Autonomous retail. Better in image than reality. - Retail Sales Manager REI Employee Review

3.0
Sep 18, 2020
Recommend
CEO approval
Business Outlook

Pros

•Excellent health, dental, vision benefits. •Good commuter benefits (might be regional?) •Black Friday is a paid holiday •Paid trip to Seattle HQ for initial management training. •Great product •Co workers are (mostly) genuinely good people •Good annual bonus incentive pay •Paid sick time company wide regardless of state laws (I believe) •Paid all retail staff a month’s wage during initial covid closures •Occasional free snacks/food on busy work weekends

Cons

•Have to fight for time/weekends off - Instead of one typical “holiday blackout season” there 3 or 4 which makes time off requests difficult for two weeks around basically every major holiday. •Low PTO accumulation rate till you work for the company for at leas 5 years. •Like most retail, constantly under staffed to save payroll. •Pays under retail average - had to take a pay cut to work here. After a year of exceeding my KPI I was “rewarded” with a .80 raise •Hourly paid but mgmt will still text you at home with questions/schedule changes which ultimately brings a resting/recovering mind back to a stressed working mind. •Poses as a higher purposed co-op but the company is ultimately a money-making business like any other retailer. •Typical retail pettiness amongst staff •Typical retail late work hours •While the capacity is there, little effort to create a balanced or set schedule for mgmt team. •Very, very little product training with no investment by HQ to implement product specific training programs.

Explore other reviews about REI

5.0
May 16, 2026
Recommend
CEO approval
Business Outlook

Pros

People and incredible work culture. REI truly walks the walk when it comes to company culture. Significant amount of focus on people and values in a genuine way. Exceptional benefits and pay. Making medical coverage available for all employees part time and full time.

Cons

Not many negatives to share.

3.0
May 9, 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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