REI

REI
Like all visits to Big Box stores.
1. If I know what I want.
2. I’ll visit the companies website and confirm what locations have the item in stock.
3. If the store I’m close to has the item in stock and I have the time, I’ll drive down to see it in person and potentially make a purchase.
Tip: If the local or pick up store doesn’t have the item I want in stock — I’ll weigh the option of buying online or contacting the desired pick up store directly.
If I decide to call the store I’ll ask them to order the item on my behalf and have the item shipped to thief store for pick up.
Always a nice selection and a lot of different items.
Do they have everything NO.
Do they have something for everyone YES.

Wow, this place is huge and they pretty much have everything for an active explorer or adventurer.
This is a beautiful shop with an easy to navigate layout.
Staff are hit or miss. Some are helpful and polite and others are arrogant and condescending.

Not my normal REI store but whenever I’m in San Jose I do have to stop by and see what they have in store. This store seems more crammed with stuff or is it just me tripping. I mean it’s not straight aisles like a typical retail store. You kind of have to zig zag across from here to there. As with all REI stores the service is great. Plenty of parking and many shops around so you can kill some time here.

Who doesn’t love REI? It’s a great place to go for every outdoor need and possibly some urban needs as well. You can find everything you need here and really knowledgeable staff to help you make your selection.
I love the Saratoga location. They often have demos and events in their parking lot as well as a lot of friendly and super knowledgeable staff who take their time to make sure you have the right gear.
I came here to buy a few things for an unexpectedly rainy trip to Yosemite. The staff there helped me to select the right hiking boot and even showed me a really cool way to lace them up! I was pretty amazed at the attention I and the other customers received. They helped me select between a shoe and boot format versus a trail sneaker or a hiking boot. I found them to be quite helpful especially since I was in a hurry and didn’t know what I was doing.
I was also able to select some water resistant pants and socks during this outing. I left feeling quite well prepared and was the least miserable person in my group when it came to hiking in the pouring rain in Yosemite. It is a bit pricier than other places, however I feel like I purchased the right thing and they were of good quality. Well worth it!
They also have a great return policy and perks for REI members.
Thank you REI!

Another fantastic REI spot! I’ve come to this location since I was a little girl whenever our family needed camping equipment or whenever I felt like ascending their indoor climbing wall.
The sales staff at this REI is very courteous and knowledgable, in spite of the store being so huge. They won’t just point you in the right direction – they’ll find you exactly what you’re looking for or show you their in-​stock alternatives. On my latest visit I wanted to try a variety of sports sunglasses. I told the associate up-​front that I wouldn’t be buying that day (so I could do some additional research), but he took his time with me, unlocked a number of pairs for me to try on, and explained to me a lot of the differences that weren’t obvious. In addition, he was knowledgable about a number of pairs of sunglasses that they didn’t sell and helped me decide that one of those pairs was probably the best match for me. Talk about selfless customer service!
My favorite thing about REI is the no-​questions-​asked return policy. Often times I will purchase an item here even if it’s cheaper elsewhere because I know that they’ll give me a full refund if the item stops working in 2 years. I also love the Members’ annual dividend and occasional Members’ discounts/​deals.
My biggest complaint is that sometimes the lines at the checkout or rental areas can get VERY long, but I haven’t had that happen to me too often.

Every REI store I’ve been to has been great, this one is no exception. The staff in every department is very helpful and knowledgeable. They’ve definitely got the customer service aspect down which is what I love about it.
If you’ve been here you know some items can be pricey but the quality is terrific. Be sure to check out the sale and clearance racks! The variety of clothing is amazing.
I’m not usually one to return something but when I needed to bring back a pair of expensive boots that had a manufacturing defect they didn’t even bat an eye. They just took them and I replaced them with another pair.
I really like the help the boot /​shoe department offers. Even when they are swamped they keep their cool and help each person making sure to answer all of their questions. After all you want to make sure you have hiking boots that meet your individual needs.
If you need anything outdoors you should start and maybe finish here. Their inventory is incredible, heck even if you just want to see what people wear and use outdoors check it out, lol.
There’s also a climbing wall when you