12 Causes to Turn out to be an REI Member – Bearfoot Idea
I turned an REI member 17 years in the past proper after I completed faculty and determined I need to get extra into tenting. I bear in mind being within the Seattle retailer shopping for my first Gregory pack whereas the man within the inexperienced vest helped me stuff the pack filled with sandbags. Then I walked across the retailer for a bit earlier than I made a decision to make the leap.
Two weeks later, I returned house from my first backpacking journey and, because it seems, I didn’t just like the pack all that a lot. Fortunately I purchased it at REI and so they have the perfect no-questions-asked return coverage, so I used to be in a position to change it for one thing I discovered to be extra snug.
Since becoming a member of, my Lifetime REI Membership has saved me nicely over $3000. The annual dividend, their no-questions-asked return coverage, member-only gross sales and coupons, free transport, used gear trade-in program, and their outside ability workshops are just some of the explanations I store there and selected to develop into an REI Member.
I even determined to get a part-time gig at REI in 2014 after I was first beginning Bearfoot Idea and I couldn’t consider they gave me three weeks off to go hike the John Muir Path – proof that the corporate practices what it preaches.
REI is a 100% member-owned co-op (which means you get a share of REI’s annual revenue) and on this publish, I share the entire perks you get as a lifetime REI Member and the advantages that hold me coming again in any case of those years.
Sponsored by REI Co-op
REI Co-op is our favourite outside gear retailer and a long-time supporter of our work right here at Bearfoot Idea. We admire their 1-year return coverage, their Member-only coupons, and the truth that REI Members obtain 10% again on their purchases yearly. We solely advocate merchandise we really love and assume you'll love too.
How the REI Membership Works
A lifetime REI Membership prices $30. It’s a one-time charge and when you’re in, you’re in endlessly. You may buy a membership on-line or at any REI retailer.
This lifetime membership charge shortly pays for itself, so even should you’re solely an occasional REI shopper, changing into a Member will prevent cash and the advantages simply outweigh the one-time charge.
Why Turn out to be a Member?
REI is an business chief relating to top-quality, name-brand, and eco-friendly outside gear. In addition they have an enormous product choice, so that you don’t need to restrict your decisions.
Their customer support is unparalleled, their return coverage is wonderful, and so they deal with their workers nicely.
For these causes and extra, REI is precisely the sort of firm I like to assist – one which helps getting all individuals outdoors and instructing them how one can do it responsibly.
REI is constructed on membership and in 2022 they did the largest revamp of their Membership program but including 5 new perks for Members (on high of the prevailing perks). We will’t stress sufficient how nice changing into a Member is!
12 Nice REI Member Advantages
1) Get 10% Again on Your Purchases With Your Annual Dividend
Yearly in March, REI Members get 10% again on all the things they’ve bought over the previous 12 months, excluding sale objects and REI journey, courses, and adventures.
This dividend might be redeemed at an REI retailer, REI.com, REI Outlet, for an REI journey journey journey, or by way of the REI app.
With the ten% dividend, it’s like getting a sale worth on each buy you make from REI!
My REI Member dividend was $137 final 12 months. Yearly I stay up for this, particularly as we head into summer time as a result of there may be often some new piece of substances I’ve been eyeing.
This 12 months, I’m out there for a brand new automobile tenting sleeping pad and can doubtless use my dividend in direction of this tremendous comfortable Hest sleeping pad system.
2) REI Member-Solely Coupons
All year long, REI has numerous gross sales, and through these gross sales, they provide extra reductions to Members.
Usually throughout these gross sales, Members get 20% off one full-priced merchandise and an additional 20% off an already discounted merchandise, though this will change primarily based on the sale.
One of the best half? These particular coupons are given to Members all all year long, not simply as soon as.
In the event you’ve been saving for an enormous ticket merchandise, like REI’s Half Dome 2 Tent, 20% off saves you $66. That’s fuel cash on your subsequent weekend highway journey!
3) REI’s Return Coverage
I already talked about REI’s superior return coverage, however principally, you may have 1 12 months from the date of buy to return one thing if it’s not figuring out.
This doesn’t imply you need to use and abuse your gear and return it 364 days later, but it surely does imply that should you take these new mountaineering boots on the path and if they're killing your ft, then you may return them for a full refund.
Or that tent that ended up being just a bit bit too small for you, your associate, and your canine in your first in a single day outing? You may return that too and get one thing that works for you.
This return coverage applies to all REI consumers, each Members and non-Members, however the good thing about being a Member is you don’t need to have a receipt. You may present up with the merchandise and so they can lookup your buy historical past together with your cellphone quantity – simple peasy and also you don’t have to fret about hanging on to your receipts.
4) REI Members Get Free Normal Transport
New as of 2022, REI Members get free commonplace transport on all REI.com purchases with no minimal buy required!
It is a big perk and makes buying on-line fast and simple. Simply take into consideration how a lot cash you’ll save on transport prices – this alone makes the $30 lifetime membership so value it.
5) Member-Solely Storage Gross sales
So what does REI do with all that lightly used stuff that will get returned? They promote it at their Members Solely Storage Gross sales and now on their used gear website the place you may rating ridiculously good offers.
Up to now, REI Storage Gross sales occurred on sure weekends all year long however resulting from their reputation, some REI shops now have a Storage Sale part of the shop that’s all the time rotating and all the time open to buy. Name your native retailer to study their Storage Gross sales.
Shopping for used outside gear can be nice for our planet contemplating the impression new gear and attire have – we love supporting manufacturers which can be advocates for secondhand gear!
6) Save on REI Courses & Journeys
Do you know REI gives a ton of various courses? From backcountry navigation to bike upkeep, camp cooking, and full-blown Wilderness First Support programs, REI courses are an effective way to enhance your outside ability set.
Some courses are even free, just like the John Muir Path course I taught a few years again on the Henderson retailer. For the fee-based courses, REI Members save $20-30 off the record worth. Growth. REI Membership paid for.
REI additionally leads wonderful journeys all around the USA – from their Yellowstone and Grand Teton Mountain climbing and Tenting journey to their guided backpacking journey alongside California’s Misplaced Coast.
Members get a hefty low cost on these journeys too and also you additionally get to fulfill different wonderful Co-op members.
7) In-Retailer Service Reductions
Past serving to you buy the proper gear, REI additionally helps you keep and tune up your gear in-store.
Do you know most REI shops have full bike and ski outlets in-house? Even higher: Beginning in 2022, members get 20% off these companies, plus free cycle flat tire restore and machine wax.
8) Reductions on Gear Rental
Wish to strive a brand new outside exercise however don’t need to commit to purchasing all the proper gear? Touring out of state for an journey and don’t need to fly with all of your gear? You may hire gear from REI for all types of actions like backpacking, canoeing, climbing, biking, and snowshoeing.
Don’t have a motorbike rack or a roof rack? REI rents these too. Though anybody can hire gear from REI, REI Members save as much as 33% off all gear leases.
9) Your Membership Provides Again to the Outside
In 2021 alone, REI gave $7.1 million to assist over 450 non-profit organizations. Which means your membership and purchases are value extra than simply the gear you purchase.
By your membership and purchases, you’re serving to REI present funding for parks, public lands, sustainable transportation, and efforts to “rewild” our cities with inexperienced areas.
So perhaps a easy $30 membership isn’t so easy when you consider it: it’s a contribution in direction of a more healthy, wilder, and higher future for everybody.
In complete, since 1976 REI has donated greater than 70% of its earnings to its non-profit companions for outside stewardship tasks going proper again into the outside neighborhood. And as REI grows, their contributions do too.
By being an REI Member, you might be giving again and having a direct constructive impression on the paths and parks in your neighborhood. As a Member, you additionally get to vote of their annual Board elections, having a direct impression on the choices made by the coop.
REI additionally donates $5 to the REI Cooperative Motion Fund for each new Member. This fund helps supply grants to nonprofits that promote justice, fairness, and belonging within the outdoor.
You may see a full record of companions and REI’s full giving report right here. Have a look, and there’s likelihood you would possibly acknowledge a company or two in your city.
From REI’s web site
10) You Can Commerce-In Your Used Gear
REI Co-op Members can commerce in gently used outside gear in change for REI present playing cards by way of their Re/Provide program – what an incredible perk! REI accepts gently used gear that REI has offered previously 6 years together with most males’s, girls’s, and youngsters’ clothes and sneakers, in addition to gear like sleeping luggage, backpacks, and tents – you would obtain as much as 50% of the retail worth.
One of the best half? You may commerce in gear that you simply didn’t even purchase from REI (so long as REI additionally carries that product, after all).
This isn't solely an effective way to dump your used gear, but in addition scale back the quantity of used clothes that prematurely leads to landfills – a win for our planet!
11) You Get Early Entry to New Gear + Unique Gear
Co-op members obtain early entry, restricted editions, particular gives, one-of-a-kind collaborations, and extra superior offers on gear. You'll find these offers on their Members Assortment web page.
For instance, proper now Members can get early entry to the brand new REI Trailmade 2 Tent, which is an reasonably priced, but nonetheless light-weight, backpacking choice.
This REI membership profit doesn’t have a price ticket on it. REI advocates for individuals simply as a lot as they do the outside areas that all of us get pleasure from.
Plus, they've a robust give attention to enhancing and uplifting their fellow outside fanatics by staying dedicated to protecting the outside a various and stage enjoying discipline that welcomes everybody simply as they're.
And so they put their cash the place their mouth is. For instance, in 2020 REI donated $100,000 every to the Nationwide City League and to the NAACP Authorized Protection Fund, historic civil rights and advocacy organizations that work to battle injustice and inequality. As we all know, individuals of colour have completely different experiences within the outdoor and it's our job to be allies to all who want to benefit from the outdoor.
On the lookout for nice gear to buy together with your new REI membership? Try our hottest gear posts:
Are you an REI member? If that's the case, tell us within the feedback what your favourite member profit is! When you've got any questions on REI’s membership program tell us under!
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