My husband and I took a cruise this past February, and had been looking in the fall and winter for what seemed like an eternity for water shoes for use on the beaches. He really wanted a specific Merrell brand shoe. Since no stores had any in stock, or would allow us to order them, we kept looking and looking.
Finally, I looked at REI.com and found the elusive shoes. :) I thought they'd make a great Christmas gift, so I went to the nearby Northville store and hunted around. A salesclerk almost immediately asked if there was anything he could help me with, and I told him of our troubles finding the Merrell shoe. He said that he didn't have them in the store, but could order them and have them shipped to the store for free (or my house for a small additional charge). I was estatic! While we walked to the check out counter so I could order them, he told me about the Co-op Membership at REI. We've bought several things at REI before, but never paid much attention to the membership option. To become a lifetime member of REi, there is a one-time $15 fee, but, you can earn rewards on every purchase up to 10% back. Because of my shoe purchase that night, we earned back half of the cost of the membership! I am sent coupons and discounts pretty frequently, and notified of special events in the store such as mountain biking and camping seminars. I recently bought a new "grown-up" bike with my dividend check from that December shoe purchase and a special 20% off coupon. I got a great deal, had the bike assembled for free that night, and was told to come back for a free checkup in the next year to ensure that the brakes and gears are still in good working order. I love the friendly service that my husband and I receive at REI. We walk in and feel genuinely cared about by staff that are extremely knowledgeable.
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