Pros
Generous discount except for sale items, great benefits after accruing 1500 hours with the company IF you can maintain a rolling avg of 20 hours/week. Staff is fun to work with and really know their stuff. Managers NEVER expect you to work off the clock and do their best to give you requested days/times off. You get to sell high quality product that the company backs with a 100% satisfaction guarantee. Except for memberships, there is no sales quota for sales staff, so there is NO stress over trying to upsell customers. Starting pay is above minimum wage. Although REI is definitely run as a corporation, they do their best to de-emphasize it. REI has its "cons" but its WAY better than working at WalMart or Target or some other big Sports/Outdoor chain store.
Cons
High turnover and seasonal sales means constant hiring of new staff -- there are more staff than business can support during the slow times so weekly hours vary--could be as low as 10-12 hrs/wk for weeks at a time with some 3.5 hour shifts. 8 hour shifts are RARE, about one per week, unless there is a sale. Most shifts are either 4 hours or 6.75 hours, but you don't necessarily get 5 days of work. Schedules are done only 8 days in advance, but the managers DO try to work within your availability. LOTS of emphasis on selling memberships--your raise is based on it. LOTS of emphasis on getting member email info--your raise is based on it. Managers are not very visible on the floor--they seem to spend their time in the back office watching YOU work via the security cameras. Managers are COMPLETELY unaware that the staff ALL think they are lazy. Not good for morale. Display of merchandise is surprisingly boring--visual guy and managers have to stick to a plan from corporate.