REI

This does seem like much ado about nothing. Returning items at REI after using them extensively, yes, that is questionable if not worse. Trying shoes on in the store as Heath says he does every couple of years…does not warrant the criticism he is getting.

To be fair , it works both ways.When the shop is busy you don't want people coming in "wasting" the sales assistants time. On the other hand, during the quiet times you do want people coming in "wasting your time" As Justin has already pointed out, shopkeepers want to avoid having bored salespeople but also you want to avoid having an empty shop, the same as having an empty restaurant. Shops spend a lot of money advertising but nothing causes people to buy as when they enter a busy shop.

I am not wasting anyone's time at REI. I get off work fairly early (2pm) and REI is a ghost town this time of day. I swing by on a regular basis to buy random things here and there; all the great small nalgene bottles, fuel for my stove, dehydrated meals because I don't have time to make my own food (yet), climbing route maps, topo maps, chalk, bobo's oat bars, etc… I always get info on fabrics from this nice older French woman who works at my local REI who knows everything there is to know about fabrics. I think I have a pretty good relationship with at least half the staff in the store. During my bi annual shoe sizing trip , the associate brings me the shoes, I try them on while they help other customers that have questions that need answering and when I am done. I inform them I am not making a purchase today and that's that. I talk to the shoe guy every few months. If he is/was bothered by my shoe sizing trip he sure doesn't act like it. If manufacturers didn't change the width/cut of their shoes every year I would probably make this trip even more infrequently. Back to what the OP said, yes REI sells a lot of gadgets, most of which aren't necessary but that's what Americans brand of Western capitalism is all about.

Much ado about nothing indeed. The store is already paying for the sales staff, so this doesn't add additional expense. If I were a store manager, I'd love for people to come in and try on shoes, even if it only resulted in a sale 10% of the time. As a loyal customer who routinely spends money at REI, Heath's going to walk by Garmins, Arc jackets, bike racks, etc on his way back to the shoe department. REI is going to tell Heath about upcoming sales as they are ringing (or on expensive days, "wringing") him out. Heath is going to remind himself to hit the garage sale the following Saturday and to sign up for the bike maintenance class as he passes the calendar of events walking out the door. For the less than five minutes it'll take for the sales associate to grab and return a pair of shoes, this is a better return on investment for REI than the fliers are.

Welcome back Heath. Like old times, huh.

Ian's comments are quite correct, but somehow entering a store and trying on shoes with the intent of not buying them there, but somewhere else – it just doesn't pass the "smell" test Do onto others…..

I say it's been about 2 years since I purchased any outdoor gear from REI but any time I go in for a look my wife drops a couple of hundred on yoga/fitness gear. Normally she is tapping her feet waiting for me in other outdoor shops but in REI I am the bored one.

Hey Ken. Yeah, glad to see that nothing has changed and people still have their noses up in the air here and are trying to look down on others whenever they get a chance. I spent north of $1,000 in REI last year. I bet most of you did not. So you folks have never walked in to a car dealership to check out a car when car shopping to see if it works for you with no intent of actually purchasing it? I checked out a dozen cars before I settled on one the model I felt best suited my needs. Should I have bought all 12 cars or just bought the first one or bought the most expensive one(following your logic) because how dare I shop around. How dare I make use of my personal freedoms in a free market economy to purchase goods at the lowest rate possible. At the one that provides me the most value for my money. You've never walked in to Best Buy to get an eyeball on a tv set and then googled it to see its 40% less on Amazon? You've never walked in to any store just to see something in person so you can get a feel for it, without any intent of buying it as you can find something cheaper online? Either your lying or you just have money to burn. If you all were so worried about REI then why does the gear swap exist? Imagine all the money poor REI is losing by you swapping your gear and not spending your dollars at REI? Think of all the jobs that would exist and the taxes going in to your local economy if all of you bought new gear and never bought used. Think of all the waste we could create by never buying anything used. We could create more trash and fill more landfills. Think of all the jobs that could create. I say we ban selling used goods and everyone be forced to only purchase backpacking gear at major retailers and at full manufacturers suggest retail pricing. Because its the American thing to do. Well GO MERICA then!

"So you folks have never walked in to a car dealership to check out a car when car shopping to see if it works for you with no intent of actually purchasing it? I checked out a dozen cars before I settled on one the model I felt best suited my needs." The end result of your 12 car dealership expedition was that you BOUGHT a car, so every one of those dealers had a chance to sell you a car regardless if consciously you knew that you would buy one or not. If ,on the other hand, it were someone like me, that spent time kicking tyres and talking to busy car salespeople, that would be different because no mater how good the deal or the dealer are I am not about to buy a car…. (I can't drive) But again, go to a car dealership when no other customers are about and chances are that the dealer would be happy to talk to a non buyer. Maybe a subtle difference to the consumer but clear enough to the shopkeeper. BTW, having worked in shops for 30 plus years when I am "kicking tyres" and spot a customer that may want to buy something I make sure that staff stop talking to me and serve them.

And in the end I bought a pair of shoes, not from REI but at another retailer. I paid state taxes on the item to boot. Exactly the same as car shopping. I shopped around tried out a bunch of models, found one I liked best and then shopped around amongst the different dealers(retailers) until I found the best price/value for my money and then made a purchase. Until next time folks feel free to continue to send your internet scorn my way as it clearly provides some catharsis for you all. I'm out

We are a pretty elitist bunch around here. The horror of trying on shoes in a store and buying them cheaper elsewhere. Did someone befriend you and smile and take pictures of you by any chance?