I have been a customer of REI for years and years. I've always liked them - but they earned my highest level of respect yesterday. I was wearing a pair of snow hiking boots that I purchased at REI about 5 years ago and the sole of my right boot just fell off. Literally it just seperated and broke off from the rest of the boot. I've never seen anything like that and neither had anyone around me. I took them back to REI so that they could see it - clearly a manufacturing defect that I thought they should know about.
I didn't have the receipt anymore but they pulled up my membership account. All the boots and coats and sweaters and gloves and socks and shoes I purchased for myself any my daughter came up - even boot shoe laces came up, but unfortunately - not these particular boots. I really did buy them there. I only buy snow and hiking boots at REI. I thought, oh well... But the customer service woman kept looking. She saw that they used to carry this particular boot but it was discontinued 5 years ago. I thought I was out of luck.
The bottom line is that even though I didn't have the receipt, AND these boots weren't listed in my account, AND they discontinued these boots 5 years ago...they gave me an instore credit for the last price they sold these boots for. WOW. I thought that was Amazingly FAIR and Amazingly RARE. I was astounded! I've only experienced this level of customer service at Nordstroms before. I am an extremely happy camper again.
I been a long time customer of REI - now they have me for Life! I'll be in again soon.