REI — Local services in Eugene

Progressively more disappointed in REI. I'm a longtime member willing to pay steep premium b/c such great customer service. Now, not so much. They're still high priced but severely curtailed return policy (plus I see they now charge $20 for privilege of becoming a member, not sure when that started, like I said, been a member for long time). I just went in to buy small item during Labor Day sale but couldn't locate my 20% off coupon which in the past wasn't a problem. Showed my membership card and the cashier could obviously easily see from my computerized "record" that I'd not yet used my discount coupon but was told that "policy" is "no coupon/no discount." This isn't about a lot of money (a few bucks), just the overall nature of REI's attitude.[Note that I'd just been in the Backcountry Gear store and saw them swipe a copy of their 20% coupon (from Eugene Weekly) that they kept by the register for a customer who'd similarly wasn't able to produce their own copy.]

When I called to complain to REI's customer service, a chipper young woman listened patiently to me recite the above facts. She was completely silent (meaning not offering any explanation or understanding, just politely tolerating me) except when I asked her to pass along the complaint of a very long-standing member to her manager. Her reply (again in a chipper voice): "no problem."

Yes, "problem." Backcountry Gear now has my business. This isn't about a single incident involving a discount coupon but rather an ongoing erosion of previously high customer service standards while still keeping their (very) high price points. REI, seems to think that its still the only place to get high quality outdoor gear; newsflash, this ain't 1980 any more.

Good bye REI and your...

I showed my granddaughter a bunk bed set that I was going to get for her and her brother after she had come back from the hospital. She loved it and I was ready to purchase.

I also found a bed for myself and was going to look for one for my daughter.

We all sleep on pallets on the floor. She was so excited because she had to go to the hospital for 1 more procedure,but her reward would be the bunk beds.

I just so happened to check my account for a different reason and saw that REI had taken away over $2000 in credit available.

I now only had a little over $100.

I can't get her a bed. I now have to tell my granddaughter that she can not have a bed. I am sick and have been unable to leave the house , so I have been depending on the card to live until I'm well. But now theres nothing. REI also negatively affected my credit score by doing this.

The overall credit you have based on how much you have used helps determine a large part of your score. So while I was over $2000 away from my credit limit, now I am only a little over $100 away.

NEVER DEAL WITH REI. WHAT THEY DID WAS SHADY AND UNDERHANDED.

HAD I ACTUALLY BEEN TRAVELING AS PLANNED THIS WOULD HAVE BEEN EVEN MORE DEVISTATING .

THEY DID THIS WITHOUT PRIOR NOTICE AND WILL NOT REVERSE IT.

DO NOT...

This is the smallest and the most unwelcoming REI store that I have ever been unfortunate enough to visit.

I took my mother here while on a road trip because I had to pick up some back to school gear. We were the only people of color in that store and the staff was audibly updating eachother on their headsets of our location as we shopped. The person at the register seemed surprised that I've been a member for almost a decade. After spending $200, their staff person then FOLLOWED US OUT OF THE STORE to watch us as we walked to our car. My adorable 70-year-old mother told me later that he was following her on both floors of the store for 30 minutes. He was still outside pretending to look at some bikes as we drove away.

Maybe we looked too poor, too Asian, or too chubby? I don't know. I'm sorry my Birkenstocks and t-shirt from Brussels, Belgium made me look like a shoplifter. We did not have any backpacks to make you suspect us and treating your customers like thieves as they shop is not a good marketting strategy. Are only super fit people allowed to shop here? I did not get that memo.

I never have a problem or feel harassed when I shop at REI's that are NOT in Oregon. Stick to the REI's in California and Washington, you'll be...