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54 reviews

REI Employer Reviews

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Compensation/Benefits
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Great people to work with, great values
Direct Sales Contact Center Supervisor (Current Employee), Sumner, WA – June 14, 2013
Pros: benefits/employee discounts
REI represents the values and integrity I look for in a company.

People at REI are very caring, supportive, and dedicated

Work hours are difficult; preventing work/life balance

Benefits are amazing
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Fun Job
Operations & Action Sports Sales Associate (Current Employee), Tustin – June 3, 2013
REI is a great company!
I'm a cashier and sales associate.
My co-workers are awesome!
Working in customer service can be draining at times since it's primarily listening to people's complaints all day.
The most enjoyable part of my job is that I get to teach others about outdoor activities and I see my friends on a daily basis.
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Great Place to Work
Sales Specialist (Current Employee), Lynnwood, WA – May 25, 2013
Pros: work/life balance, great benefits, fast paced energy
Cons: wages leave something to be desired, very difficult to be promoted from within the company
I love working for REI. The environment is so welcoming and our team is like family. We are always learning from each other and creating new opportunities to explore the outdoors. As a rock climbing, kayaking, and hiking enthusiast I feel privileged to have such great products at my fingertips. Work/life balance is very important to me and is encouraged – more... as an REI employee. I have great medical and dental coverage even as a part time employee. I work with each customer to find the best product for their next adventure. – less
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Good Work Environment
Retail Sales Manager (Current Employee), East Hanover, NJ – April 29, 2013
REI is a great place to develop skill sets for a retail career. REI management supports staff growth and offers ample opportunities for employees to learn and participate in store operations.
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Great work place, happy employees and customers
Customer Service Specialist - Worked at front line (Former Employee), Timonium, MD – April 23, 2013
My favorite part of REI was the culture. Everyone on the staff is friendly and unique, and brings something special to the team. Everyone was treated equally, and everyone's opinions were received and respected. Customers love coming to REI. I constantly encounter customers who request a specific employee simply to thank them for their help during a – more... previous visit. People come to the store and end up staying for hours. It's got a great atmosphere--very welcoming. – less
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Don't Walk Talk
Sales Associate (Current Employee), Medford, Oregon – April 5, 2013
Pros: fun, high quality stuff to sell in a nice physical environment.
Cons: you are part of a math equation.
I was excited to get hired having heard all about what a great employer REI was. I was assured of management's dedication to my success as an employee. I began to be concerned when our loss prevention training focused strongly on employees, with assertions like "you can't outsmart us and we will catch you" (interesting team-building strategy). Further – more... concern when two of our new managers took better jobs with other companies barely after opening. Transfer employees complained of having to move for advancement, then not even getting enough hours to be able to afford gas money. Then, the vagaries of scheduling. Short hours, random shifts, and all tied to minute by minute store performance reports. In over six months I have not been asked to meet with any manager re my own performance. Along with everyone else I got a memo re slowed sales, seasonal transitions, etc. (but absolutely no layoffs!). Still a bunch of us just dropped off the schedule, some for several weeks at a time-with no face to face. Yeah, retail is seasonal and unpredictable. From my perspective REI has nothing on Walmart when it comes to respect for workers. From management perspective everything literally has a $ superimposed on it and workers are just another commodity. I admit to feeling more than a little anger as I write this. Maybe I should avail myself of our EAP! I do rate company benefits at two stars. – less
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impending lawsuit for sure
operations supervisor (Former Employee), carle place, ny – March 28, 2013
Cons: illegally fired, unhappy employees, almost 90% management turnover
While working at REI, our store endured racist slurs from our SM, spying, discrimination, cursing, screaming and insults. There was massive turnover, at our store, and little to no response from HR. The ASM at the time, another supervisor, and several employees and myself presented our case to HR. There was no action and no response. I would sometimes – more... catch our SM spying on employees outside through security camera, or creating fake reasons to terminate employees she didn't like. Every single day I feared for my employees jobs and my own. Even our ASM, who had worked for REI for 5+ years, felt so threatened he was speaking to HR every single day. There was no action taken. I went on a medical leave, as was fired WHILE on my my medical leave. If I had the resources to sue, I would. In fact, the employee who was promoted to my role after I was terminated, has also faced the same issues. She and several other employees have recording, records, and written documents demonstrating what I wrote above... and STILL HR has taken no response. Nothing has been done. I can say without question, that 90% of the employees at that store are miserable, hate their job, and only stay to keep a steady paycheck. This is the worst, most ineffectual company I have ever worked for, and I would be surprised if they have a massive lawsuit on their hands shortly. To add on to that, they just without warning laid off the ENTIRE COMPANY'S assistant managers and outreach specialists. They offered anyone in either of those role a continued job if they were willing to step down into the role of a sales specialist or supervisor, with a paycut, or simply fired them. I think that speaks for itself. – less
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– June 9, 2013

I am was just let go yesterday. I was with REI since last March in the customer service department. I was exemplary in all aspects of the job. My metrics were excellent in all areas. About six weeks ago i gave my store manager a note from my doctor stating i needed an accomodation in the form of a stool from the bike shop due to a back problem only if I was too work longer than 8 hours. On May 31st I didn't see a mistake on a customer's check and I had to call her in to give us a replacement. She came in with a replacement less than an hour later. It was fixed. I thought everything was fine. I worked several shifts and unfortunately hurt my back at home and missed two days of work. Came in to work on Saturday worked five hours of the garage sale and was called upstairs and told I was being terminated. I had had one previous financial mistake and with those two things put together I was not detail oriented enough for them. Yikes! If I was a financial liability why was I allowed on the register for multiplle shifts after this transgression. Why didn't they attempt to move me to a different department? I was loved by my co-workers and customers alike. This company takes a stand on discriminatory issues that have no place in business ie. LGBT support yet they have no problem discriminating against you if you have even a minor physical issue. I loved REI's diversity and culture but unfortunately they Don't take seriously the bad decisions their managers make. light

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A Marvelous Work Environment
Frontline Cashier (Former Employee), Conshohocken, PA – March 15, 2013
Pros: health benefits, solid pay
Cons: inconsistent hours, level of advancement
REI has the most brilliant group of people I've ever worked beside. On a regular day I'd work the register and greet the enthused customers.They really compliment the work environment since about 80% of them are members of the REI Co-op membership program. This is by far the best aspect of the job. The worst would have to be the inconsistent hours that – more... vary by the season and the small level of advancement within the company. – less
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Great Place to work with excellent benefits for you and family
Cashier (Former Employee), Tacoma, WA – March 15, 2013
great friendly work environment great employees and managers. great beliefs and culture.
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I disagree with work hours reduced
Merchandise Handler (Former Employee), Sumner, WA – February 21, 2013
Pros: rf scanner
Cons: reduction of time and pay
I was tired of receiving less time for less pay. Three days sometimes I only worked for four or five hours depending on the direct-to-consumer wave of orders.
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Fun work place, bad hours
Picker (Former Employee), Bedford, PA – February 18, 2013
I could just listen to my ipod all day while picking out orders and placing them in totes. We wore gladiators to scan the bar codes and automatically enter everything into the system though they could be temperamental. Good work experience, just you weren't guaranteed to get very many hours per week or to even work a week at all.
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Part time Stocker once a week
Stocker (Current Employee), Arcadia, CA – February 13, 2013
Pros: short snack break, some co workers knows asl, get paid every 2 weeks, stocking light items are fun too!
Cons: i don't work as much as i used to, like every other week, or once a week, don't get paid much, just lack of work hours and paid, sigh!
Clock in at 8am in the morning, and go find some co workers or managers, and ask what I can get started on. I mostly get started on stocking in the camping area at 1st. And then, move up stocking the foods/snacks too! I take short 15 mins break, and go back to work. I even have the huddle before break time too! I learned about the products and the company – more... though. My co workers are nice and friendly, and helped me out, the hard part is carrying heavy boxes, so i have to ask for help to carry them for me. I seem to enjoy stocking foods/snacks the most. Oh yeah, I also stock clothing accessories, like socks, gloves, hats, beanies, belts, and others kinds, I seem to enjoy doing that too! – less
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Part time Stocker once a week
Stocker (Current Employee), Arcadia, CA – February 13, 2013
Pros: short snack break, some co workers knows asl, get paid every 2 weeks, stocking light items are fun too!
Cons: i don't work as much as i used to, like every other week, or once a week, don't get paid much, just lack of work hours and paid, sigh!
Clock in at 8am in the morning, and go find some co workers or managers, and ask what I can get started on. I mostly get started on stocking in the camping area at 1st. And then, move up stocking the foods/snacks too! I take short 15 mins break, and go back to work. I even have the huddle before break time too! I learned about the products and the company – more... though. My co workers are nice and friendly, and helped me out, the hard part is carrying heavy boxes, so i have to ask for help to carry them for me. I seem to enjoy stocking foods/snacks the most. Oh yeah, I also stock clothing accessories, like socks, gloves, hats, beanies, belts, and others kinds, I seem to enjoy doing that too! – less
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great culture, awesome benefits
Bicycle Technician II (Current Employee), San Francisco, CA – January 30, 2013
its more of a culture than a job. the management is very in tune with work/life balance. there is always some type of activity or outing planned for staff to join. health insurance for all employees. if you love sharing your passion for outdoor recreation with others, this place will not disappoint.
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Good place
Customer Service Specialist (Current Employee), Saratoga, CA – January 14, 2013
Pros: great work-life balance, caring and fun staff
Cons: sometimes difficult to maintain hours
REI is a great place for fun co-workers, and good team work and camaraderie. Management is available and supportive; co-workers are also. The hardest part of the job is dealing with difficult customers, but it's enjoyable to help people meet their needs for the outdoors.
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Productive, but also enjoyable place to work with amazing people.
Cashier (Former Employee), Maple Grove, MN – January 13, 2013
Pros: everything
Cons: none.
Awesome place to work. I work with other employees who respected who I was, they were all kind and helped me out when they could. Management was more than willing to work with me and other coworkers when an emergency or unexpected event happened. I learned everything from returns to exchanges to almost everything a cashier could learn. It was a process – more... to learn the process of doing all these transactions, but both coworkers and managers were more than willing and happy to help out. Awesome, fun filled environment to be in when working, stress free. There were also great benefits and the company always put their worker's and families first, great values and great place overall to work. – less
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Productive, but also enjoyable place to work with amazing people.
Cashier (Former Employee), Maple Grove, MN – January 13, 2013
Pros: enough break time, meals during break, fun coworkers and managers, benefits for individuals and families, comfortable environment.
Cons: none.
Everyday I came into work, I would be greeted by my awesome coworkers. I learned everything from how to do returns to exchanges to almost about anything you could do as a cashier. The managers were very personal and easy to approach and talk to and stopped at nothing to make sure I had everything I needed and worked with me to make schedule changes – more... if a family emergency or another unexpected event happened. I loved my coworkers and just plain loved the job and the loyal customers that came with it. This company is the best company I have worked for. – less
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Liked being active on the sales floor
Sales Associate (Former Employee), Federal Way, WA – January 12, 2013
Pros: working with out door type people
Cons: was layed off when sales were down
Learned how to sell the right clothing and foot ware to customer for the intended use.
Enjoyed co-workers as well as customers.
Got out hiking alot more.
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Fun workplace that gave back.
Customer Service and Sale Specialist (Former Employee), Schaumburg, IL – December 28, 2012
Fun workplace that gave back. Day to day work was very fun and rewarding.
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REI knows how to treat its employees
Recruiter (Former Employee), Kent, WA – December 24, 2012
Pros: managers know how to manage, and you actually have time outside of work for the rest of your life.
Cons: can be a little hard to move up because no one leaves.
Wonderful people and culture, great work-life balance, competitive pay and benefits ... no complaints here.
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About REI

REI is a national outdoor retail cooperative, committed to inspiring, educating and outfitting for a lifetime of outdoor adventures. – Read more