Outdoor Co-op REI Is Thriving, but Does It Have Members, or Shoppers?
Seattle — REI’s business acumen has taken it to lofty heights rarely seen by a retail cooperative. But as a record-low turnout in the latest annual election shows, REI’s original democratic fervor seems to have stayed at base camp. Members these days engage more via Twitter, Facebook or email. They behave more like customers than co-owners, underscoring how rapid growth has radically altered the relationship between members and a...
