Pros
- Diversity and inclusion; retail employees become like family. - Members usually relate to customers with similar likes as the employees in the department they are shopping in; this makes for great conversation and customer service. - Medical benefits are outstanding; especially for gender-affirming care. - Employee discounts and Pro-Deals. - Thanksgiving and Black Friday paid time off in addition to 2 "Waydays" a year.
Cons
- REI is growing fast and is resulting in a quickly changing business model with more focus on the bottom line and increasing membership base. - Strong push for memberships and Mastercard sign-ups both on the floor and at the frontline; those not great at sales might find it stressful. - Where there used to be a few sales a year, there are constant and overlapping sales; it's easy to mix them up causing customer confusion. - Full-time positions are being reduced. - For part-time employees hours can be minimal - could be difficult to obtain/maintain the full benefits plan.