Jes W

As a member of REI for over 40 years, it’s heartbreaking to witness the steady decline of a company that once stood as the gold standard for outdoor adventure, education, and community. REI is no longer the organization envisioned by Mary and Lloyd Anderson. The spirit of cooperation, quality, and passion for the outdoors that defined REI for decades has been replaced with cost-cutting measures and subpar services that betray the trust and loyalty of its longtime members.

Customer service has suffered dramatically, and one clear example is their use of OnTrack delivery service—an unreliable partner that consistently fails to deliver packages or provide accountability when things go wrong. This kind of decision reflects a troubling shift in priorities away from customer satisfaction and integrity.

Perhaps most disappointing of all is the recent shutdown of the REI Adventures program. For decades, REI led the way in outdoor education and guided travel, offering transformative experiences that connected people to nature and to each other. Now, that legacy has been cast aside.

REI once meant something. It stood for quality, community, and a shared love of the outdoors. Today, sadly, it feels like just another retailer chasing margins instead of meaning. I never thought I’d say this, but after 40 years of loyalty, I’m questioning my place in the co-op.

I had an extremely disappointing experience with OnTrac. My package was marked as “delivered,” but it never actually arrived. When I contacted customer service, they were completely unhelpful. Not only could they not tell me where the package actually was, but they also said they had no way to confirm who had possession of it at the time of the supposed delivery.

There was no accountability, no effort to resolve the issue, and no follow-up. I was left without my item and with no real support. Based on this experience, I would strongly advise against using OnTrac. Their service is unreliable, and their customer support is practically nonexistent. Use another carrier if you care about your delivery actually arriving.