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I don't know about REI in particular, but in my experience when many companies tell customers that they're "members", they don't mean it. They seem to want to c

I don't know about REI in particular, but in my experience when many companies tell customers that they're "members", they don't mean it. They seem to want to create engagement ('you're part of something, part of our growing, exciting family / movement') and want their customers/members to sacrifice money or time, even volunteer, and to put up with bad service. But when it comes to the benefits of membership - sharing in the profits as well as the sacrifices, or having some influence and communication - you're a customer, or at best a customer with a free branded t-shirt.

dllthomas 11y ago
REI in particular is a member owned consumer cooperative.
- hackuser 11y ago
  I meant, I don't know if my description of some company's practices regarding their "members" applies to REI.
  - jschwartzi 11y ago
    REI shares dividends, and the stores are full of some of the most helpful people I know. They're about as good as USAA.
- ctdonath 11y ago
  ... which is indistinguishable from a "shoppers' club card". I don't see any benefits beyond discounts and rebates. Voting is a rumor, and meaningless to most members. You're treated like a shopper, not an owner. I'm a happy REI customer with a card.
- bcherry 11y ago
  I've always been confused about this. REI has 12 million members, and annual revenue of $2.2B. If someone wanted to buy REI's business, who would they buy it from? A retailer like Target has $70B annual revenue and a market cap of $40B. So that would suggest that REI could be worth something like $1B. Would each of the 12M members get a check for $83?
  - __derek__ 11y ago
    From the article: "Another advantage of being a co-op: Since REI is technically owned by millions of members who’d get little cash from a takeover, it’d be very cumbersome for a rival to buy it out."
deleted 11y ago
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rconti 11y ago
http://www.rei.com/stores/san-carlos.html http://www.rei.com/stores/san-carlos.html First thing you'll see when you Google your local REI store is paid and free classes available.

dllthomas 11y ago

REI in particular is a member owned consumer cooperative.

hackuser 11y ago
I meant, I don't know if my description of some company's practices regarding their "members" applies to REI.
- jschwartzi 11y ago
  REI shares dividends, and the stores are full of some of the most helpful people I know. They're about as good as USAA.
ctdonath 11y ago
... which is indistinguishable from a "shoppers' club card". I don't see any benefits beyond discounts and rebates. Voting is a rumor, and meaningless to most members. You're treated like a shopper, not an owner. I'm a happy REI customer with a card.
bcherry 11y ago
I've always been confused about this. REI has 12 million members, and annual revenue of $2.2B. If someone wanted to buy REI's business, who would they buy it from? A retailer like Target has $70B annual revenue and a market cap of $40B. So that would suggest that REI could be worth something like $1B. Would each of the 12M members get a check for $83?
- __derek__ 11y ago
  From the article: "Another advantage of being a co-op: Since REI is technically owned by millions of members who’d get little cash from a takeover, it’d be very cumbersome for a rival to buy it out."

deleted 11y ago

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rconti 11y ago

http://www.rei.com/stores/san-carlos.html http://www.rei.com/stores/san-carlos.html First thing you'll see when you Google your local REI store is paid and free classes available.