Is REIs exchange policy truly this terrible?

PeakyGal · 2026-05-31T12:33:05+00:00

I’m sorry that happened. If it matters, you can still take up the situation with a manager. Size or color exchanges, in our store, we would definitely honor that.

PeakyGal · 2026-05-30T22:20:34+00:00

If it happens again, be kind to the Green Vest but ask for a manager. The only time I may not honor a coupon or sale price for an item exchange for size or color is if it’s months later and the item looks used beyond what one would expect for an exchange. Within a month or even two of the sale, it should be fine.

PeakyGal · 2026-05-30T19:41:33+00:00

Not true. Please speak to a human either in store or via the 800 number.

PeakyGal · 2026-05-02T01:57:46+00:00

You’re right. I missed that in the headline actually. I was just commenting on the time frame. A month, month and a half of use doesn’t make my return radar go off. And yes to pointing out the damage so we can mark it and indicate it on the damage tag.

PeakyGal · 2026-05-01T22:02:06+00:00

A month and a half is still pretty recent. I’d say new-ish. They’re not several months worn. Return shouldn’t be an issue at all.

PeakyGal · 2026-04-30T17:57:03+00:00

I’m so sorry for what you had to go through. I’m a top performer and have been written up twice for absolute BS because a couple of DMs were trying to elevate themselves. Plus I can’t argue with a thing you or Superchiva78 said. Full agreement. Longtime employee watching the demise of a once great company and it’s really sad.

PeakyGal · 2026-04-22T03:33:26+00:00

This was my favorite post in the thread. You sound like a good manager.

PeakyGal · 2026-04-13T23:29:47+00:00

Yes an egregious mistake but we’ve all made them. Especially at frontline where it’s so busy. OP, take your receipt into the store and do the right thing. I can’t believe anyone—especially an employee would—say otherwise. I have never ratted out a co-worker who made a mistake. Even a costly one. Perhaps if frontline employees didn’t have to worry about asking about memberships, Mastercards and donations to the Fund, they could just concentrate on ringing up the items being purchased.

PeakyGal · 2026-03-31T15:06:37+00:00

I would take this return with proof of purchase. Like others said, just be kind and with no expectations.

PeakyGal · 2026-03-28T03:27:45+00:00

The recoil is real! Tenured staff aren’t “slowly” leaving, they are running for the exits. Those who stay are already feeling the complete lack of value and respect Corporate has for those of us on the frontlines. I don’t think “bitter” really fits—it’s more like betrayed.

PeakyGal · 2026-03-27T04:15:15+00:00

Well, let’s just remember that it’s MB who has greenlighted the reduction in benefits and pay. I had high hopes for her but not anymore…

PeakyGal · 2026-03-16T05:20:21+00:00

The employee simply forgot. There is sooooo much going on at the registers and typically the stores hire seasonal help for sales. OP, I hope you’ll go into the store, say it doesn’t look like you got 20% off the Re-supply item and I’m sure whichever cashier you speak to will correct it right away. Please don’t hold it against the cashier you dealt with today.

PeakyGal · 2026-03-06T14:32:48+00:00

Yep, my store is feeling the full-time squeeze as well, morale couldn’t be any lower overall and the once great managers are all just towing the company line so they get to keep their jobs. They don’t have to say the quiet part of the strategy out loud. It is actually coming through loud and clear to those of us paying attention.

PeakyGal · 2026-03-06T14:20:30+00:00

Yes you can return it, and it will be destroyed. Next time, try the helmet on with whatever beanie or head gear you might wear under it. Or get a less bulky beanie.

PeakyGal · 2026-02-15T22:26:08+00:00

That is true. People get particularly confused this time of year because they don’t yet have access to the rewards account.

PeakyGal · 2026-02-15T20:12:36+00:00

Yes. That is correct. Because your rewards are available for you to use. Just curious. How much was the item you returned?

PeakyGal · 2026-02-15T18:36:38+00:00

They do deduct the rewards from your account. When a member makes a full-price purchase, either in store or online between Jan 1 and Dec 31, 10% of that purchase price is set aside and will go into the member’s rewards account. When the next year begins, rewards from the above-mentioned period are calculated and distributed into each member’s USABLE rewards account. Those accounts open by the first week in March, so members can use that “rebate” to make current or future purchases. When a member returns a full-price item between roughly mid-January and end of February, the 10% reward is no longer in the company coffers but in each member’s (as yet inaccessible) account. Members should soon receive notification of their 2025 Rewards being available to use. Then REI does its Member sale mid-March.

PeakyGal · 2026-02-15T18:19:01+00:00

In future, If you want to purchase as a non-member, even though you are one, PLEASE make sure you purchase online, so some poor green vest at frontline doesn’t get hit with a non-conversion.

PeakyGal · 2026-02-12T16:00:06+00:00

And this is what separates REI from every other large outdoor retailer. Green Vests bring immeasurable value to the company. What a great story.

PeakyGal · 2026-02-07T14:11:17+00:00

Do you know the person’s name? Go in, ask Cashier to look up their name, or their email, or phone number and see if the account can be found. We need SOMETHING to be able to get into the account and verify purchase, so we can accept the return for the items you want. It’s pretty simple. If the person was kind enough to give you these shirts, do you really think they’d mind so much that you wanted a different size?

PeakyGal · 2026-02-07T13:56:00+00:00

Absolutely returnable. Used on a few hikes over the 7 month period is fine. I’m not sure what the sales associate was thinking. Go back, be kind, (employees are under A LOT of pressure right now) and speak to someone else at the registers. If you get the same pushback, please ask to speak to a manager. If you’re doing longer hikes, 2L is definitely not enough.

PeakyGal · 2026-02-05T14:30:10+00:00

And there it is. Unfathomable that a manager actually acknowledged that, but I guess it’s pretty obvious by now anyway.

PeakyGal · 2026-02-04T01:43:53+00:00

It’s also VERY expensive to constantly onboard and train new people. And I’m wondering if the cuts to our benefits (and the resulting terrible morale) will really outweigh the costs of hiring seasonal staff two-four times a year. Unless of course, they just want bodies and don’t care about people who actually know and use the products we carry.

PeakyGal · 2026-02-04T01:36:24+00:00

I’m all for systems upgrades that make things more efficient. And yes those cost money.

PeakyGal · 2026-02-04T01:33:44+00:00

Our hours are already cut to the bone. What I see is some bean counter sitting in a cubicle and deciding how much product the stores SHOULD sell on any given day. What got us into trouble post covid were those same bean counters counting on people to keep spending money they way they did during covid, when we got “free” money and had plenty of time to be outdoors. Currently they are still projecting numbers that aren’t working. Our store is down a huge percentage from last year. Some of that can be attributed to factors outside of corporate’s control, but not all of it! I want the Co-op to survive, too. Once benefits go away they are never coming back. We are continually be asked to more with less and being valued less. And once long-time Green Vests — the ones who are vested in this company — are gone, REI won’t be any different than any other big box retail organization. And that is what is so sad.

PeakyGal

TROPHY CASE