Business & Tech

REI Ends Unlimited Return Policy—Are You Less Likely to Shop There?

The co-op will hold its annual members-only Garage Sale at the Tacoma store this Saturday.

(This article was written by Patch Editor Caitlin Moran.)

Gone are the days of returning old, outdated gear to REI several years after a purchase.

As The Seattle Times reports, the Kent-based co-op officially amended its return policy Tuesday to revise a "100% Satisfaction Guarantee" promise that many people were abusing. Now, customers have one year to return most purchases and 30 days to send back items purchased from the retailer's online outlet store.

Do the new rules make you less likely to purchase items at REI? Did you ever stretch the limits of the old policy? Tell us in the comments section.

Tim Spangler, REI's senior vice-president of retail, told The Times the co-op is making the change after noticing a significant increase in people returning items that are more than a year old.

“What we found is that small group of folks who are probably extending the policy beyond its intent, is getting bigger. And it’s not a sustainable thing long-term if we want to maintain this fantastic policy,” he told the newspaper. “It’s something we have to put some clarification around.”

Of course, one upside to the old policy has been REI's annual members-only "garage sale," where bargain-hunters flock to stores to pick through "slightly used or returned gear and clothing." The Tacoma store's garage sale takes place from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. this Saturday, June 8.

No word yet on whether the new return policy will affect future sales.


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