MEC Victoria

Great choice of brands and goods. But a bag for my purchased clothes would have been nice. Things were completely wet after walking home through the rain.
So don’t forget to bring a bag of you shop more or the weather is rainy.

AMAZING customer service! I had a confusing issue with my bike tire, and they helped me with enthusiasm! Super friendly staff, couldn't have had a better experience. Thank you so much. You guys seriously rock! Never been let down by MEC!

Patrick and the team were amazing and saved our WCT trip by making fuel available to us outside of normal operating hours. They even included a nice note to us! Incredible service from a team clearly dedicated to the outdoor community.

Unfortunately the associate in the shoe section can't seem to multitask. Wanted to buy some hikers and waited around for about 10 mins while the associate chatted away with another customer. I feel it would have been quite easy for him to grab me a pair to try on while they walked around in the ones they were trying. Eventually I just gave up. Seems I'm not the only one to have this experience here. Probably won't be back.

Accessible location, found what I needed almost immediately. Very large store for a downtown location with a good selection.

How could it possible to have such a pathetic manager in the store who can’t even manage the savage security guard! Such a huge shame

After watching the News.today.and the bad treatment of this poor customer.by security.n Vancouver. I will surely not return to MEC anytime soon.regardless of their location.

They forgot to take the security tag off and I live 45 minutes away. Brought my item back and they didn’t even apologize or sympathize with me at all. Terrible customer service.

Back in May 2022, I was just about to start my crossCanada bicycle ride. Choosing to start from Victoria to ride East via Port Hardy, I needed a few final things from MEC. While waiting for the store to open, I spoke with a man who said that this (Victoria) MEC was the worst one in Canada. Since my bicycle was loaded with my life (camping gear, electronics, clothes etc), I asked to park inside. I was immediately greeted by an employee who told me to park outside, I reiterated that I wanted to park inside to protect my bicycle, he repeated the exact same words to me as if he didn't hear what I said. I insisted, then he told me to speak to the manager. The manager let me park inside next to the door. Phew!

I've never had this reaction from any MEC before or since.

Absolutely horrible service. Sale associates ignore you when you try looking for them. Felt like you need to be worthy to be looked after. When you buy such expensive items you gotta have better service. Will never return.

Used to be an amazing company with great customer service, not anymore. I had been a customer of mec for the last 18 years, my entire adult life, but I will never be shopping here again.

I ordered some shoe rain covers on sale and in stock online. I also ordered two other items at the same time. When the items arrived the booties were not included in the order. I received no notice of cancellation via email so logged into my online account to investigate.

This is were I discovered the order had been cancelled even though the SAME rain covers were still available online, but no longer at a discount!

I assumed this was just a clerical error so I called hoping for a quick resolution. I expected MEC to honour the price I had bought the booties at and reinstate the order.

I was surprised to be offered no resolution and instead a rude and combative person who had no desire to help.

When I asked to speak with someone else I was told that this was not an option and was stonewalled.

Well you have lost a loyal customer MEC.

I never thought I would write a 1 star review, but hey, you earned it.

We used to love this store and have been shopping there for many years. The store has changed so dramatically that we will no longer be purchasing from this company. How disappointing. We miss our old co-op with its amazing products and great, friendly service. The new ownership does not back it's products the way they used to. Buyer beware. Hopefully this will not be your experience!

The customer service here is so hit and miss that it can be a pleasant, or extremely frustrating shopping experience. If you've already done your looking online and don't want to wait for shipping, then yes, this is absolutely where you want to go. Anything that requires the staff's input, or any help more than pointing to where an item is located, you're playing with fire.

9-10 people in the line up when I was there this evening. 1 salesperson was ringing up a big sale for 2 shoppers, the 2nd salesperson ignored us for as long as he could. Finally a 3rd person showed up to manage the growing cue of people. Not impressed, especially when I think of how much it costs to shop here.

Customer service was nonexistent. I approached three different staff members to ask for help with backpack selection. One told me to look it up on the website. Another said he was busy and would send someone over. That didn’t happen. The third also said he’s find someone. After 25 minutes of frustration I headed to their competition and spent over $500 where I got great help.

Products, staff and store itself have dramatically gone downhill. I'll do everything I can do find what I need somewhere else now.
It's a shame because when mec was still in its earlier years, if I could find what I was looking for, I would purchase the item.
They seemed to have gotten lost in selling fashionable rather than functional.

Honestly, probably the worst MEC I’ve been to in Canada. Weird lay out, they never have the products I’m looking for and usually opt to shop MEC online. The staff is nice though. But don’t go in expecting to find what you need unless it’s a dorky pattagucci jacket

The bike section is pretty good though and the staff there are super helpful.

Brought my RAD Mini 4 e-bike to their Bike Shop and they were extremely helpful. Looked at my issue immediately and gave me the information I needed. Didn't need any repair this time, but I was impressed with the level of service and I will not hesitate to bring my bike there in the future.

Yann and Will from the bike shop were very unprofessional and showed a lack of customer service skills. Very disappointed with the service I received here at MEC. Will not be returning.

We bought a tent there for our roadtrip through BC. We we’re really carefull with it, always stored it in the car, never had it in strong wind or other things that can damage it. After just a few nights one pole broke down while the tent was set up and without even touching it. We tried to bring it back for repair or exchange but instead of helping us they just send us away. Buying a tent for a great adventure changed into frustration, a lot of money gone and a bad shopping experience. That was for sure the last time visiting MEC for us!

Products, staff and store itself have dramatically gone downhill. I'll do everything I can do find what I need somewhere else now.
It's a shame because when mec was still in its earlier years, if I could find what I was looking for, I would purchase the item.
They seemed to have gotten lost in selling fashionable rather than functional.

Some staff are great.some staff are knowledgeable. Some staff will sell you the wrong thing so really do your research, read labels etc.don’t just trust them because they sound confident and are wearing a uniform.

Very understaffed. Hard to get assistance and especially in the shoe department the staff member on duty seemed unable to multitask, ploddingly assisting 3 very indecisive customers. Could easily have helped us while they tried on and discussed a multitude of shoes.

MEC store has gone downhill so much it's no longer worth the visit. Last time I was there, there was nowhere to fill a water bottle, even the bathroom sinks didn't have running (yuck!)
Asked a staff member if there was anywhere to wash hands or fill bottles in the store - completely rude and unhelpful when I ask a simple question.
The store was messy, disorganized and the line up to pay was insanely long. I will buy my outdoor gear from smaller retailers where the prices are the same, but the service is much better

Sarah was incredibly helpful in helping me deal with a warranty claim. The entire team at the Victoria MEC location have always gone above and beyond in helping me with all of my consumer needs. I'll always come back for everything and anything gear related.

MEC has recently made changes to the layout of its store, for the better. The feel is much more open concept, and the organization is a lot more clear from a buyer's perspective. Unfortunately, I find items to be improperly displayed, and a general lack of staff. Some rows of items are completely unlabeled (the Patagonia barely bra as an example. They were shelved with the smartwool bras that look very similar with no distinction between the two). It took me 10 minutes to find somebody to help me reach an item on a higher hanging rack. Staff were helpful once I was able to find them. Overall, the store looks good and seems to be carrying more relevant brands. The service is good when you can find it.

Have had great experiences at MEC. Their warranty has been great. Hopefully it continues under the new ownership - rumor has it that things have changed…

I love MEC. I love the variety of products you can buy and the staff are very knowledgeable. The only thing I find very frustrating (and this is with most outdoor stores) is that they are not size inclusive. I strongly believe that people of all sizes should be able to purchase outdoor clothing and equipment. The outdoor world is not only for straight sized people. I would love to see more in-store inclusivity towards people who are size 14 to 22 at least. Just because we are bigger doesn't mean we don't want to be outside in nature / enjoy outdoor sports.

MEC Victoria is a wonderful establishment and that provides excellent service. With friendly, helpful, and polite staff my experience has been positive every time.

MEC is one of my favourite places to shop for active wear. The quality is usually high even though the coop's own designs are not always the most attractive or forward. However, MEC carries other brands that are attractive. The rock solid guarantee has always been a buying point for me. I also wish they had smaller men's size ie.xs. Its always fun to shop there and I always have to be careful that I only buy what I went to look for. The online store is also very helpful and delivery for in store pick up is free. The staff are knowledgeable and very helpful if you need help.

The staff here are the best. I had lost an old gift card I got for my wife and they found it in the system attached to my member number and figured out how to use it for me. Thanks so much Cliffy at the counter. Nathan also in the bike department was awesome because he put my bike seat on for me that i had just purchased. Thank you so much guys!

Always Fabulous. I have purchased my hiking shoes from MEC for the last 25 plus years. If you don't want to go to the store, give the warehouse a call with the info. And they will send you the product. So easy peasy.

I went in twice over the last two weeks with the intentions of purchasing a new pair of blundstones. The first time I waited about 15 minutes and after having multiple staff members ignore me, I decided I would leave and try another day. I was in again last weekend, I stood in the footwear section for about 15-20 minutes before I found a staff member to stop and ask for some help. They went into the back and grabbed the wrong pair of boots in the wrong size and dropped them off to me and walked away to help someone else. I ended up leaving and buying boots from another business.

Super useful assortment, staff always friendly. Decent range of pricing on bags, bike lights etc The clothing can be a bit pricey for daily use but probably fair if your using for actual outdoor sports.

Nice store for the outdoor, but limited stock. However you can have shipped for free to the store.

Under staffed. Staff kept thier heads down to avoid eye contact. Several customers were complaning to each other over the lack of assistance. I personally waited over 30 minutes for someone to find someone to help with my inquiry.

No dogs allowed, even though the food is all sealed. Homesense allows dogs and their food is all sealed too. Plus they sell dog stuff! Like come on!

So after being a member for as long as Victoria has had a MEC store, I finally cancelled my membership.

They are refusing to return a lightly-worn pair of Tevas that had some of the strap hardware self-destruct because Teva is hiring fashion designers instead of engineers (so the hardware has about 1/4 of the material as my old Teva TerraDactyls do.and breaks in 4 months).

I've included a photo of the sandal soles so you can decide for yourself if they're worn out or if MEC has decided it's more profitable not to honour their "guarantee". (That missing yellow bit of co-moulded tread lasted about 3 weeks.)

They were once a great company to do business with, but supposedly they're now on the verge of bankruptcy. Good riddance.

Just needed a small item from the bike shop and they were able to help. Having a few issues at checkout with the electronics but not much can be done about that! Nice MEC store!

Poor customer service. Very poor customer service. Due to a doctor prescribed health condition, I am exempt from wearing a mask. I avoid indoors as much as possible. I still try to wear it out of respect to others when I am indoors and I drop it below my nose for few seconds when there is no none around. Mec staff warned me from a distance to raise my mask and I explained it to her that I just drop it for few seconds when no one is around and she said I can just go outside breath. Ignorant and inconsiderate.

I've always loved MEC, but I have to say they are going downhill fast. The line used to move so fast, because they had enough staff. I waited 10 minutes and the huge line moved up by 1 person. Two people doing the job 6 would have done before. The bike shop has very little of anything - bikes, accessories or parts. Now I know there is COVID but other bike stores are far, far, far better stocked. Same in other departments. Sad. Maybe the end of an era.

MEC is no longer a Canadian-owned co-operative, but is now owned by a US private equity firm. Shop Canadian instead.savemec.ca

I am disappointed with the return policy for nonmembers. Yes I lost the receipt, yes the item was unused, no I got nothing back, not even store credit. The staff was pleasant.

MEC has taken great steps to ensure everyone is safe during Covid. The store operates as one way and keeps good flow in the store. Really enjoy the selection of light jackets and good selection of backpacks!

Went to look for boots/ shoes. The salesperson, Davey, was simply. Awesome.he not only attended to every question, he knew his stuff. One could only hope every salesperson had his standard. Thanks Davey.

They have a mandatory mask policy, of which I have no problem wearing evenHeven though it is not gov mandated. However they won't supply them like every other small business and large business on the block. Lulu lemon even supplies around the corner. You would think a company like MEC who makes millions would invest in their clients. Sad sad sad money grubbing corporation. Mec, you suck:)

We had a fantastic experience! Thank you Jamie in the shoe department for setting up my partner with the perfect pair of hiking shoes! You rock!

Went to the store only to be greeted at the gate and them saying masks mandatory for entry ok beck to car finds masks then need campaign Tents only one tent available no choice waste time nothing else big store nothing over there

I think the bike shop has the best service of all Mec shops. They can also work with a variety of types of bikes including mountain bikes.

Well, its opening up folks! Super stoked. Seems like they have also got a fresh supply of new gear. I personally need summer shirts and hiking equipment, so this is opening up for a great time for me. I hope everyone gets out there to support your local co-op. The management team is also very reception of hearing feedback from their members which is awesome

What a shame MEC you went from great to extremely poor in the last years now it's don't touch can't try on line up line wait, line up again.

Once again, members of MEC staff have exceeded my service expectations. I've been looking for an electric bike for a while, and found the bike that met all my needs at MEC online - a Cannondale Quick Neo Remixte. Because of the pandemic, MEC orders were seriously backed up when stores reopened, making ordering a bike extremely difficult. Local staff in Victoria - Patrick and Ben - tried so hard to have the bike included in a shipment from Vancouver and kept me updated on their progress. Due to the backed up orders, when the 1-800 number reopened, I was lucky enough to connect with Fred at MEC in Vancouver who patiently located a bike in a Lower Mainland store, and arranged for it to be shipped with some cool accessories. Great result especially considering how hard it is to find any bikes right now, let alone a popular e bike. Thanks a million, MEC!

Yes MEC BIKE SHOP IS THE BEST I'VE I COUNTERED IN VICTORIA FOR ALL THINGS BY CYCLISTS AND FOR CYCLING. THANKS

Very spacious store with alot of athletics gears especially rock climbing. They have winter gears too.very helpful staffs. The only downside to this store for me is that you have to have a membership card which I did not know until I was about to make a payment. The membership price is very reasonable, I believed it was $5 but I felt that some sort of advertisement about membership in the store could have helped. However, I had a great shopping experience.

Standard MEC. No complaints. Easily found what I was looking for, staff was helpful and friendly

What a sporting goods store should be. Largest bicycle accessories and parts selection I have seen. Clothing, camping gear, hiking gear. Loved it. You have to be a member to purchase anything. $5.

Going in the wrong direction with all the trendy high end merchandise.
The old days of good basic equipment and great prices are almost gone.
They are trying to cater to the hipster crowd, they keep trying to change products and then having to come back to the tried and true rock solid the company was based on.
They say they are inclusive.if you are a rail thin rock climber you are set in the catalog. Forget all the other real people.

This place is great. For so i thought.

They also like to slander their customers and spread rumors while only selling trendy items while not stocking what you actually need for a real adventure.

This has happened twice to me where my friend actually appoached me and told me that a certain employee was slandering me.

Great service, great products, knowledgeable staff and a convenient downtown location!
Been a member for some time when I was out in Alberta, but have been shopping here since we moved out West.
Would recommend MEC for all your outdoor recreation and exploring needs.

Called the bike shop to inquire about studded tyre information- the fellow from the shop was awesome! Gave me all the info i needed and more, very knowledgeable

I love MEC, and shop there frequently but I can’t recommend the bike shop. After paying $300 for a deluxe tuneup which included anew from tire and cassette I hoped my bike would run smooth as butter. But it didn’t. I took it in twice more in the next month or two for adjustments (which the more experienced staff were very gracious about). When I got a flat and took it to a different bike shop they said I needed a good tuneup only a few months after having the “deluxe”. Best to stick with one of the many independent bike shops we are blessed with in Victoria.

I arrived yesterday in Victoria and forgot my umbrella. I was downtown and it was raining like crazy. I travel with my dog, in fact he goes everywhere with me, in stores into clinics, everywhere, he is rarely not at my side.
I entered the store and asked an associate where the umbrellas were. Immediately I had at least three staff members come over and tell me that I must leave the store because I had my dog with me. I explained that I just want you to grab an umbrella quickly and they said no you must leave. I then said perhaps
my friend can run over and grab one while I wait here by the door.was told that I must leave the store now. There is no awning or any coverage outside it was absolutely pouring and I was forced to stand in the pouring rain while my friend picked up an umbrella. All of this over a 2-minute umbrella transaction. I understand that some places are not pet friendly, though these days they are rare. It is become generally understood that dogs are ones companions and typically allowed to go most places. My dog is a quiet shy well-behaved whippets The behaviour of the staff in the store to be aggressive, forceful nd lacking any human compassion.
I'm not trying to be dramatic but this was rather embarrassing. Shame in MEC for casting a senior out in the rain. Recognizing that this is a store policy one would expect some level of adjustments due to circumstances. Will not be going back to that store again!

Brought my bike for a free pre-purchased tune up did not fix my derailleur and have to come back many times to re fix it but what I got is a scratched and chipped off paint on my bike. My bike still under warranty but I hate complaining. What I like is to spread how good or bad their mechanic.

What a fantastic store. Great service is a regular occurrence. Grateful for all the helpful and very knowledgeable staff at this store. Thanks!

Would recommend! Jackets and backpacks there lasted through my whole hike up Mount Celeste! Again, would recommend!

Friendly staff. Great return policy. Like seriously? You can return even if you wear the sandals & it turns out uncomfortable?

Wow. Imagine being okay losing money just to satisfy a customer.

Don't know if I can ever take advantage of that, but it's sure nice to know it's there if I change my mind.

Awesome selection! They gave us a bag even though we forgot to bring one. Thumbs up!

Great store. Friendly and helpful staff. Could use a bit more room. It does get clogged easily. And the clothes on the men’s side seem to never get replennish so you look at the same few options.

A. Thank you for being open until 9, I would have missed my bike ride if I hadn’t been able to get my flat tire fixed!

B. Thank you to the crazy friendly staff for happy and professional service!

C. I forgot my helmet at home when I drove my bike down to the shop and instead of letting me buy an inexpensive one, you loaned me one for my ride. I have been a member for a long time and will continue to be on for even longer and this is why!

Thanks to all of you:)

Purchased Gregory Stout 65 Back Pack in March planning a solo trip on the West Coast Trail. Left in the first week of July. Quite quickly it was obvious the back pack was not up to the challenge. Within the first 2 days the chest strap buckle broke. The buckle was severely undersized to handle the stresses of maintaining a positive adjustment. None of the other buckles could be substituted. The adjustment straps were also undersized to maintain a tight fit. Victoria MEC was great in in accepting the return of the Gregory Back Pack. I would not recommend this back pack for this type of high level challenging trek.

Great service from the bicycle shop (my Specialized Secteur Expert 2014 has not run this smoothly since it was new). They have high quality components at very reasonable prices.