Wonderful company and employees but pushing memberships & credit cards - Retail Salesperson REI Employee Review

4.0
28 Jun 2025
Recommend
CEO approval
Business outlook

Pros

Bozeman REI is a great place to work as all of the employees are great and managers are awesome. I am always supported and feel welcome and accepted while at work. Benefits are available to anyone who works with REI, no matter your work status (full time, part time, seasonal), and the benefits are fairly decent as well.

Cons

It has become much more required to sell memberships and REI mastercards, so much that sometimes I dread going to work just because I feel as though I am pestering people who are just out trying to get some sporting goods, not talk about money and memberships. I am happy to talk to customers about these items, however, it has become very pushy by management to sell both memberships and mastercards, and any increase in pay is related to the employee's number of sales of both. This was not apparent when I was hired 3 years ago and I would not have taken a job that I thought was at all on commission (which it is not, however, it now feels as though the only way to get a raise is selling more memberships and mastercards, when that is just something I do not enjoy or feel comfortable doing). In addition, pay is low and the job can be monotonous with folding clothes and restocking items continuously. It does not take much to perform the job descriptions and doing the same thing all of the time gets very boring.

Explore other reviews about REI

5.0
16 May 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
20 Jun 2026
Recommend
CEO approval
Business outlook

Pros

- Excellent coworkers - REI does a great job of hiring enthusiastic and personable staff - Slightly better pay compared with other retail in the area - Prodeals and discounts - Flexible hours - Good (although rapidly diminishing) healthcare benefits

Cons

- Once a (better) company known for its investment in knowledgeable and friendly staff via extensive training and investment, the company has been slowly slashing away at most of what makes it special since the pandemic - Hours and benefits are worsening, proper employee training is becoming hard to come by - lots of mediocrity and sometimes questionable ethical calls made by management - Punitive disciplinary policies that seem to be designed to create higher turnover (advantageous to them given the gradual pay, benefit and policy changes)

4
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