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September 2024 by All Things Oahu
The addiction is real!!
Spent $550 yesterday and came back for more and spent only $36 since I found the shirt I liked and they had my color....boy, oh boy, it's like a candy store for the outdoorsy people and man...how much did I really need all these things??
Not really, it was definitely a want instead! I wished I worked here just so I could get a damn discount!
I am addicted...and it's not good!
Staff rocks and the place is not cheap, but the quality and service is top notch! To say you get what you pay for is beyond true at REI, and I think the quality is worth every penny, especially when on sale!
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September 2024 by Ankush Bhargava
Great customer service, even if they don't always have stuff in stock
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September 2024 by Gwen Brounce
Huge store with friendly sales staff. Ryan was very knowledgeable/helpful with a shoe purchase. Lots of parking and conveniently located off of Industrial Road in San Carlos.
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August 2024 by Andreia Dr. Stark
Hi,
We went to the store to buy what we need for one night of camping. The tent was important for us that it was easy to install.
However I felt that after we made the decision with the tent, everything we were advised to buy was just super expensive and in each category the most expansive product . The first sales rep we spoke with was very kind and professional. But then another young man came and we felt treated quite arrogantly, he said he is 18, he seemed to be annoyed by our daughter‘s questions, and gave her a sticker, saying that we work together and that means for him that she is not interrupting while we talk. We didn’t appreciate that. If our daughter has questions, we want to hear them. We are making decisions as a family, and we think it was not his place to act like that.
And then he was super super insisting that we buy the most expensive mats they have. I had to say 3-4 times, that we have some mats and that is why it is not worthy for us to spend extra 800 $ for one night. He used all the arguments, while we should buy on the spot. I said very clearly no. And then he said, then we can come back later, as this mat is the most expensive and they don’t sell is often. That just made me feel even worse. I don’t like to be pushed in my decision. I very much appreciate professionalism and knowledgeable advice, but not to be pushed, and if I say 1-2 times no, then it should be enough.
Then he insisted that we make the membership and we tell at check out that he recommended the membership. I felt stressed out, and rather that they were trying to sell us all most expansive products instead of listening to our needs.
It was the first time we went to REI in San Carlos and I feel very disappointed.
So I would say the store is big, has parking, the Oper people we spoke to were very nice, they have good choices and different brands. For all that 5 stars. But the fact that they tried to sell us only the most expensive products and we felt that they were very pushy, that is something we don’t appreciate at all.
And just as a last tiny peace of info, the head lamp he recommended and we bought, I found on Amazon for 19 $ instead of the 49 $ that we payed at REI.
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July 2024 by Yashwanth Reddy Padooru
Good customer service and bike service:)
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July 2024 by Peter Reinold
Great Store, great people. I think the selection is a little bit limited especially in the clothing section. However, found what I needed.
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July 2024 by Jerry Eady
Still one of my first stops for outdoor and travel equipment and supplies. Also really like the helpful staff here.
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June 2024 by Son Lee
This place has fantastic and friendly service. Don't expect a lot of inventory in this place like other REI locations. However you can order things online and if it doesn't work out you can return them to the store.
We picked up a sleeping bag that was on sale during Memorial Day.?
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June 2024 by Emmett Jenvey
A bit expensive
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June 2024 by Marilena Pietro
We stopped in a few weeks ago looking to get fitted for a pack. Dan was super helpful and getting me measured and suggesting different options. Lots of product knowledge and education from his own experience and just in general for a beginning backpacker. We came back today for the sale and he was again really friendly and helpful in getting my dad fitted for a pack. Overall great experience
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May 2024 by John Ababseh
First time going to REI in San Carlos, but my sister mentioned this is where she goes for her running shoes.
My friend and I walk in on a busy Saturday afternoon and we go to the shoe section which is back left and immediately as we’re looking at shoes a rep comes up and asks if we need any help or recommendations. We ask about a few shoes and get some sizes and he’s back extremely fast with the shoes.
We take some time trying our first two pairs but want to get a good feel of the main brands of running shoes (ASICS, brooks, saucony, Hoka, and new balance) so put our favorite down and ask about a few other pairs. Our original rep was helping someone else but another person comes right up to us to help and plug in sharing thoughts on shoes and getting sizes.
We were so impressed with how kind and helpful the shoe rep team were! Initially we weren’t sure about buying shoes today, but ended up walking out with a pair of new running shoes! Thanks for the help and I’ll definitely be back ??
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March 2024 by Yuchao Zhou
Greta place to shop for outdoor gear. It is my go to place.
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March 2024 by hwscu86 hwscu86
I was looking to buy another hydro flask today and the company switched the top to one which I don't like from 1 year ago. I asked the store manager , Mr. Kazu Ishidera, if I can switch the top as they sell many different tops. He was adamant and said NO. I said it's a small ask and as a store manager, does he have any discretion? He said NO but I can spend more money and buy another top for $10. What's the point of being an REI member and shopping physically if one can't get a little extra accommodation which isn't not the biggest favor extended to me. Such poor service mentality. Afterwards, I had to go to #Apple store for a return. They extended their policy to accommodate me because Apple cares about customer service and that's why I keep going back to Apple. We pay full price at REI and it's terrible service. Hey, corporate at REI, just shut down all your physical stores. I ll never shop with that useless Ishidera. There's always Amazon!
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March 2024 by Allan Bedwell
Not Going Back After Terrible Customer Experience on 3/1/24 @ 5 pm.I've been buying at REI for 40 years. This is the first terrible experience I had with an employee at REI. His behavior forced me to buy a mountain bike and bike rack from another store. Extremely unprofessional customer service behavior. I should know. I've run a successful service company for 8 years.Details of What Happened:I went to the San Carlos Store this evening (3/1/24) with the intent of buying as Salsa Cassidy or Blackthorn Carbon SLX Mountain Bike and a Thule hitch-mounted bike rack. I went to REI Wednesday, followed by research, and returned Friday at 5 pm to buy the bike and rack. I walked out with no purchase due the poor behavior of the REI bike employee.What happened: I asked an employee in the bike section to answer a couple of questions. He was clearly reluctant to do so by his tone of voice and body language. He was staring off in space when I walked up to him and I guess I interrupted his trance state.I asked him about the pricing on why some of them were on sale as a "manager's special." He looked at the tag, shrugged his shoulders, and said he didn't know. He added that perhaps it was last year's model. It was clear he didn't know why the price was marked down as a Special. He also made no effort to ask anyone else about the pricing. Something I'd do if I didn't know the answer. He conveyed boredom and disinterest in the bikes or my basic question - which he should have known the answer to.I then asked him if the price was flexible on other bikes. He then went from apathetic to surly in a flash and said absolutely not. As if it was the first time he'd ever heard that question on sale items.He then said the Special was good as new (even though he had earlier said he didn't know what the Special was). He then asked me abruptly if I wanted to "snag it" (the bike). He was like some bad car salesperson with an attitude of "screw you, I don't care."At that point, it was clear this guy just wanted to make a sale and have me get lost. As many of you know, his behavior is unlike any other REI employee I or you have interacted with.It was clear he could care less answering my questions or getting someone who could. His attitude was surly and unprofessional.As someone who has built a service company from scratch, an employee's attitude can't be trained or changed externally. Only they can change it. 99 out of 100 times, employees who have a bad attitude aren't going to change. They infect other employees and alienate customers (like me) and can sabotage a business. I've found it's best to fire them to remove the poor performer. No amount of company resources will change an employee who has a bad attitude. I'm surprised the REI San Carlos manager hasn't already fired him. Better to be short-staffed than to have someone who treats customers poorly and damages the brand.Why did I walk out? Because if I'd attempted to talk to the manager that evening, I would have lost it over their employee's poor behavior. I did follow up with a formal complaint to REI corporate management. I also want to share my bad experience with you so you can steer clear of REI San Carlos and with that employee.I recommend you buy somewhere other than REI San Carlos. If you choose to not follow my recommendation and find yourself trapped there interacting with a male REI employee in his late 20's/early 30's with long straight black hair, a short beard, wearing a beanie, and radiating an attitude of apathy, impatience, indifference, and ignorance, then I urge you to leave ASAP and spend your money elsewhere. Terrible customer service shouldn't be rewarded.
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March 2024 by Helen Hsu, Psy.D.
Was really sad Fremont store closed- but this one is even better- spacious & a good selection of gear sorted by activities. There’s a bike shop. Stuff for SUP, running, camping. Climbing etc. large shoe selection. Easy peasy to return the climbing shoes I bought online & try on proper size in store. Very happy w the shoes I wound up with.Most of the staff ignored me throughout the store which was ok since I didn’t need specific help. Asian guy at cashier was friendly & for the exchange done really fast. Lots of parking & near freeway. Worth it to be a member.
