Amazing benefits, Great people to work with, good pay for retail, management actually cares about their people. - Sales Associate REI Employee Review

4.0
13 Aug 2013
Recommend
CEO approval
Business outlook

Pros

Amazing health beneifts - a real, bona-fide honest health care plan for employees working 20+ hrs/week Generous accrual of vacation hours. Great pay for retail - someone could actually do this job 20hrs/week and something else 20hrs/week and make ends meet - even with a family Lots of freedom and empowerment Management actually cares about their people in a genuine way. They visibly support the team from the Sales Floor rather than hiding in their office. Flexible hours - schedule always written well in advance Sell cool stuff - products are actually interesting. Meet cool people - most customers are actually fine folks.

Cons

Same as working at any other retail establishment: the occasional difficult, self-entitled customer; weird hours (you work when everyone else is playing and vice-versa); the dreaded "clopen" - off at 9:30pm and have to be back at 6am; difficult to advance in the company, no clear or set management track; promotion luck of the draw.... but if you have to work retail, this is the place to do it.

Explore other reviews about REI

5.0
20 May 2026
Recommend
CEO approval
Business outlook

Pros

Fun time with fun employees

Cons

Schedule was tricky to coordinate

3.0
9 May 2026
Recommend
CEO approval
Business outlook

Pros

Most coworkers, some managers, discounts, outfitting people properly without extra nonsense

Cons

Some truly horrible managers, pressure to sell credit cards is a morale killer, the union people. Employees drinking the union kool aid fail to see the company’s position, REI cannot give higher pay, better benefits , consistent hours, etc… with the erratic revenue stream that comes in , if a 5 year average is X in revenue and 5 year average is Y on wages and costs, how are they supposed to increase wages and benefits? It’s numbers and they don’t line up, if REI gives the increases which increases the expenses greatly, they will cut staff, a lot fewer employees which will eliminate a bunch of union supporters, an REI job is not supposed to be a lucrative deal, when you get hired the part time , part time plus and full time options are there and you choose what you want fully understanding what hours you are going to get at minimum, they will hire those positions on a need basis, to cry later that you don’t make enough money is your fault, the terms were clear and you signed off on them. The union is promising rainbows , reality will be far different, careful what you wish for

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