) Lastly, I wasnt sure if I should of called the police or not because I had a woman who was STARING at me, with no attempt to even mask what she was doing, the entire time I was there while averaging about a 10 foot or less distance from me. If all of this wasnt enough to make me feel extremely unwelcome at the last moment (after I had asked a manager if the stalker was staff) an employee insisted he take my $30 knife and $10 sharpening tool and hold it at the register until I was ready to pay. I already have PTSD and the staff here has literally triggered a minor episode for me to deal with now. This was the last thing I wanted, needed, or expected when I walked into REI today.

---

PA

Paul Backus

I used to like REI, but theyve fallen a long way in the past few years. Theyve become so concerned with loss prevention that theyve refused to honor their warranty at times. Even worse, they shortened their "lifetime" guarantee to just one year! The main draw of REI, despite their vastly inflated prices, was the knowledge that if your gear failed they would cover it. Now, if it doesnt fail in its first season youre out of luck. No longer worth the $$$, for any reason. Ill be canceling my membership to show my dissatisfaction. On my last visit, I returned a pair of pants that had pockets rip out after less then a year of actual useage. After repairing them twice myself the seams started ripping, so I brought it in for replacement. They tried to tell me it was normal wear & tear -- Right, not falling for that one guys. They did refund them, but not without numerous condescending remarks and implying that I dont know how to take care of equipment. Im an ultralight backpacker, I KNOW how to handle lightweight gear. And its rather telling that this is the only piece of gear Ive had trouble with. Also, I was given this treatment despite buying over $100 of new gear at the same time. Needless to say, I wont be returning to REI for any future sales. Some of the floor personnel are helpful & knowledgeable, but with all the changes its just not worth it. Go to the store to get some advice and try out gear if you like, but go somewhere else for the actual purchase - youll save a lot of money and wont lose out on much at all. Lloyd Anderson would be ashamed to see what his company has become.

---

TI

Tikaani Sequoia

Store return / exchange for item. Customer service representative unable to locate item purchase on membership. Store employee looked up another purchase, same item, with another member, issued refund. ?? Wallet stolen with backpack. Membership card and merchandise credit from return / refund with wallet. Contact customer service with receipt of return, informed me membership closed, unable to reissue refund with receipt of return / refund. Referred to membership services (john trinka) leave several messages without once return contact. Contact customer service several occasion, enthusiastic attempt for support, all refer again to member service, leave message for (john trinka). Informed me unable to provide support. Even instructed me to purchase with another retail gear store. Several employee, unable to provide support. Purchase membership first 2005. I will not purchase another membership for the issue and inability of provide customer support at Seattle / wa location. Additional, notice number enthusiastic employee unable to provide actual support for interest backcountry gear store. I will not support such retail chain claims of cooperative and provide support backcountry gear store. Thanks.

---

---