REI is the world's premier outdoor gear store. Find everything you need for outdoor adventure right here. We offer a tremendous selection of equipment and clothing for camping and hiking, cycling, climbing, kayaking, skiing and many more outdoor activities. All products sold by REI are backed by a 100% satisfaction guarantee.
Is REI legit?
REI (www.rei.com) has a 1.9 out of 5 rating on OK.one, based on 101 user reviews collected here. It is listed under Sports and its reputation is poor. 71% of reviews are 1 star, a relatively high share; The business has not yet replied to negative reviews; Reviews mostly discuss Product, Customer service, Price. Last updated 2026-09-02.
What reviewers say
AI generated
Most reviewers were unhappy with their experience overall. Shoppers frequently complained about extremely high prices across various store departments and expressed deep frustration with unhelpful, dismissive customer service representatives. Many consumers also reported dealing with severe delivery delays, missing items inside packages, and abruptly canceled online orders without receiving clear explanations.
Some reviewers were happy with the staff, noting that certain store associates provided exceptionally knowledgeable, patient, and friendly assistance during their shopping visits. A few customers also praised specific merchandise, mentioning that items like winter jackets and outdoor tents offered great durability, top quality, and lightweight designs.
Auto-generated from all reviews of this business. For reference only.
I see a lot of negative reviews for online ordering so I wanted to share my experience. I placed an order for a number of running shirts and shorts during their anniversary sale. A day later I received an email saying my order was canceled.
Needless to say I wasn’t pleased. I called customer service, and it took around 10 minutes to connect to someone. However, the woman who answered was exceedingly helpful and nice. She quickly turned a negative experience into a positive one. I’m a first-time customer, so that is especially important to me.
SCAM/PHISHING website. I placed an online order twice but they cancelled the order saying problem with credit card processing when they haven’t even ran the card. They are just collecting your credit card info and your contact information. No customer support. It’s all false. STAY AWAY.
I saw a deal on the Patagonia Black Hole Pack 32L for $84, when I clicked the link it was not that price. I chatted with REI and they told me that they are not doing that deal. BAIT AND SWITCH.
Won't take my money. Won't tell me why they won't take my money. They just cancel each order 15 minutes after it appears to have gone through successfully, then tell me to try again – as if some fairies will have magically fixed it in the meantime!
I guess I should have looked at their rating here first…
Tried to ship a gift, but REI’s automated system panicked and cancelled the order because the shipping and billing addresses didn't match. When I asked chat support why, they just tossed a corporate policy link at me like a smoke bomb and disappeared. These clowns will be death of REI.
I took the exact same credit card over to Amazon, where it cleared instantly for a faster, cheaper delivery. I save 10 percent in 5 min instead of reading REIs policy. Big thanks to REI’s 1990s fraud algorithm for saving me some money.
they remove your accound with paid membership and order history
I've been buying from them for almost 4 years.
One day I try enter to my account(to which I bought their paid membership) and it's just gone, it says that there's an error and when I try to reset my password - it says that account no longer exists.
I tried contacting them via email for explanation - no answer came.
That should be illegal.
I was in the store a few weeks ago. There was this woman with long hair that I asked for her help. I was looking for a birthday gift and needed some ideas. This woman was so rude to me and acted like she had no time to help me. Very poor employee for REI. If I was her manager she would not have a job in my store. Customers should not be treated like that.
PLEASE FO NOT BUY FROM THIS COMPANY BECAUSE YOU MAY NOT RECEIVE YOUR ORDER AND YOU WILL NOT RECEIVE ANY HELP FROM THIS COMPANY TO MAKE IT RIGHT!!! I ORDERED 2 pairs of Hoka walking shoes and never received them and even bought shipping insurance and received absolutely no help to solve the issue.I WILL NEVER BUY FROM THIS COMPANY AGAIN!
I went to look at a $5K bike. I don’t live in Seattle. After twenty minutes of trying to input my life credit history for 1 hour of free parking I think I will look for a store with a free parking lot with an actual attendant. Or a machine where you take a ticket and pay on the way out.
Tried to return a pair of shoes that were a gift. No replacement in that particular shoe. Picked another one that I liked. At the checkout, the salesman refused to give us the difference of the new shoes. Shoe manager lied and said we had paid that particular amount some other way. REALLY? So we got it on a gift card. I really don’t like being played for a fool!
Title: Failed expedited delivery, misleading updates, weak compensation
Order: Y130377998
Tracking: 1Z9437070146662219 (UPS Next Day Air)
This was supposed to be a simple expedited order. It turned into a chain of failures.
Timeline:
- Original order never arrived
- REI created a replacement order (Y130377998)
- Delivery was promised for April 6
- UPS showed they hadn’t even received the package while REI kept saying everything was on track
- Delivery was then updated to April 7 by 10:30 AM — missed
- Then delayed again and rescheduled to April 8
This is not a minor delay. This is a failure of a paid expedited service.
On top of that:
- I received conflicting and inaccurate updates multiple times
- I had to constantly check tracking and contact support
- The “compensation” was a $25 gift card (store credit), not a real resolution
At no point did REI provide a clear, reliable status of the shipment.
What should have happened:
- Accurate tracking and communication
- Delivery within the promised expedited window (April 6)
- Proper compensation for the failure
What actually happened:
- Missed delivery commitment
- Multiple delays
- Wasted time
- Weak attempt to close the issue with store credit
This experience shows serious issues with both logistics and customer support handling.
I expected much better from REI.
Very nice store and grrat ambiance but whole things is so so expensive i mean they provide the highest price ever,
Store for wealthy people...even a simple probar plant based sold 3$ when they usually almost half of price anywhere else.
Honestly go there,take pictures of what you need and find it cheaper elsewhere.
Very upset about those crazy price...
I went into the store in Oxnard to return something and left with a whole trip planned out for my kid and I to Catalina Island thanks to Andres!
He was patient, attentive, knowledgeable, and very kind. He went above and beyond to make sure all my questions were answered, provided me with specific transportation details, hiking trails, hotels, and more.
His customer service was excellent and I will definitely come back because of that.
I ordered a jacket from REI 11 days ago and I still have not received it! Their tracking now says I will possibly receive it in another 7 days.
18 DAYS SHIPPING TIME, THAT IS RIDICULOUS??!!
REI Marlton staff with special thanks to Melissa for finding the 700c 45 Panaracer gravel king tires needed, she also assisted me with muc-off purchase
Checkout lady reminded me of last day for 20% offer to Members. Thanks again REI Marlton staff see you guys soon
I purchased (with my dividend) a Women's Rainier Long Line Rain Jacket, REI/Hydrowall branded in March 2024. I have only worn it about six times, twice in rather heavy rain. Both those times were within a week, and both times I got wet. I realize that I had owned the coat for two years, but since it clearly isn't waterproof I thought to return it. I took it to the Tukwila, WA store, where the clerk told me some new information that contradicts the instructions on the coat (which themselves are confusing). He said that the coat needs to be washed frequently to remain waterproof (conveniently every 5-7 wearings after I said I'd worn it six times). Also he said that my sweat made it wet inside despite that I was wearing fleece under it to prevent the clammy feeling. He also ignored that the pockets, which flap freely inside the coat, were wet. He additionally told me that after washing the coat I would have to apply a waterproof spray covering to maintain the waterproofing. The lining inside he said was entirely 100% waterproof, yet the pockets, which are made from that fabric, were wet. The washing instructions in the coat say this: "machine wash cold, do not use bleach or fabric softners, tumble dry, low iron, dry clean only" (what??!). I don't know how to follow those instructions, as well as the clerk's. I have always thought that REI was a step up from other outfitters, but whatever is going on there is no step up. I'm stuck with a rain coat that makes my clothing wet in the rain. Disappointed is an understatement. I doubt I'll shop REI in the future.
Maggie Howard
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