REI — Local services in East Hanover

First time shopping with REI. I ordered a bike online, with an estimated delivery of June 16th. Problem #1: The estimated delivery jumped wildly each day and ranged between June 16th and July 16th. No big deal as we are in the middle of a pandemic I am not going to be picky. Problem #2: Company sends confirmation that the bike is being shipped and that I should receive it the next day as shipping was listed as UPS Next Day Saver. Ten days pass and no bike and I am on the phone with UPS and REI trying to determine why my bike has been bouncing between Missouri, Kentucky, and Ohio yet I live in NJ. Finally UPS is able to locate the package with no word or help from REI, I had to do all the virtual leg work to get my package moving again. Box arrives nearly destroyed but I am just happy to have the bike. Problem #3: Bike arrives and as I am putting it together the front fork is banged up so the wheel cannot be attached. I know it could have been because the box is banged up but i highly doubt that, as the damage looks more like REI sent me a defective product. I call customer service and they inform me to take it to the store so they can exam the bike. Problem #4: I take it to the store attempt to explain the problem to the guy in the bike department. He cuts me off without even examining the bike and passes me off to the floor manager who immediately just says we will refund the bicycle. Fine, I bring the bike into the shop to begin to process the refund. The manager passes me off to a cashier to process the return. The cashier processes the refund and says you will receive a refund for X amount of money. I ask what about the shipping charge which was $75.00 as the product I received was defective. He appolizes for not seeing the charge which is understandable because REI lists the shipping charge as "Misc Charge = $75.00". He calls over the floor manager and explains that he needs a void the transaction so he can process the correct refund. The manager says off hand "we don't refund the shipping charge". We point out that we received a defective product and none of your associates have even attempted to examine the bike to determine if it can be repaired, we have just been pushed to the cash register. He states that "a lot of people have received defective bikes". Not sure why he felt the need to state that the company is sending out defective products and I am not sure what that has to do with my situation. He grudgingly approves the transaction. The cashier (who is completely innocent in this entire episode) is unsure how to proceed so he asks the manager to come back. The manager just shouts across the floor he needs to hit the #6 and Enter for the correct option. This does not work. He shouts a different command, this time the #20 and Enter for the correct option. This does not work. At this point we have been standing by the cash register for 20 minutes and the cashier is still attempting to help us while the manager just stands off watching, even while the cashier has been asking for help. Finally deciding to do his job and help process the return. Honestly I was prepared to purchase another bike right in the store but after dealing with this wonder customer service experience, I have decided that my first shopping experience with REI shall...

I bought an REI sleeping bag from REI maybe 10 years ago. When I did, it had a lifetime warranty. The bag has been used somewhat lightly, and the down no longer lofts the way it should. I contacted REI about this and about the warranty, they got a bit defensive, and asked me if I ever cleaned it, I informed them that it has not been used all that much, but did buy some down wash from them, and cleaned and dried it per their direction. It did not improve, so I asked them how to take advantage of the lifetime warranty that they had when I bought it. The camping manager of this store, and the store manager both refused to do anything, and when I insisted, they referred me to the corporate office. When I called the corporate office, they also refused to do anything except give me a 10% discount on a new bag. ROFL. I explained to them that they can't change the terms of a deal once it has been done, I gave them money for a sleeping bag AND a lifetime warranty, not a sleeping bag, and I demanded that they honor it. Being the LIARS that they are, they said NO. I filed a Better Business Bureau complaint, which they didn't even bother to respond to. This is consumer fraud, and when I have time, it will be reported to the state of NJ authorities. In the mean time, I do not do business with REI anymore, and as an avid outdoor person, I steer people to either Campmor or Ramsey Outdoor. It seems REI is now being run by DICKS. A bunch of them. Little tiny ones. UPDATE. 3 years later. Have not been...

was shocked at how bad the service was. I've been to the East Hanover REI dozens of times and have had nothing but good service until last night. My request was a simple one. I'd lost the keys to my bike rack so i need to have the locks changed out. I called in advance to make sure they had the replacement locks and was helped by a great team member who asked the right questions to make sure i received the right lock and put one aside for me to make sure it was available when i arrived to pick it up. Typical great REI service so far. I get there and walk over to the bike area where I'm greeted by an associate who made it clear it wasn't interested in going outside into the heat to help me. On the way outside he tried to palm me off to another team member who said he didn't know how to replace a lock. We get to my car where he looks at it and says oh you lost your keys (why else would i need to replace the lock). He then goes back into the store to get a set of rack keys but its the second team member who's doesn't know how to change locks that returns. The second team member tries to help but doesn't really understand what he's doing so after 20 min tells me to bring it to a locksmith. Fortunately there's another REI 40 minutes away in Paramus where there team member Ben who did a great job and was able to help me despite the issues that had stumped the East Hanover Store team and he was able to get the locks changed in about 15 min. Thanks...