REI members

[KnightofNi]

in my 30 years of membership, dividends have been typically in the 5 - 10% range.
never 20%.

mine have always been 10% for the past 5 years.

[derby]

in my 30 years of membership, dividends have been typically in the 5 - 10% range.
never 20%.

exactly... why you'd want to wait for a ~10% after-tax dividend vs a 20% right-now discount (and pay less tax) boggles me.

$500 + 8% sales tax = $540 - 10% dividend of the item price ($50) at the end of the year = $490

$500 - 20% ($100) +8% sales tax  = $432

[fastwin]

I think there was one that was just out. 

What he said.

We were told by a great REI associate in the shoe dept. to wait until the coupon was received before we bought some $220 hiking boots for junior's Boy Scout Philmont trek this summer. Used the member's coupon and dividend for a really nice price break.

I got hired as a seasonal/temp employee in August 2009 at my local store. Didn't work out and I quit after a couple of weeks... long story. But, REI is a GREAT company and they treat their employees better than any company on the planet! And the employee discounts are awesome!! They even have a program with their suppliers that if the supplier offers a product that REI doesn't carry you (as an employee) can go straight to the supplier and use your REI employee number and the supplier will honor the relationship and cut you a big discount and ship the product straight to you. The discount varies from supplier to supplier but it is always a good chunk of change!!

In fact every employee I met in my short time there worked at REI for the employee discount... that and the great treatment they received from the company and store management. Too bad they only really offer part time jobs and typical retail pay scale. Cool store and great place to shop.

Also, REI is the biggest membership coop on the planet. And the fact that you pay a one time fee of $20 for life membership is really cool. No annual payment BS! Also, neat story how it started in a gas station selling mountain climbing ice picks like 75 years ago. Look it up.

[fastwin]

Memorial Day weekend is the biggest sale of the year. its the kick off for all things summer. look for it in a couple of weeks. 

No. The Labor Day sale is. It is funny that the biggest sale happens after summer! Weird.

[Le Pirate]

exactly... why you'd want to wait for a ~10% after-tax dividend vs a 20% right-now discount (and pay less tax) boggles me.

$500 + 8% sales tax = $540 - 10% dividend of the item price ($50) at the end of the year = $490

$500 - 20% ($100) +8% sales tax  = $432

Yeah, you're right...except he doesn't have the coupon right now


I was just saying, if he wanted to buy it now....go ahead cause he'd get a big chunk back at the end of the year, and if he did have the coupon...that large amount wouldn't get figured into the dividend at the end of the year.

But yeah...20% coupons are awesome...though I noticed sometimes they have * with things you can't buy. Not sure if kayaks are ever *'ed 

[sugarcrook]

exactly... why you'd want to wait for a ~10% after-tax dividend vs a 20% right-now discount (and pay less tax) boggles me.

$500 + 8% sales tax = $540 - 10% dividend of the item price ($50) at the end of the year = $490

$500 - 20% ($100) +8% sales tax  = $432

You're not accounting for opportunity cost. If he's got a coupon now, great. Otherwise, he's going to buy a kayak anyway and might as well use the purchase to pad his eventual dividend. The time he'll spend waiting for another 20% coupon is time he could be fixing nail holes in his new kayak.

[Goat_Herder]

Dividents is calculated based on 10% of the full priced items.  So depends on what you spent, you will get up to 10% of what you spend.  Less than 10% if you purchase sale items. 

You should take a close look at fine prints on the 20% coupon.  Kayaks and big ticket items may be EXCLUDED from the coupon but will go toward dividents. SO that's at least 10% off, if you look at it that way.

[corey]

I used my 20% OFF coupon on a rather snazzy tent. Saved $90.
You could also REUSE the coupon on the REI OUTLET. Got 20% off some nice new sleeping pads

[fastwin]

Yes, their on line "close out" section is part of the latest discount coupon sent to members. You can use the 20% discount coupon in store and then you can also score a 20% discount on the on line "close out" section. Win win!! But only if you find what you are looking for in the "close out" section. Like most, it's hit or miss. We tried to find the last year's model of Saloman hiking boots for junior but they weren't there. As his Philmont trip gets closer I'll be checking the on line "close out" section for stuff he might need.

[IZ]

I was just at REI here in Austin and asked when the next big sale was.  May 18th is their anniversary.  The associate didn't know what kind of coupons they would be running though? Anyone know what they typically do?

[IZ]

REI sale begins this Friday.  Unfortunately, the 20% coupon cannot be used in the purchase of any Wilderness Kayaks.  They are, however, giving away a free paddle with the purchase of a kayak.  The Wilderness Tarpon 120 and Ride 135 come with a free Harmony " Sea Passage" paddle.  $155 but 0 reviews and nearly the last in two pages of paddles.  So, I'm assuming it's not a paddle I'd want.  Any input?   

http://www.rei.com/product/837658/harmony-sea-passage-carbon-kayak-paddle