REI online - same as the store - minus the climbing wall
Written: Jan 08 '05
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I like the quality of the REI merchandise as well as the membership rebates. I have placed multiple orders, without a single problem.
MEMBERSHIP
REI is open to everyone but they do offer a membership for a one time fee of $15. The membership entitle you to a few member only discounts and a once a year refund. Every March, members get a dividend voucher totaling 10% of all NON sale items bought at REI in the past 12 months. The dividend can then be spent at an REI store or online.
I have been a member for years, it was actually given to us as a gift - along with a gift certificate. It is a good deal IF you buy a lot of regular priced items. One year we left some hiking and climbing equipment in the garage and then drove two states away. We were forced to replace it quickly and of course none of it was on sale! That year we got a nice size dividend check but normally it isn't a whole lot. You would have to figure out if you would spend over $150 in a year just to get your $15 back BEFORE you start earning any type of rebate. I would like the program A LOT more if they included sale and clearance items in he total as I tend to buy off season when possible.
FINDING WHAT YOU NEED
There are two main ways to find what you are looking for ~
1. The Search option which works by item number or keyword.
2. The bar across the side of the page with 18 categories ~
• Men's Shop
• Women's Shop
• Kids' Shop
• Footwear
• Skiing
• Snowboarding
• Cross-Country Skiing
• Snowshoeing
• Camping & Hiking
• Women's Gear
• Kayaking & Canoeing
• Outdoor Fitness
• Luggage & Travel
• GPS & Electronics
• Watches & Sunglasses
• REI Brand Gear
• Books & Maps
• Car Racks
These options follow you around as you shop, making it easy to move from one category to another. The site is very easy to understand and navigate. I have never been knocked off or timed out.
SHOPPING
First off, I will mention that the prices at REI can be high BUT so is the quality. I don't mind paying a higher price for gear I know will last year after year. I don't buy things such as food, books, maps, socks etc. from them as I know I can find the same items elsewhere for a lot less. They do hold sales and occasionally put out an online coupon.
When you click on a category, you are taken to that page which list all the different subcategories. For example when you click on Camping & Hiking you will get a list of 24 subcategories. Now here's an odd thing, when you click on one of the subcategories(say FOOD) you then get another list which is good as it helps speed up your search BUT the odd part is that ALL of the subcategories show up as well. So, even though you are taken to the FOOD choices, you can still review any of the other subcategories simply by moving up or down the page.
Once you find a product you are interested in, you can click on either the products name or picture to get more information. You can sort the different choices by • Brand or by • Price. You can also Compare Items.
To purchase an item, you first choose the color/size info (if needed), put in the quantity you need and click on the ADD TO SHOPPING CART button. You can then continue shopping or head to checkout.
Once you are ready to checkout you need to give all the regular billing and mailing information. After picking a password, you will be able to have this information on file and save time on future orders. If you are an REI member, you will need to put in your number to have this purchase qualify for your rebate.
After ordering, you will get a detailed order confirmation email. You are able to track your order at their site IF you are having it mailed to an address in the US. IF you are mailing outside of the US OR picking your order up at a store, you cannot track your order.
REI charges sales tax on all orders shipped to an address that is in a state which charges sales tax AND has REI stores located. Therefore, we are charged sales tax in Washington State.
SHIPPING
REI offers four shipping options -
• Standard
• 2 Day Air
• Overnight Air
• REI Store Pickup
I like the fact there are only four rates of shipping cost -
• Up to $50 -- $5.99 (S) -- $17.99 (2 day) -- $27.99 (overnight)
• $50.01-$100 -- $8.99 (S) -- $18.99 (2day) -- $28.99 (overnight)
• $100.01-$150.01 -- $10.99 (S) -- $20.99 (2 day) -- $30.99 (overnight)
• $150.01 and over -- $12.99 (S) -- $22.99 (2day) -- $32.99 (overnight)
These prices are for US orders, they have prices for both Canada and International orders listed on their website.
All orders picked up at the store are FREE. I have had orders both delivered to my house and picked them up at my local stores. In both circumstances, my orders have never taken more than a week.
~~ ** ~~ ** ~~ 2BUZY'S FINAL THOUGHTS ON THIS SITE ~~ ** ~~ ** ~~
There are a lot of things I like about the REI.com Their site is easy to navigate, they have a great selection,offer top of the line quality, have both decent shipping rates AND a store pickup option and prompt delivery. I also like the fact you can look up local events - clinics, hikes etc. - from their site.
The only negative things I can mention is their high prices, the fact you can't earn a rebate on sale items, and that some of pages are slow to load.
That all being said, I would recommend REI.com to anyone looking for high quality outdoor gear. I am giving them 4.5 stars.
Recommended:
Yes
What product did you purchase or try to purchase? Camping, hiking and climbing gear
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Epinions.com ID:
2buzy
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"I'm for a stronger death penalty." - President George Bush
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