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It's worth noting that REI is a co-op, which means it's owners are actually it's customers.
by mbesto 10y ago
It's worth noting that REI is a co-op, which means it's owners are actually it's customers.
- freshyill 10y agoI've got annual checks sitting here somewhere for both me and my wife. They're never huge, since REI sells such expensive stuff, we never spend much. I think both of our checks add up to around $50. Still, it's nothing to sneeze at.
- Bartweiss 10y agoI'd never actually dealt with a co-op before REI. The profits shared aren't huge, but combined with the membership discount it's often cheaper than shopping online resellers. I'm impressed.
- mbesto 10y agoWell technically speaking, REI profits aren't huge because its a retailer. You're looking at generally 2-10% margin businesses.
- Bartweiss 10y agoYeah, I don't meant to imply they're shortchanging anyone - retail sales are tough even on higher-margin goods like outdoor gear. I was just comparing to online retailers, where profit-share + member discount brings them to rough parity.