How far have you stretched the REI return policy?

**doublediamond223** · 02-04-2007, 08:29 PM

Discuss.

**bio-smear** · 02-04-2007, 08:45 PM

I went in to exchange a K2-brand helmet once for a Giro. The guy at customer service asked me if I had purchased 2, I say "no." He did the exchange anyway, and gave me a weird look.

Turns out one of my good buddies had a K2 helmet he'd purchased elsewhere, but decided he wanted a Giro, so he had exchanged his the day before using my member number, knowing that I had bought one at REI. Fucker.

**berko** · 02-04-2007, 08:48 PM

a friend won a osprey switch 55 back pack in a raffle and returned it at REI.

REI took it back even though they dont carry the switch 55.

**Pow4Brains** · 02-04-2007, 09:01 PM

Had a 9 year old nappy fleece that the zipper broke on. Walk away with a new one.

**doublediamond223** · 02-04-2007, 09:20 PM

Sounds like I have a pretty good chance of returning my 6-month old climbing shoes that are pretty much done. They don't carry anasazis, so I bought them from backcountry on sale, since I need shoes NOW for next weekend's comp. If someone can return a 9-year old fleece, then my climbing shoes without a receipt should be no big deal.

Will they give me merchandise credit, or will I have to get other climbing shoes?

**El Chupacabra** · 02-04-2007, 09:25 PM

Not REI, but I returned a 6-year old mattress set to Costco. It was sagging.

(The mattress had a 10-year warranty, that said "return it to where you bought it for warranty service." Costco customer service read the warranty, shrugged, and gave me full $ back. I bought another mattress set from Costco to replace it.)

**InspectorGadget** · 02-04-2007, 09:36 PM

Originally Posted by doublediamond223

Sounds like I have a pretty good chance of returning my 6-month old climbing shoes that are pretty much done.

Will they give me merchandise credit, or will I have to get other climbing shoes?

The choice of a store credit or a refund is your choice.

As an REI employee, I will tell you the policy is 100% satisfaction. REI would rather you return a product that doesn't meet your needs or your expectations than have you bitch about it. REI has a lot of happy customers because of their satisfaction policy.

Not saying you're one of them; but, there are some amazing assholes that abuse a very generous return policy.

**bio-smear** · 02-04-2007, 09:41 PM

Originally Posted by doublediamond223

Sounds like I have a pretty good chance of returning my 6-month old climbing shoes that are pretty much done.

Did you just wear the shoes out climbing everyday? Did they fail from some manufacturer defect? Are you not happy with their rate of wear/durability?

REI's return policy is usually the reason I shop there. I'll pay their MSRP as it pretty much means a lifetime warranty for whatever I'm buying, but I don't like to abuse it too terribly. If I used the shit out of something, I can't really return it and walk out of there with my head held high, just because I wanted a new version of something I thrashed.

**InspectorGadget** · 02-04-2007, 09:51 PM

Originally Posted by bio-smear

If I used the shit out of something, I can't really return it and walk out of there with my head held high, just because I wanted a new version of something I thrashed.

Applause.

**doublediamond223** · 02-04-2007, 09:53 PM

Originally Posted by bio-smear

Did you just wear the shoes out climbing everyday? Did they fail from some manufacturer defect? Are you not happy with their rate of wear/durability?

I've had them since July, probably climb 2-3x per week on average, all indoors except for 2 weekend trips. They are paper-thin under the ball of both feet, and can't edge worth shit, especially on slabby 10s and 11s. I think this is ridiculous for a 90 dollar shoe. Does it fall under wear and tear? Yeah, sure, but if I can get new ones I'm not too proud to do it. As a student, I don't have the luxury of turning down a potential refund.

If I used the shit out of something, I can't really return it and walk out of there with my head held high, just because I wanted a new version of something I thrashed.

Understood. I'd feel like an ass if I returned my patagucci jacket of 1998 vintage for a new windstopper fleece, but I don't think this is entirely the same thing.

Still, I don't feel that bad, as some of the climbing gym employees I've met have just bought 1 pair of shoes and replaced them 5 times. That's an abuse...

**skimoore** · 02-04-2007, 10:14 PM

Originally Posted by doublediamond223

Sounds like I have a pretty good chance of returning my 6-month old climbing shoes that are pretty much done. They don't carry anasazis, so I bought them from backcountry on sale, since I need shoes NOW for next weekend's comp. If someone can return a 9-year old fleece, then my climbing shoes without a receipt should be no big deal.

Will they give me merchandise credit, or will I have to get other climbing shoes?

Depends on the shoes....I tried to take back some Anasazi Mesa's from SAC that didn't fit and since they never carried that color they wouldn't take 'em.

**This End Up** · 02-05-2007, 09:54 AM

Smashed new BCA backpack's waste belt buckle in car door. I took it back and said it came that way in the box. They took it back and gave me a new one.

**Pow4Brains** · 02-05-2007, 10:03 AM

Originally Posted by This End Up

Smashed new BCA backpack's waste belt buckle in car door. I took it back and said it came that way in the box. They took it back and gave me a new one.

That's the kind of stuff that ruins it for others. You fucked it up, you should pay for a new one. If it breaks due to use..........

BLOOD SWEAT STEEL · 02-05-2007, 10:10 AM

I had a MHW windstpper jacket that started coming apart at the seam. It was one of the few pieces of gear that I actually didn't buy @ REI, but I tried returning it rather than sending it in for (6-8 weeks) warranty. I've been an REI member for about 10 years, and this is actually one of the very few times I've tried to return something there. I definitely don't fit into the *return every item* type customer, so I figured after being a good little customer for so long, and knowing how others completely abuse their policy all the time - they owed me one. I made up something about my g/f buying it there for Christmas, so it probably wouldn't be under my account. They told me to fuck off.

She said that since I didn't have a receipt and that it wasn't in the computer, (they have pretty much all my purchases in the computer I guess,) she wouldn't return/exchange it. (I actually just wanted to exchange it because it was pretty new. She said the best they could do was give me a $25 credit because it was probably a discontinued item and it was "no longer in the system."

Not. It was a $200 jacket. In fact, they were still selling them brand new on the rack. I went and grabbed one and brought it to her and said "Look - it's not an old one. You guys are still selling it in the store." I just wanted an exchange, not a refund. She wouldn't budge an inch.

To this day, I still can't figure out if it was because she knew I was trying to get over or because she was one of the "computer just wouldn't let her" type drones.

**Crass3000** · 02-05-2007, 10:17 AM

Its amazing what they take back. I have seen shoes (at the scratch and dent sale) totally encrusted in mud that somebody obviously returned without even washing them off. I can't imagine how you would walk up with a straight face to return something like that.

**waxman** · 02-05-2007, 10:18 AM

i'd like to find out where some of the abusers work and take the same liberties with their workplace.....

**DEVO** · 02-05-2007, 10:28 AM

I once bought a 3/4 length thermarest, used for a couple of trips, decided I wanted a full length, used that one for a few trips, decided I didn't want the full length anymore, returned it for another 3/4 length. The full length one was dirty, covered in beer stains when I returned it.

BLOOD SWEAT STEEL · 02-05-2007, 10:28 AM

Originally Posted by waxman

i'd like to find out where some of the abusers work and take the same liberties with their workplace.....

It's a co-op, dude. You can't steal from yourself.

**powder11** · 02-05-2007, 10:34 AM

home depot is even better. I bought a powerwasher, used it for the summer and returned it for a full refund in the fall.

BLOOD SWEAT STEEL · 02-05-2007, 10:36 AM

Originally Posted by powder11

home depot is even better. I bought a powerwasher, used it for the summer and returned it for a full refund in the fall.

Heh. 'Round here, we just call it rental w/ 100% deposit.

**SafteySquad** · 02-05-2007, 11:41 AM

Originally Posted by doublediamond223

I've had them since July, probably climb 2-3x per week on average, all indoors except for 2 weekend trips. They are paper-thin under the ball of both feet, and can't edge worth shit, especially on slabby 10s and 11s. I think this is ridiculous for a 90 dollar shoe. Does it fall under wear and tear? Yeah, sure, but if I can get new ones I'm not too proud to do it. As a student, I don't have the luxury of turning down a potential refund.

Understood. I'd feel like an ass if I returned my patagucci jacket of 1998 vintage for a new windstopper fleece, but I don't think this is entirely the same thing.

Still, I don't feel that bad, as some of the climbing gym employees I've met have just bought 1 pair of shoes and replaced them 5 times. That's an abuse...

You've had them since July? That's 7 months, climbing on them 2-3x per week? No wonder they are paper thin and worn out, they are 7 months old! I don't call that ridiculous for a climbing shoe, I call that wearing the shit out of them.

Originally Posted by doublediamond223

...They don't carry anasazis, so I bought them from backcountry on sale...

So you've climbed in them for 7 months, worn them out, and you still want to return them to REI even though you didn't buy them there? Seems pretty low...

**snoboy** · 02-05-2007, 12:04 PM

I returned a 1 year old pair of 7TM bindings (POS). I was truly not happy with them,, and had bought them there. It seemed like a stretch to me, but they happily took them back, and gave me a full refund. I then procedeed to get a damn speeding ticket on the way home that night, and blew all the money I had just gotten back.

**strawjack** · 02-05-2007, 12:09 PM

Originally Posted by InspectorGadget

The choice of a store credit or a refund is your choice.

As an REI employee, I will tell you the policy is 100% satisfaction. REI would rather you return a product that doesn't meet your needs or your expectations than have you bitch about it. REI has a lot of happy customers because of their satisfaction policy.

Not saying you're one of them; but, there are some amazing assholes that abuse a very generous return policy.

EMS has the same policy. i worked there about 10yrs ago and almost was fired when i didn't take back a mens large tnf mtn light from a girl that was about 16 yrs old. her brother sent her in to do it. what a tool...no balls. anyway, he said it wasn't wp anymore...no dickweed, you just sweat too much and the jct needs some dwr! he ended up w/ a new one and i was almost fired.

the policy goes too far imo, but it makes good business sense...in corp america anyway.

**phUnk** · 02-05-2007, 12:45 PM

I think it's cool to return something you've used up, for a brand new one.

Because students deserve to get whatever they want, regardless of whether or not they want to pay for it. Someone else should pay for it, despite the fact that you've probably got enough money for a gym membership and certainly enough time to wear out a pair of climbing shoes.

What if you spent a little of that time making some money to pay for a new pair of climbing shoes? Nah, that's too hard. You'd have to save like, what, $30 bucks a week for almost FOUR WHOLE WEEKS in order to buy a new pair of shoes.

It's OK that you're too lazy to make a little money to pay for something like climbing shoes, but it's not OK to be too stupid to feel like a dishonest douche for doing it.

**intheways** · 02-05-2007, 12:45 PM

I've exchanged a couple of things that were still practically brand new, but the thing that got me was a dirty hippy who tried to return some beat to shit hiking boots. He got denied. It's one thing to totally abuse the system, and another to gently massage it.

They (REI) seem to be a little less forgiving lately, though.