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Is REI *really* overpriced?


user13371

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As an REI co-op member, most everything I buy earns a 10% dividend that I can apply against any other REI purchases. And if I apply for an REI Visa card, store purchases on that card earn an extra 5% back in dividends. Carrying that to the extreme, if I bought ALL of my gear at REI, everything would come to 15% off of retail, I think. But I don't know if I'm doing the math right, or if 15% is really a deep enough discount to offset the fact that pretty much everything at REI goes for MRSP before factoring in dividends.

 

Just wondering if anyone else has juggled the numbers often enough to see if REI is really expensive or a price beater...

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As an occasional online shopper I find much of their stuff over priced. I do not shop often enough to become a member let alone ear dividends that negate the pricing. Besides I typically shop clearance there in order to get past the pricing issues which doesn't really get me membership benefits from what I saw.

 

I like the convenience of their website though for finding a myriad of shoes that I might like in one place.

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I dunno, I guess it depends on your (for lack of a better word) morals.

 

REI will replace or refund any item you are not satisfied with. I have heard of folks returning hiking boots claiming they weren't satisfied since the boots wore out after two years of use. <_<

 

Snoog is right about the Geocaching items. A set of TB dogtags is $0.51 more at REI. Personally I'm OK with that since I live less than 2 miles from a store and can swing by to pick up a set (or any of the other items in the store) on a whim without shipping costs.

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Their customer services can't be beat. They treat me good and go an extra mile for me since I am deaf and they have to write everything down. Any business that go an extra mile for a deaf person is a store I want to be shopping at. And plus, most of the people that work there aren't wannabe when it comes to outdoor sports.

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There is no REI in Florida, but I tend to go to them when I'm in cities where there is a store.

 

You're paying top dollar there for service, good quality products, and for the hands on opportunity to fondle, try on and try out the goods.

 

Living in a rural county, I mostly internet shop. I'm used to this, and also used to heavy discounts on stuff I buy. But I don't *quite* know what I'm getting until it's in my hands. I end up returning stuff, and, when something turns out to be good - like the last purchase of an SPF nylon shirt, good design, fit, pockets, great discounted price - I immediately ordered 2 more. So I have 3 identical shirts. You might have 3 different shirts with those differences offering some advantages in use from an REI (probably for more money).

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I know that people might find it hard to believe, but I can be hard to please. (I can also be hard to find things that fit me.) So I went looking for a pair of hiking shoes without rockers. I HATE rockers!! I have not found what I'm looking for, but I visited a number of stores. Yes. They are all high end stores: Campmor, Eastern Mountain, Dick's, REI &c.

No. I do not buy enough to want to join a cooperative. I found the staff at REI to be quite annoying! Campmor is a further trip, and not open on Sunday, but the staff there is very helpful. I'll go to Campmor, thanks.

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I've never shopped at REI, online or otherwise. I tend to think that if you only give me a discount if I am a member then you are not in the practice of giving a good price. Yes, customer service is important but if I am only buying one item every two years (like a gps) I consider the manufacturer, not just the store I bought it from. I typically buy from Amazon which means I could be buying from anyone. If you can't ship me a Garmin in one piece then I'll return it and buy it elsewhere. No arguments.

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They are expensive. But for important purchases, I don't care. They have saved me hundreds of dollars over the years by letting me return my mistakes. They took my Colorado 400T back, no questions asked. I replaced it with a 60CSx. I had used the Colorado for about a month. I bought a $200 pair of winter boots from them once that never did feel right. The eyelets rubbed on my angle bone, making it unbearably sore. The gal in the shoe area spent almost an hour hammering on it in an attempt to soften the leather. That didn't work, so I brought them in again, for more of same. Still didn't work. A full year later, I went back to buy a new pair, figuring I'd just have to "eat" the old ones that I couldn't wear. I mentioned them to the clerk, who told me to return them. Again, returned with a smile, and no questions. They are great, the staff is knowledgeable and helpful, and I am willing to vote with my wallet for that sort of store.

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They are expensive. But for important purchases, I don't care. They have saved me hundreds of dollars over the years by letting me return my mistakes. They took my Colorado 400T back, no questions asked. I replaced it with a 60CSx. I had used the Colorado for about a month. I bought a $200 pair of winter boots from them once that never did feel right. The eyelets rubbed on my angle bone, making it unbearably sore. The gal in the shoe area spent almost an hour hammering on it in an attempt to soften the leather. That didn't work, so I brought them in again, for more of same. Still didn't work. A full year later, I went back to buy a new pair, figuring I'd just have to "eat" the old ones that I couldn't wear. I mentioned them to the clerk, who told me to return them. Again, returned with a smile, and no questions. They are great, the staff is knowledgeable and helpful, and I am willing to vote with my wallet for that sort of store.

 

Considering the cost of gas and time spent maybe you should find a store who sells you the right product the first time.

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...I tend to think that if you only give me a discount if I am a member then you are not in the practice of giving a good price...
Yeah, even as a 'member' (which I signed up for several years ago to get a specific incentive item), I kinda feel that way myself. Obviously they have high enough margins that they could knock prices down 10% across the board, instead of just for folks who promise to come back. I've bought a couple of big ticket items there but more often elsewhere when price is the main decision point.

 

Anyhow, reason I brought it up was because they're pushing another incentive to get members to sign up for a credit card. I don't need any more credit cards but it would add 5% to the dividend and maybe make it more price competitive. BUT AGAIN, I'm thinking like Blue Deuce here; why don't they just lower their prices instead of making folks jump through the loyalty hoops?

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There are two stores within my normal travel circles, so the cost of gas isn't a factor for me.

I agree that they sell high end expensive gear and clothing, and have an amazing satisfaction and return policy. I spend a lot of time on my feet at work and play. I don't buy cheap shoes. And I have purchased all of my hiking shoes there for at least the past 15 years. I also love their Sahara model convertible cargo pants-my wife refers to them as my caching uniform. Twice in the past five years they have cheerfully replaced well worn pairs that were about 2 years old when I had a wardrobe malfunction with a zipper. When my 60CSx failed at 5:45 PM the day before departing for GW8, they had someone wait at the door to let me in to buy an Oregon 450 after I called in a panic.

 

I don't buy all of my outdoor recreational gear there, and don't buy routine stuff like underwear and t-shirts there, but I have no qualms paying a bit more for quality for certain items and am glad they are there with it when I do.

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...I tend to think that if you only give me a discount if I am a member then you are not in the practice of giving a good price...
Yeah, even as a 'member' (which I signed up for several years ago to get a specific incentive item), I kinda feel that way myself. Obviously they have high enough margins that they could knock prices down 10% across the board, instead of just for folks who promise to come back. I've bought a couple of big ticket items there but more often elsewhere when price is the main decision point.

 

They are playing a numbers game, kind of like rebates. They count on the fact that people will not claim the 10%, which is not automatic and requires an action in a certain time window. Just like rebates, they realize the percentage of those not taking advantage will far outweigh those that do.

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They are expensive. But for important purchases, I don't care. They have saved me hundreds of dollars over the years by letting me return my mistakes. They took my Colorado 400T back, no questions asked. I replaced it with a 60CSx. I had used the Colorado for about a month. I bought a $200 pair of winter boots from them once that never did feel right. The eyelets rubbed on my angle bone, making it unbearably sore. The gal in the shoe area spent almost an hour hammering on it in an attempt to soften the leather. That didn't work, so I brought them in again, for more of same. Still didn't work. A full year later, I went back to buy a new pair, figuring I'd just have to "eat" the old ones that I couldn't wear. I mentioned them to the clerk, who told me to return them. Again, returned with a smile, and no questions. They are great, the staff is knowledgeable and helpful, and I am willing to vote with my wallet for that sort of store.

 

Considering the cost of gas and time spent maybe you should find a store who sells you the right product the first time.

 

The REI near me is pretty close, and no store can "sell me the right product the first time." Take the Colorado 400T, for example. Do you think there is a store anywhere that carried it but warned their customers about actually buying it?

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I'm kind of the mind that I don't mind paying more in general for quality items but realistically when I'm buying items at REI I'm buying name brand items from other companies (merrill, keen, garmin etc.). REI has a great sale/clearance section which doesn't qualify for the dividend program and from what I remember the one time I looked into it you also had to have minimal yearly purchases which I don't have (since I tend to shop the sale section). But that being said I can't really justify paying the higher cost at REI for non-sale items based on quality because reality is I can go find those name brand items elsewhere. I can get a garmin anywhere (and in fact did on Amazon twice). Same product but a cheaper price. I can get those shoes anywhere and at times do. They are not REI specific. So while I'll pay a higher price for quality I find if you shop around you can get the exact same products elsewhere for a slight cheaper price at times.

 

The return policy I'm sure is great at REI but since my nearest store is 200 miles away it's not something I use ever. I don't buy clothes there and I buy limited other outdoor equipment there as there are a few local stores here that sell the same brands at cheaper prices.

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...I tend to think that if you only give me a discount if I am a member then you are not in the practice of giving a good price...
Yeah, even as a 'member' (which I signed up for several years ago to get a specific incentive item), I kinda feel that way myself. Obviously they have high enough margins that they could knock prices down 10% across the board, instead of just for folks who promise to come back. I've bought a couple of big ticket items there but more often elsewhere when price is the main decision point.

 

Anyhow, reason I brought it up was because they're pushing another incentive to get members to sign up for a credit card. I don't need any more credit cards but it would add 5% to the dividend and maybe make it more price competitive. BUT AGAIN, I'm thinking like Blue Deuce here; why don't they just lower their prices instead of making folks jump through the loyalty hoops?

 

Well, take for instance Barnes and Noble. I can be a member for $25 and receive a 10% discount. I would have to spend $250.00 a year just to break even, but I don't spend that kind of money on books.

 

If the discount on your purchases are worth it and you get good service, go for it.

Edited by BlueDeuce
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...They count on the fact that people will not claim the 10%, which is not automatic and requires an action in a certain time window
Not true. Dividends accrue on every purchase, do not expire, and can be redeemed on any purchase. Most time when I've been at the cash register they've said "You have some dividends on account, would you like to apply them to this purchase...?"

 

I think they're counting on the fact that just some folks who shop there aren't members and they can extract full MSRP from that subset -- fair enough -- but they absolutely do NOT play any time limit games with dividends or hope members will just forget about it.

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...I can get a garmin anywhere (and in fact did on Amazon twice). Same product but a cheaper price...
That was the kind of thing I was looking for when I started this thread. I just spot checked pricing eTrex 30:

 

Amazon: $250, REI: $280. But knock 10% dividend off and REI is only $252. Use an REI charge card for an extre 5% dividend, brings it down to $238. So at this moment, an REI member can get a better deal on that GPS than an Amazon shopper.

 

Yet to realize that dollar benefit there would have to be other stuff you'd want to buy at REI over the course of time. I was wondering if anyone else had done the math on other purchases at other times, to see if it's really worth while?

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Barnes and Noble. I can be a member for $25 and receive a 10% discount. I would have to spend $250.00 a year just to break even...
That's break-even is true only if you ignore every other benefit of the BN membership apart from the 10% discount. They give you more than that in store coupons when you sign up, knock down the price of the Nook, give bigger discounts on best sellers, etc.

 

And REI's membership fee is a one time $20, unlike BN's $25/year. So your "how long until I break even" calculation is off: In BN's case you're actually ahead of the game the minute you sign up, but here to reconsider each year. In REI's case it's be harder to figure out when you "broke even" but once you're in you don't have to renew.

Edited by Portland Cyclist
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I paid $5 for my lifetime REI membership back in the 1970s. I still use the first tent and sleeping bags I bought there in 1980, as well as the Danner boots, which simply will not wear out. I rarely purchase anything at regular price at REI. I wait for the sales. If I am paying full price I usually end up buying REI branded products. My son has been using his REI Half Dome tent for over ten years. We paid $125 for it. I am finally ready to replace my 11 year old REI midweight fleece that I paid $60 for. I have made amazing purchases at the garage sales over the years, saving hundreds of Dollars on boots, packs, sleeping bags and outerwear that someone else returned. I have never needed to return an REI purchase. As an REI member I receive at least one coupon each year for a 20% discount on any item. I currently have a $2.60 dividend from my 2010 purchases - didn't buy much - that expires at the end of 2012. I can use the 20% discount and the dividend to buy a nice pair of hiking socks at a great price.

 

Any Costco members out there? Do you feel you receive enough value for the price of your annual membership? REI membership is a one time cost. If you ever want to rent equipment you will be happy to be a member. If you compare the prices of the REI branded products to the name brands I think you will have no trouble justifying the minimal membership cost.

 

I am no REI fanatic but have been extremely happy with all of the products I have purchased from them for over 30 years. I am also a Campmor fan. I am a huge fan of Alps Mountaineering (best prices and quality). Shop around and decide what is important for the items you need to purchase. No single store is going to be the best for everything you need.

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I've been a member at REI since the 70's. Their prices are sometimes higher then if I went to Cabella's for the same thing but the dividends that don't expire and knowing that I will always find what I want when I go there makes up for the price difference. And then there is this:

 

I bought my first "real" GPSr at REI 3 years ago. It was a 60CSx, I loved it; one of the best tech gadgets I've ever bought. It cost $330. Last month I went caching with it in the rain. I'm talking serious drenching down pour rain at about 1500 feet in Western Washington. I was out in it for three hours, I was drenched and my much loved GPS died. The next day I took it back to REI and they gave me a full credit towards the purchase of another unit, no questions asked, FOR A GPS I BOUGHT 3 YEARS AGO!!!! At the same time, I had a pair of sunglasses that I had bought there, again, over 3 years ago, for $120. One of th ear pieces had broken off. They were nice biking glasses that I got a lot of use out of. I turned those back in as well, again, no questions asked, they gave me a full refund.

 

So in short, I walked in the door with a non functioning GPS that had probably died because I got it wet and a broken pair of sunglasses that broke while I owned them, and I walked out the door with a brand new GPS (Oregon 550t, arguably an upgrade to my 60CSx but the jury is still out on that one...) and $90 in my pocket, decided not to replace the sunglasses and just took the refund.

 

To me, these things alone make it worth, the five or ten percent more that I pay when I shop at REI, knowing I can get it cheaper, without that level of Customer Service, somewhere else.

Edited by FobesMan
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With REI, you join once for life. I joined in the mid 1970s for about $5. I buy certain things there, and have not bought any of my GPSrs there. When they have sales, there can be some great values, like the backpack I bought 2 years ago. I have three sets of Trekking poles from them. Several years ago, I brought in a set of trekking poles where the locks had worn out (after about 700 miles hiking on them.) I asked to buy the locks that would fit them, and the guy went in the back and installed new ones while I waited, for free.

 

As I am writing this, I see the previous post by Wrastro, and my experience is similar to his with the sales, and the quality of REI branded stuff.

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Their geocaching stuff is definitely over priced. I don't buy much of it from them.

 

But as far as overall gear is concerned, it's pretty much always between them, backcountry.com (who has the same no questions asked return policy), and Moosejaw (who has prices that beat them both from time to time, minus the return policy unfortunately). Most often I shop at REI because they're right down the street, and I don't have to wait out shipping times. Anything goes wrong, and the item is replaced and refunded, no questions asked. Can't beat it.

 

Considering the cost of gas and time spent maybe you should find a store who sells you the right product the first time.

 

This isn't really a fair way of looking at things. How was anyone; REI employee, purchaser, etc., to know that those boots would rub his ankle wrong? They might not have been the wrong boots at all, just a pair with a bad seam or something. A different pair of the same boots could be serving him faithfully to this day for all we know.

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Personally, I will never set foot inside another REI. I had gone in to purchase boots and possibly caching supplies and, I had hoped, a roll of camo tape. It was about all I could do to get anyone to ask if I needed help, which is odd... I am 6'1" tall, 225lb, shaved head and covered in tattoos, 99% of all stores are clamoring to get a person near me to make sure I am not stealing thing, but REI just ignored me. 3rd person I said "excuse me" to finally asked if there was something I need. When I said I was hoping they had camo tape somewhere, the staff member looked me in the eye and said, "No, we don't cater to the Hook and Bullet crowd. We used to, but it isn't really worth it"

 

Being an avid fisherman and hunter I was stunned. The hook and bullet crowd? Seriously? I put back the items I had in hand and quietly walked out of the store. That was 45 minutes of my life that I will never get back... I am not one who gets offended easily, nor do I buy into the PC concept, but dang, that was just ridiculous!

 

SO there will be no REI shopping, nor items, in my future.

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...I can get a garmin anywhere (and in fact did on Amazon twice). Same product but a cheaper price...
That was the kind of thing I was looking for when I started this thread. I just spot checked pricing eTrex 30:

 

Amazon: $250, REI: $280. But knock 10% dividend off and REI is only $252. Use an REI charge card for an extre 5% dividend, brings it down to $238. So at this moment, an REI member can get a better deal on that GPS than an Amazon shopper.

 

Yet to realize that dollar benefit there would have to be other stuff you'd want to buy at REI over the course of time. I was wondering if anyone else had done the math on other purchases at other times, to see if it's really worth while?

 

Is that 5% really worth saving 14 dollars? What is the interest rate on the charge card? 23%? Thats where they get you. Unless you pay it off right away, they are making money off you, and you think you are saving an extra 14 bucks.

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...I can get a garmin anywhere (and in fact did on Amazon twice). Same product but a cheaper price...
That was the kind of thing I was looking for when I started this thread. I just spot checked pricing eTrex 30:

 

Amazon: $250, REI: $280. But knock 10% dividend off and REI is only $252. Use an REI charge card for an extre 5% dividend, brings it down to $238. So at this moment, an REI member can get a better deal on that GPS than an Amazon shopper.

 

Yet to realize that dollar benefit there would have to be other stuff you'd want to buy at REI over the course of time. I was wondering if anyone else had done the math on other purchases at other times, to see if it's really worth while?

 

Typically speaking I don't count the 10% dividend stuff. I have done that elsewhere for other reasons but the reality is unless I'm going to repeatedly shop at REI it doesn't really pay. In theory I could cash of the dividends but most people don't take the cash option but instead recycle it into other overpriced stuff and the dividends expire. Unless I take extra steps to get that cash (which most people won't) it's just gone. Add to that the $20 membership fee on the initial purchase and I have a hard time justifying it. I won't make that $20 back likely ever since the only shopping I do at REI is in their sale section which won't earn you dividends.

 

It looks like a good idea on paper, "Yay 10% money back." But in practice if and if they apply them to sale items I may have got $5 every other year. So to get my $20 back (if I remembered to cash my checks) it's going to take like 8 years. Where as I can simply go on amazon or any number of other online retailers and just find the item cheaper from the get go.

 

Since returning items is not a thing I do often, especially after years of use, their return policy is a moot point to me.

Edited by Chokecherry
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...They count on the fact that people will not claim the 10%, which is not automatic and requires an action in a certain time window
Not true. Dividends accrue on every purchase, do not expire, and can be redeemed on any purchase. Most time when I've been at the cash register they've said "You have some dividends on account, would you like to apply them to this purchase...?"

 

 

First, I am an REI member and believe it is worth it.

 

However it is true. You need to ask for the dividend and there is and expiration on it.

 

https://www.rei.com/membership/dividend#whenDividendsExpire

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...Is that 5% really worth saving 14 dollars? What is the interest rate on the charge card? 23%? Thats where they get you. Unless you pay it off right away, they are making money off you, and you think you are saving an extra 14 bucks.
I fall under your "unless..." clause. I pay my bills in full when due; never paid credit card interest in my life.

 

But even for others, cc interest can't be where REI's profit on this deal comes from. REI gives the customer dividend, but it's the bank/CC company that gets the merchant fees and interest.

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...Is that 5% really worth saving 14 dollars? What is the interest rate on the charge card? 23%? Thats where they get you. Unless you pay it off right away, they are making money off you, and you think you are saving an extra 14 bucks.
I fall under your "unless..." clause. I pay my bills in full when due; never paid credit card interest in my life.

 

But even for others, cc interest can't be where REI's profit on this deal comes from. REI gives the customer dividend, but it's the bank/CC company that gets the merchant fees and interest.

 

thats good, alot of people don't pay off thier charge cards in full and on time. Regardless if REI or its banks are making money off the interest, if you don't pay off your CC bills, they are making far more money off you in interest and finiance charges every month, then that 14 bucks you saved from setting up a charge card.

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You need to ask for the dividend and there is and expiration on it...

Wow, I did not know that! This was invisible to me because every time I've bought something I've been given the opportunity to redeem the dividends on the spot. But I can see how this would be a worry for someone who might buy one thing and not have reason to go back for year or so... On the flips side of that, I never thought of asking for cash out, either; the fact that you CAN have h back as cash instead of merchandise discounts is a good point.

Edited by Portland Cyclist
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...Regardless if REI or its banks are making money off the interest, if you don't pay off your CC bills, they are making far more money off you in interest and finiance charges every month, then that 14 bucks you saved from setting up a charge card.
Okay, but we're getting a bit off point. The thing I was asking originally was: If you use this dividend program wisely (that is, redeem the dividends when you can, and don't get suckered into paying interest), is a minimum of 10% off of MSRP enough to offset REI's generally "overpriced" product? At least make them CLOSE to other discount merchants, if not better?

 

The rest of this conversation is interesting, but the main thing I was looking for (still looking for) are folks who have price checked enough specific items at various times to generalize where the bargains are.

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As an REI co-op member, most everything I buy earns a 10% dividend that I can apply against any other REI purchases. And if I apply for an REI Visa card, store purchases on that card earn an extra 5% back in dividends. Carrying that to the extreme, if I bought ALL of my gear at REI, everything would come to 15% off of retail, I think. But I don't know if I'm doing the math right, or if 15% is really a deep enough discount to offset the fact that pretty much everything at REI goes for MRSP before factoring in dividends.

 

Just wondering if anyone else has juggled the numbers often enough to see if REI is really expensive or a price beater...

REI is a sore spot with me

$600 for my oregon550

$8.90 for a nano cache

travel bugs and two geocoins.

 

they ripped me off on the gps on the dividend[didn't inclue it and it was qualifying]

everything i saw there was overpriced.

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...I can get a garmin anywhere (and in fact did on Amazon twice). Same product but a cheaper price...
That was the kind of thing I was looking for when I started this thread. I just spot checked pricing eTrex 30:

 

Amazon: $250, REI: $280. But knock 10% dividend off and REI is only $252. Use an REI charge card for an extre 5% dividend, brings it down to $238. So at this moment, an REI member can get a better deal on that GPS than an Amazon shopper.

 

Yet to realize that dollar benefit there would have to be other stuff you'd want to buy at REI over the course of time. I was wondering if anyone else had done the math on other purchases at other times, to see if it's really worth while?

 

Is that 5% really worth saving 14 dollars? What is the interest rate on the charge card? 23%? Thats where they get you. Unless you pay it off right away, they are making money off you, and you think you are saving an extra 14 bucks.

 

You said it right there... pay it off right away.

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...Regardless if REI or its banks are making money off the interest, if you don't pay off your CC bills, they are making far more money off you in interest and finiance charges every month, then that 14 bucks you saved from setting up a charge card.
Okay, but we're getting a bit off point. The thing I was asking originally was: If you use this dividend program wisely (that is, redeem the dividends when you can, and don't get suckered into paying interest), is a minimum of 10% off of MSRP enough to offset REI's generally "overpriced" product? At least make them CLOSE to other discount merchants, if not better?

 

The rest of this conversation is interesting, but the main thing I was looking for (still looking for) are folks who have price checked enough specific items at various times to generalize where the bargains are.

 

It would only be of benefit if you didn't continually recycle it into more over priced items. Else you are always in the hole. I would suspect that this is a person to person issue. Some people will benefit and others won't depending what they buy and how much they spend. If you feel you are getting a great deal as your posts indicate you are great.

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I know I'm paying top dollar, but in the last 3 years I've returned 2 Oregon 300s and one 450 their return policy is enough to keep me going back.

 

In my opinion, REI is pretty expensive, and I think a lot of it is their overly generous return policy. I know of people who have claimed to use it to upgrade a GPS when there was nothing wrong with their old unit. If you roll that way, fine, but I don't.

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As an REI co-op member, most everything I buy earns a 10% dividend that I can apply against any other REI purchases. And if I apply for an REI Visa card, store purchases on that card earn an extra 5% back in dividends. Carrying that to the extreme, if I bought ALL of my gear at REI, everything would come to 15% off of retail, I think. But I don't know if I'm doing the math right, or if 15% is really a deep enough discount to offset the fact that pretty much everything at REI goes for MRSP before factoring in dividends.

 

Just wondering if anyone else has juggled the numbers often enough to see if REI is really expensive or a price beater...

while I am not an REI member I spent 30 years working in the type of business the last few years as a buyer. Most of the products sold at REI are priced the same in other outdoor shops. The one area I may see a problem with is the REI branded products. There is no way to know the quality if these items. Retailers purchase private label merchandise because no other store will have the same item, this allows the retailer to work on a higher profit margin. Ovger the past two years I have seen the REI I shop stocking more private lable merchandise and less fron well known companies like Mt. Hardware, North Face and Columbia. As far as the REI credit card I would stay away from that. Even if you pay it off each month to avoid the interest just having the card will have a negative impact on your credit rating. The 5% may not be such a great deal

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They are expensive. But for important purchases, I don't care. They have saved me hundreds of dollars over the years by letting me return my mistakes. They took my Colorado 400T back, no questions asked. I replaced it with a 60CSx. I had used the Colorado for about a month. I bought a $200 pair of winter boots from them once that never did feel right. The eyelets rubbed on my angle bone, making it unbearably sore. The gal in the shoe area spent almost an hour hammering on it in an attempt to soften the leather. That didn't work, so I brought them in again, for more of same. Still didn't work. A full year later, I went back to buy a new pair, figuring I'd just have to "eat" the old ones that I couldn't wear. I mentioned them to the clerk, who told me to return them. Again, returned with a smile, and no questions. They are great, the staff is knowledgeable and helpful, and I am willing to vote with my wallet for that sort of store.

 

Considering the cost of gas and time spent maybe you should find a store who sells you the right product the first time.

A person should never buy boots that do no feel right, they are never going to get better. When I was selling boots I would gat an customer once in a while that would onlky look at price, these customers always thought the boots would get better over time, they were always wrong. If the boot don't fit-don't buy it. It is not always the fault of the boot seller. As a seller you can only do so much to halp a person make a proper purchase, but the sellers always get blamed for a bad fit.

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...As far as the REI credit card I would stay away from that. Even if you pay it off each month to avoid the interest just having the card will have a negative impact on your credit rating...

That would be good to know, if it's really true. How much of a negative impact?

 

I currently have three credit cards, only two of which I regularly use. No debt to speak of, credit cards get paid off in full each month. No mortgage or auto loans either. My Equifax and TransUnion scores are both in the very top brackets.

 

How many points will I lose if I apply for an REI card? And what is the real impact of that on my regular finances?

Edited by Portland Cyclist
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I know I'm paying top dollar, but in the last 3 years I've returned 2 Oregon 300s and one 450 their return policy is enough to keep me going back.

I most recently purchased an Oregon 450 after losing my Oregon 300. I went straight to my local REI for the purchase because 1) they had a sale in progress; 2) they had the Garmin $50 rebate form on the rack; and probably most importantly, 3)I've seen them exchange another cacher's Oregon 450 three times, no questions asked, due to a variety of software issues that Garmin customer support could not remotely fix. My 450 has worked flawlessly since purchase, so I don't know what's going on with my friend and his GPSs other than he spends an inordinate amount of time above 35,000 feet.

 

Re: Credit scores for credit cards. I can't speak quantitatively to how much a new card hurts one's credit score, but it's my understanding that just having multiple lines of credit open (even if unused) can draw down one's score.

 

Re: Dividends. Yes, they have a one-year shelf life. The dividend used to be mailed out, but now one can apply it to online and web purchased.

 

Re: Convenience and "intel". I can "shop" ahead of time on the REI website and check to see if the item is available in our local store. That gives me information in my back pocket for when I visit the locally owned businesses first and can make an informed decision about where to buy and perhaps how to wrangle a deal with the local guy.

Edited by Ladybug Kids
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It's pretty simple. If REI was overpriced, they would have gone out of business a long time ago.

 

A couple of factoids:

 

1) you have the option of asking for your dividend in cash.

2) REI is infamous for knocking-off other brands. The REI branded stuff is generally very good quality, but not necessarily a better deal.

3) The return policy is the best on the planet. No questions asked, although they might write a snarky comment about your lame excuses on the return tag (they have a secret wall of shame).

 

Anyone not satisfied with a product purchased from REI can return it forever. I purchased a sleeping pad that was defective and it took me 6 years to remember to bring it back for a refund. We have a friend who returned something 30 years old. REI had to go down to the basement and dig up the paper records, but they found the purchase price and were happy to refund.

 

As for the credit card, we have one and we have not seen a hit on our credit rating because of it.

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...is a minimum of 10% off of MSRP enough to offset REI's generally "overpriced" product?

The word in quotations is probably key. Are they overpriced? I guess that depends on how you define value. If I want to buy a T-shirt, with no other qualifiers, I can shop online at REI, and pay between $15 to $20, or I could go to Wally World and pay $5. From that perspective, the Wally World shirt seems like a no brainer. But experience tells me that in less than 6 months, the Wally World T-shirt will be in my rag bin, meaning I'll need to buy another, while the REI T-shirt will still be in good shape. We should also consider the return policy when considering overall value. Wally World would giggle at me if I tried to return a 6 month old T-shirt. REI would send me a new one, no questions asked. If you believe that a return policy which is customer friendly has value, then REI looks even better.

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I use REI quite frequently, mostly for the return policy and the fact they have a majority of the things I need.

 

I would NOT base a purchasing decision on whether I get a "rebate" or not.

 

I find the prices comparable to other retailers, but most of the time it's more convenient to shop at REI compared to other places, based on the volume and varied product lines they carry.

 

Generally, if I can't find it at REI, I'm usually buying it online, from another retailer, or directly from the manufacturer.

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Never bought a t-shirt at REI, but I do buy socks there. An ongoing joke at our house, there's a specific kind of thick hiking socks my wife likes, so I always give her a pair for her birthday -- along with whatever else I've bought for her.

 

I was thinking more of big ticket items though; it'd take YEARS to earn back the membership fee if all I got dividends on was those socks...

Edited by Portland Cyclist
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