Overheard a guy at the REI return counter say he returns tents every season

I was standing in line at REI in Portland last Saturday and this dude in front of me was literally bragging about buying a new tent every spring and returning the old one before the warranty ran out. Said he's done it 4 times now. It got me thinking though - are companies gonna start cracking down on return policies because of people like him? I already heard some brands are tightening up. Anyone notice return policies getting stricter at certain places?

2 comments

2 Comments

michaelw2612d ago

I saw a guy at the same REI last month returning a pair of hiking boots that looked like he'd thru-hiked the PCT in them. Policies will absolutely tighten up, Patagonia already changed their return form to ask way more questions.

stella_roberts12d ago

About 10 years back I worked in retail and we told customers flat out no if they tried that kind of swap every season trick. @michaelw26 is right that Patagonia already checks closer, and I've seen REI ask more questions about wear and tear lately too. A few people ruining it for everyone else always leads to stricter rules, so don't be surprised if you see more signs limiting returns on camping gear next year.