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REI is Laying Off 275 Employees

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Re: REI is Laying Off 275 Employees

#81

Post by jfim »

lazypenguin wrote: post #75
ApolloFortyNine wrote: post #69

I'm not saying this is the cause of the layoffs, but recently REI instigated a no bags policy (or at least mine did). This isn't the standard buy bags for 10 cents at the register, there quite literally are no bags for sale, unless you decide to buy a backpack. However, their website gives free shipping for $50 and is the same price as in store. One of the most insane and obviously virtue signaling policies I've ever…

How is it virtue signaling? They can either ship their products from one warehouse to their stores, then you drive and pick up your item. Or they can just ship it directly to you which presumably means the item travelled the same distance? Unless you live walking distance from REI?

I think the idea is that you can't buy a bag to take your purchases home, but the store will gladly use a box to ship them if you shop online.

Re: REI is Laying Off 275 Employees

#82

Post by local_crmdgeon »

Mistletoe wrote: post #70

I don’t understand a lot of the comments there in that thread. People with 4 years there acting like they are old time employees that are immune to layoffs? I feel bad for anyone laid off, but is this how we think about long tenure at a company now?

Average tenure at an American company is 2.5 years. 4 years is tenured.

Re: REI is Laying Off 275 Employees

#83

Post by xattt »

nerdbert wrote: post #72
ApolloFortyNine wrote: post #69

I'm not saying this is the cause of the layoffs, but recently REI instigated a no bags policy (or at least mine did). This isn't the standard buy bags for 10 cents at the register, there quite literally are no bags for sale, unless you decide to buy a backpack. However, their website gives free shipping for $50 and is the same price as in store. One of the most insane and obviously virtue signaling policies I've ever…

I live in Europe and haven't received a bag from a store in years. Recently visited the USA and they were being foisted on me left and right. I submit that people will adjust to this, I sure have, and that the real solution is for more stores to do it so that it seems normal.

This became policy in my province for the last few years. The downside has been the dwindling supply of free bags into which I can scoop cat poop.

Re: REI is Laying Off 275 Employees

#84

Post by neilv »

marricks wrote: post #50
neilv wrote: post #27

Since (IIUC from Wikipedia) REI is a member-owned co-op that elects the board of directors, does this decision to do layoffs reflect the interests of the members?

> Board candidates are selected by the REI Board Nomination and Governance Committee. In earlier years, board elections were competitive elections, with both board-nominated and self-nominated petition candidates. In recent years, REI eliminated the opportunity for petition candidates and has nominated only as many candidates as open positions . Emphasis mine. Sounds like OfSanguineFire's comment is right. The Govern…

The juxtaposition of these two sentences sounds like a hint at a connection between the two:

> While the board serves at the members' pleasure, there is no path to board membership without the approval of the Board Nomination and Governance Committee.[30] For 2014, its chief executive officer received compensation of approximately $2.71 million per year.[31][32]

Re: REI is Laying Off 275 Employees

#85

Post by wombat-man »

lazypenguin wrote: post #75
ApolloFortyNine wrote: post #69

I'm not saying this is the cause of the layoffs, but recently REI instigated a no bags policy (or at least mine did). This isn't the standard buy bags for 10 cents at the register, there quite literally are no bags for sale, unless you decide to buy a backpack. However, their website gives free shipping for $50 and is the same price as in store. One of the most insane and obviously virtue signaling policies I've ever…

How is it virtue signaling? They can either ship their products from one warehouse to their stores, then you drive and pick up your item. Or they can just ship it directly to you which presumably means the item travelled the same distance? Unless you live walking distance from REI?

I ordered something shipped to store at REI. No joke the guy pulls it out of a cardboard box, same as what would have just been mailed to me.

in store pickup doesn't necessarily mean less materials.

Re: REI is Laying Off 275 Employees

#86

Post by schemescape »

refurb wrote: post #52
andrewflnr wrote: post #38

Earlier quoted context omitted.

A co-op being acquired by a hedge fund should not be possible. What the hell?

Why not? A co-op is just a business owned by it's members. If the members decide to sell (through the board of directors), they it gets sold. "yesterday a unanimous decision by its board of directors to sell substantially all of its assets to Kingswood Capital Management"

Wow, that link indicates that members likely won’t get anything, even their $5 share, back. So who is benefitting from the sale?

Re: REI is Laying Off 275 Employees

#87

Post by oldbbsnickname »

prepend wrote: post #57
AlchemistCamp wrote: post #53

Is this really important news or at all related to hackers? Much larger layoffs happen all the time. What's the interesting angle of this story?

So many Patagonia jackets are bought at REI and worn at companies that employ many hackers. I wonder how common it is as a clothier of hackers. For the past few years I think I end up buying a lot of their lightweight hiking pants for travel and office work. And REI is the best store I’ve found to actually go in and check out stuff before buying.

HAHAA. ;)

This is true, I did acquire some of REI's water containers and blankets when I used to vanlife. The good thing about REI is they often have good bicycle mechanics, but they're encumbered by many corporate regulations. If you're more DIY, you're probably better off going to a local bike shop who can do major things like scooter brake replacements.

Anyone not from the US: REI is a fractional employee&customer co-op, brick-and-mortar glamping mecca that also sells sporting goods, hiking gear, and Birkenstocks.

Re: REI is Laying Off 275 Employees

#88

Post by starcraft2wol »

Mistletoe wrote: post #70

I don’t understand a lot of the comments there in that thread. People with 4 years there acting like they are old time employees that are immune to layoffs? I feel bad for anyone laid off, but is this how we think about long tenure at a company now?

we are talking about a retail store here. A few months is good retention. Ironically, the ones who have been there 5 years are probably worse than those at 1 year.

Re: REI is Laying Off 275 Employees

#90

Post by constantly »

OfSanguineFire wrote: post #62
prepend wrote: post #59

Earlier quoted context omitted.

> They're known for having a very open return policy Sadly not so much. Now it’s a one year limited warranty and I’ve been hassled about returning things because they ended up not fitting right. They used to be great and would take anything back for any reason. And this always led to me buying tons more stuff. With the new policy, I buy much less. Especially since the REI brand is pretty low quality now and no one su…

With the old returns policy, people were buying boots, wearing them out on the Appalachian Trail, and then returning them. Or buying a whole touring bike (REI sold their own fairly respectable model called the Novara), riding coast-to-coast, and then returning it. Once the internet era arrived and customers learned just what behavior they could get away with, the community was saying it was only a matter of time befo…

I’m a long time REI customer/member, maybe 20 years, and I was pretty happy about the move to a shorter return period. I always considered it my responsibility as a good citizen to be as honest and forthright as possible in return transactions. If something didn’t work out I didn’t feel bad returning it within reason, but if I had used it too long (like 2-3 years or put serious wear on it) I would not return it out of principle. I didn’t want to take advantage of such a good policy, and I knew they’d have my back if I ever did have a long term return.

But then I had a person who worked there in my friend group at one point and they told me the same stories you did. Just people absolutely abusing the heck out of it, taking maximum advantage for personal gain. Doing things like buying kids shoes then returning them when the kid outgrew them.

This behavior is highly unethical in my opinion, even though it was technically legal and within policy. So I was happy when they made the change to 1 year returns. I had rarely, rarely had long term returns like that and took them very seriously. In one case, for example, I had a tent for the summer that I never got around to using. Used it about 1.5 years later for the first time and quickly realized it didn’t work for my needs so reluctantly returned it after one use.

Anyways, people are awful.

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