REI return policy: one year for members, 90 days for everyone else

This guide follows REI’s US Return Policy & Instructions page, with every section and FAQ answer opened, as read on October 20, 2026.

How long do you have to return something to REI?

REI Co-op Members get longer than non-members, and every window counts from the purchase date.

What you bought	REI Co-op Members	Non-members
Most items, including e-bikes	365 days	90 days
Outdoor electronics (activity monitors, GPS devices, bike trainers, emergency-communication devices, cameras)	90 days	90 days
Re/Supply used gear bought in a store, memberships, lift tickets, passes, gift cards	Final sale	Final sale
Re/Supply used gear bought online	30 days	Not sold to non-members

New items can go back by mail or to any REI store, whether you bought them online, in a store, or by phone. Re/Supply stores don’t take returns of any kind. REI’s return page shows no holiday extension as of October 20, 2026.

Can you return used or worn-out gear to REI?

Used gear, yes; worn-out gear, no. REI’s guarantee lets you return an item you’ve used within your window, but it must be cleaned first: REI may decline unwashed or very dirty gear and send it back. The guarantee doesn’t cover ordinary wear and tear, or damage from improper use or accidents.

A manufacturing defect is different: REI says you can return a defective item “at any time, regardless of purchase date,” with warranty details in its Terms of Sale.

REI can also refuse returns from people it decides have abused the policy, even inside the one-year window.

How much does it cost to mail a return to REI?

How you return it	Cost
Any REI store	Free
By mail with REI’s prepaid label, standard package	$7.99 taken from the refund
Bike trainers, single joggers or strollers, skis, snowboards by mail	$21.95 oversize fee
Any package over 32 pounds	$21.95 instead of $7.99, per REI’s mail steps (its oversize FAQ also mentions weight-based charges)
Kayaks, canoes, car-top boxes, roof-top tents, bikes, double joggers	Not through REI’s mail process; return to a store (free) or ship them yourself

To mail a return, start it online: from Purchase History, or with the order number and billing ZIP code. Drop the box at a UPS location or mail it from home; REI can give you a QR code if you have no printer. Items from several orders can share one box, and REI deducts the $7.99 for one label only. Hazardous materials, some oversize items, and items shipped outside the US can’t use the mail process.

Do you need a receipt to return to REI?

You need proof of purchase. Store purchases not posted to a membership need the paper or email receipt. If you gave your member number at checkout, a store associate can look up the purchase, and a mail return can be matched by member number instead. Online and phone orders need the order number, which is in the confirmation email, on the packing slip, and in Purchase History.

How does REI refund a return?

Purchase and return	Refund
Online or phone order	Original payment
Store purchase returned to a store	Original payment; cash purchases of $500 or more by check
Store purchase returned by mail	Check, including any part paid with Total REI Rewards; up to 3 weeks from the day REI receives it
Gift returned by mail	Check to the gift recipient, if the package includes a note asking for a “gift recipient refund” with their details; up to 3 weeks

Your bank can take up to 10 more days to post a card refund. Rewards used on an online order or an in-store return go back to your balance within one business day. Original shipping charges (standard, oversize, or expedited) aren’t refunded unless REI made a mistake with the order or the item turns out to be defective. If the item is worth less than $7.99, REI waives the mail fee. REI has no exchanges by mail: return the item and buy the new one separately, or exchange it at a store.