I didn't know anything about this when I signed up for the membership last year. At any rate, they made my day on a new pair of Tifosi glasses. $69.95 minus 20% off coupon and minus another $40 in dividends! I was fully prepared to part with the full amount and I wound up leaving $20 and some change at the register.

It's love/hate with REI and cycling junk, but today I loved 'em.

I hear ya. I got a brooks B17 from them for $20 with my dividend and coupon this year. Have my issues with them but the return policy is reassuring for some things.

I'm looking to get a comfort bike by Novara since I can apply an extra 20% along with my dividend. Will purchase this weekend. Too bad the bike is not for me!

Don't shop at REI much anymore. I've been a member for 25 years or so - dating back to my younger days when backpacking was something I enjoyed. Nowaadays, for cycling gear, I find their goods to be generally overpriced (even considering the dividend). So I was VERY surprised when I went into the Boise store with my wife yesterday... She scored a pair of women's bike shorts for $6.94 (marked down - twice - from 34.97)! She also found bike shorts for our daughter for just under $15 (down from $49)...

I guess there are two morals to this story: One, REI isn't necessarily as expensive as I'd thought... And, two - I ought to take my wife with me to shop for bike stuff more often!

The dividend is the #2 reason to shop there

#1 being the no questions return policy.

Only having to pay the membership fee once, ever, is also nice (I'm looking at you Performance . . . . . )

I hate them for not being able to order a Cannondale for me. Some stupid agreement they have with Chicago area Cannondale dealers.

Like most retailers, they have things they try to make money on. But if you lurk around they have occasional deals that are pretty good.

I bought a set of Mavic Askims for $180 using my discount and dividend. If the wheels don't hold up, I'll return 'em.

I just wish there was an R.E.I. within 100 miles of my house.

Got a new Dahon D7 folder with this years dividend. Good products, great service.

I've been an REI member for ~15 years. They are almost never the low price on any given item, in fact they tend to price higher than most other places. The exception to this is REI-branded items, which tend to be less expensive and marked down because they don't sell as well as fancier items. Years ago I bought REI CF hiking poles and a camping-weight TR-type sleeping pad because they were good deals, with 20% off and using some "free" money accrued in my dividend.

The annual 20% off deal is nice, but since state taxes and shipping eat away my real discount to ~5%, they're usually still more expensive than alternate sources, so I rarely buy from them anymore.

The only time REI is a good deal for me is when I use their credit card, which gives you a small kickback (0.5-1% IIRC) that adds up over the year to perhaps $50-100 if I use the card for all CC purchases throughout the year. In this case it's an OK deal since you get something for "free", although I have opted a few years to buy nothing and wait for the cash back in form of a check issued around July 1.

Are you sure you can use the 20 % coupon on bikes? I had heard that bikes and GPS units were the exceptions, although maybe Novara ones are the exception to the exception, since they're REI's store brand?

I don't know whether other stores do this, but the Seattle flagship store has a room in the basement where they sell returned merchandise. It doesn't have the no questions guarantee anymore, because that's already been used, but it usually goes for a song. I got my commuter bike for about half its list price this way - and it came with a free tune up.

20% is good on the Novara.

20% off is good on Novara bikes ONLY (no other bikes)

I was at the store yesterday and the lady did tell me it was ok on Novara brand and at regular price. The bike is probably a step through model. It will the the Fiona with the better wheel and component as compare to the Mia. It mainly a weekender bike for my SO. I don't think we get lots of sales on return item here in the Bay Area

I joined when it cost $2, about 30 years ago. It used to have 100% outdoor enthusiasts as employees, but now it's like the Home Depot of Outdoor Gear. I only buy stuff when it is discounted or on sale or better yet, at the used gear sale. Double thumbs up for the generous return policy! Bring your smartphone to compare prices and reviews while you are in the store.

There are better cc rebate deals than the 1% REI cc rebate, and most/all of them let you have your rebate MUCH faster than REI. These days, I only use my REI cc for REI purchases.

The return policy makes it all worth it. Among other things, I've taken shoes (chaco sandals where one shoe would mysteriously tighten the straps as I walked), sunglasses (the screws in the arm/frame would not stay in--I was tightening them 1x/week which was a hassle) and a rain jacket that the zipper broke on. No questions asked. Ever.

Also, between the 20% off coupons that arrive 3-4x/year and the 10% back on purchases when I use my REI visa, most of what I buy isn't that much pricier than online--plus I don't have to deal with sourcing it, making sure it's a reputable seller, etc, etc...I do buy a lot of their house brand stuff, it's equal in quality to most other brands, and if not I just return it

Zero dividends for me this year since that I purchased was on sale. I want to buy a new bike so I will just wait until the end of the year to find one on sale (usually same price as the 20% off). I bought a 2009 Randonee for about $850 with a coupon. Later that year, the bike went down to $799 so I bought another and returned the first one and came out with the better deal. That coupon doesn't always do justice.

I shop at REI for the return policy. Their prices on bike parts are also comparable to the LBSes in the area, plus you get the dividend.

I used my dividend on a Novara commuter pannier this year. Also use my REI card at REI to get 5% back in the dividend instead of 1%. When you factor in the dividend, prices are comparable to a lot of online retailers for many parts, and I don't have to wait for shipping.

Tubus Cargo for the new Salsa Vaya is on its way. $100 delivered...including my $0.39 dividend

Scratch & Dent sales are the best. I find their prices here on bike stuff are comparable or less than the LBS plus the dividend later.

+1

This is the sweet flip side of the return policy. I picked up a Cateye Adventure computer there last month for $35. The return tag said "wheel sensor not working". I figured even if I had to order a new wheel sensor that would only be another $35 or so. It turns out it just needed a new battery. It's a nice little toy for $35. At the same sale I got a brand new PB Superflash for $5 -- return reason: "Didn't like product." Cool for them, cool for me.

I got some hiking boots that had been marked down from $170 to $0.88 at the SF store (buyer had tested the waterproof claim by standing in his bathtub for 30 minutes and found a leak) and some bike speakers that were marked down from $30 to $0.03 at the Berkeley store.

Second that ...
I joined REI at the Berkeley store when the membership was free - even had a few employees tell me that my 4 digit member number is not valid - just told them to look it up!