REI commercialization

“This has been hinted at in other threads. I stopped by my local REI yesterday and the stench of the mainstream yuppy products was everywhere. Hadn't been that long since my last visit there (maybe 2 months?), but it just seemed that new CRAP was everywhere. Coolers, non-technical clothing flowing from every rack, the list goes on.

What the heck are they doing?”

“Well, I figure if they carry all the yuppy stuff to sell to the weekend warriors this just helps them make enough money to carry the good stuff I want to find that may not sell as well. Plus I doubt REI will every be going the way of companies like Early Winters and Eddie Baure and completely selling out to the yuppy crowds. Also, if you do need the odd car camping yuppy item would ya rather buy it from someplace else where it won’t count against your dividend?”

“techntrek, I was one that hinted at it. It is really getting bad at the store I shop at. Of course where the REI is located in Brentwood is one of the richest areas around Nashville. Lots of the yuppy spoiled rich kids there. I even noticed when I was there the other day one of the sales people had that valley girl type of voice. I didn't even recongize anyone working there which is unusual.

maybe Buck or Big Wave Dave would weigh in on this
last edited: 2/14/05 8:56:13 AM”

“"I even noticed when I was there the other day one of the sales people had that valley girl type of voice."

Ewker
8:53:23 AM
2/14/05

So that's where Ewker picked up his date for this weekend...

As long as they're carrying a good collection of "real" gear, I could care less what else they carry, and if the yuppies keep'em in business so that I can get good deals that's fine with me.”

“As long as they carry what I need and have people there to ring up the sale I could care less whatever else they sell or who sells it. I don't rely on their sales people for advice; that's what I have you people for!”

“I was really blown away when I went to the one in Lavonia with Sass and birch the other weekend. Birch and I went to the backpack section just browsing and then moved on. A good deal later we were half way across the store when the girl from the backpack section caught up to us and said she noticed us checking out packs and said she was with another customer and could she now help us with anything? Unbelievable! As we were chit chatting with her it was clear she knew gear and knew what she was doing.”

“I would say the majority of customers at the Arlington REI are of the yuppy class. The Employees, however, are "the real deal" and seem really eager to deal with non-yuppies.”

“So it's a matter of hating people who make money then?”

“Is that unusual? They get catered to and get to marry Marylin Monroe, dammit!”

“the problem is there not carrying the real gear as much as they use to. It looked more like a yuppy store with all the button down shirts on the racks. I saw more 100% cotton shirts and pants than I did polyester shirts and nylon pants.”

“How much money does one have to make to be a yuppie? Anyone else that hiking should exclude? Dirtbags? Hippys are allowed I'm sure. What about old, rural professionals, are they allowed?

I've actually seen people on the trail in cotton clothes. They seem to think they work good enough. Should they be banned from the trails? Or just if they buy their cotton gear from the racks at REI you don't buy from? Silly stuff.”

“I got two nice polyester shirts on Closeout on Friday, $10 and $5. I still like REI.”

“I went a little nuts when I couldn't find a topo of Banff yet they were fully stocked on Everest topo's. No, they don't carry banff at any REI. Yes they have a plethora of Western topo's.

I wrote REI and they suggested their topo software. I believe I replied somewhat sarcastically regarding software in the backcountry.”

“Our REI doesn't carry any topos at all and haven't for about five years. They used to have every quad in the state, which was really nice. Now I order them from the MUCC.

I haven't had any problems finding polyester and nylon clothes at our local. They even still have wicking undies and hiking boots! The only thing they don't carry that I wish they did is esbit fuel tabs. They never have though.”

“I love walking into a REI.
The two closest REI's to me, are 380 and 485 miles from me.
Quit ya #&%!$in', LOL.”

“I was in the Seattle REI last fall and I saw a homeless guy come in to buy a couple fuel cannisters. He was in rags; dirty and soaking wet and had a moldy, old sleeping bag under his arm. But, they had what he needed.”

“Sass, no one is saying yuppies,dirtbags, hippies shouldn't be on the trail. They have ever right to be there as anyone.

One of the first things you learn is not to wear cotton while out on the trail.

I think the whole point of this is that REI is branching out to a different group of people. Yeah they will still carry outdoor equipment but maybe not as much as they use to. Also I am sure location plays into it.”

“I agree with Nigal. All the money REI makes on "outdoor fashion" and car camping stuff allows them to expand and offer us decent prices. If REI and EMS can draw more people in by selling stuff I don't need on the trail, it keeps the price of the trail stuff down (especially because the non-outdoors folks will buy technical clothing as fashion). The only cost to me is that I have to think harder about what I buy - just because it looks like good technical stuff does not mean it is.

I get a laugh out of a store near me which sells great techical clothing I can't afford as trendy fashion. Top of the line Patagonia and Arctryx winter jackets go to people who don't even shovel their own driveway, let alone tromp around in the mountains in the snow. OK maybe some of them do downhill skiing at fine resorts. But I see these jackets on people in restaurants downtown. Still, if it weren't for so many people buying this stuff... the prices would be even higher.”

“It's no different than buying a Jeep to take your kids to soccer practice.”

“It's no different than buying a Jeep to take your kids to soccer practice.”
aero
10:45:23 AM
2/14/05

First I would like a steady relationship.”

“You oughta see some of the roads we have on the way to soccer practice here.”

“sorry bearmagnet, i don't think Aero swings that way.

the place around here that carries the best outdoor clothes is Hudson Trail, i think. however, their customer service blows! i had thought i'd lost the receipt on something i'd gotten and wanted to return...and even though their tags were still on it, and it had only been like 2 days since i bought it, they weren't going to take it back, OR do an exchange!! a-holes. good thing i finally found the receipt! but i'm not going to buy anything else there...unless it's some clothes i really NEED. ;-)”

“Bummer.

HTO in DC is 99% yuppies and staffed for yuppies, IMHO. They could not answer much when I went there.”

“i don't ask questions! but their gear is the bomb...you could never find half those brands at REI around here. my favorite lately is Mountain Hardwear, and REI has like ZILCH of that for girls.”

“Which one do you go to?”

“I'm just saying that it used to be easy to go in and browse around for an hour. Now its like bushwacking with a machete' - you gotta weed out the crap to find what you really want. Plus if the non-hiker/skiier/biker starts buying all the technical clothing for fashion its going to drive the price up, not down. I didn't expect REI to go this direction.”

“It seems to be a tradition for many years at Hudson Trail Outfitters to have a schitty attitude towards the customers.

Some of their people are kinda snooty, as if the customer might not be hardcore enough to shop at their great store.

They still have topo maps though.
And that's about all I ever buy from them.

It was a relief when EMS and REI showed up in town.

F-u-c-k Y O U, Hudson Trail Outfitters!!!!”

“all of them! :-) HTO in Tenleytown and Rockville...REI in Rockville & College Park.

you GO, MarkO! :-D”

“Did Her Adorableness actually start backpacking outdoors and stuff? ;-)
last edited: 2/14/05 10:07:03 AM”

“REI has like ZILCH of that for girls.”
lyra

thats cause women don't belong in the woods.

get back in yer kitchen woman!”

“AAHHHHH!! :-)”

“Appalachian Outfitters used to be the place in the D.C./Baltimore area.

They were independent with better attitude.

I got my first down sleeping bag from them in '73.....(sniff)”

“I wear cotton shirts to work...>8^P”

“I've got a friend in Bozeman who sews Patagonia labels on his $7.95 K-Mart sweatshirts. It cracks everybody up!”

“The first thing I learned about hiking was to go and have fun with whatever I had, to make do. And cotton clothing has it's place. Ever see a dessert nomad in polyester?

If anything REI has MORE products to offer to the hiking enthuisiast, not less. Their prices have dropped drasticly with the addition of more REI brand equipment. The quality and confidence in their product hasn't suffered for their becoming a bigger company. I'm thankful that I have one in my community to shop at.”

“Speaking of Topos, ever get on www.topozone.com? I discovered them for work, it's great to be able to electronically insert a color topo in some of my reports without buying and scanning a paper one. If you've got a good-quality printer it has pretty good resolution, too. I print them out on our CAD plotter at work. Haven't used one for a serious trip of more than a weekend, though.

As far as REI goes, I'm happy the "yuppies" shop there, because otherwise they might not get enough traffic to stay in business in places like Houston, where backpacking isn't as big as it is in more Western States. If the store near me doesn't carry what I'm looking for, I can always order it off the website and chose instore delivery to avoid S&H charges. And if seeing some little princess wearing a "fashionable" black North Face parka over her Bebe shirt is the price I have to pay for having more shopping choices for outdoor gear than Academy and Bass Pro, I'll gladly pay it. Besides, it gets cold enough for someone to wear a North Face parka maybe three days a year in Houston.”

“I love walking into a REI.
The two closest REI's to me, are 380 and 485 miles from me.
Quit ya #&%!$in', LOL.”
StoveStomper

I hear ya SS. I have the same situation hours to any REI...so you guys want some cheese with that whine...”

“sticks, Atlanta isn't that far for you and yes what kind of cheese are you offering”

“They're still a good store offering good gear and good deals. The membership is great. I don't think there should be any criticism of them for trying to be more successful by selling goods that appeal to a wider customer base.”

“I like Gouda or Brie, please.”

“Oh, you're all right!!!

I'd like some nice French Brie and some Morbier, mmmmmmm, with some good French bread.

Hold the French whine.........I'm an India pale ale freak.”

“I've never been to an REI. Are they a good bit better than, say, a Galyans?”

“Y2, I think the criticism is that the good gear is being replaced by selling the other goods.

To me this is no different than people complaining about Backpacker mag. People see it changing and don't like it. It is getting away from what you expect it to be. The same thing is happening with REI.”

“But at least they appeal to little twits like lyra.

And her money's as good as mine.”

“What will one do if/when REI is no longer a smart choice?

Campmore.

Didn't REI start out the same way?”

“REI started in 1938(?) as a coop.

A lot of what they sold was imported from Europe......the real deal equipment of the time.......because you couldn't find that kind of stuff in the U.S.

They took orders and imported bulk amounts of items to give their members the best price.”

“Ewker - you hit the nail on the head.”

“What are they no longer stocking?”

“little tiny packets of TP.”

“Ziplock and a handfull off the bathroom roller.

Next.”