On March 2, 2022, REI Co-op relaunched the lifetime co-op membership program, providing extra methods for members to develop, join and have a broader impression. With the relaunched membership, we expanded the worth of membership with enhanced advantages. This collection explains every membership profit in depth and celebrates our collective impression.
Perhaps you want extra freeze-dried dinners for subsequent week’s backpack. Or perhaps a mosquito internet for a bug-free tropical trip. Until not too long ago, members needed to spend $50 or extra to get free delivery, and small gadgets like these would fall beneath that threshold. Members, like different clients, paid delivery charges of $5.99 or extra. Now, as one of many new advantages included in our relaunch of the REI Co-op membership program, all members obtain free U.S. commonplace delivery on all orders, with no minimal order. (Exceptions apply for worldwide delivery and outsized gadgets.) That means elevated flexibility and comfort for members and fewer journeys to the shop to choose up a single merchandise.
It’s a profit that members requested and likewise one thing that few different retailers at the moment provide.
“We know that free shipping is a core customer expectation in today’s retail environment. Our members and prospects have continually ranked shipping as a highly appealing benefit for REI membership,” says Brigette Pence, senior supervisor, Loyalty Strategy and Membership. “Providing free shipping without any threshold, and without an annual subscription fee, is differentiated in the marketplace and provides meaningful value to our members.”
Over time, that little change for members can imply appreciable financial savings. It’s additionally a profit that aligns with our carbon-reduction targets. Sue Long, REI sustainability initiative supervisor, calculated the impacts of delivery to a buyer versus the shopper touring to the shop for an merchandise. She discovered that delivery to a buyer, together with emissions from the packaging, normally creates a decrease carbon impression in contrast with driving to the shop, until the shopper is driving an electrical automobile (EV) powered by renewable power or going to a close-by retailer to choose up a heavy merchandise that will in any other case be shipped lengthy distance.
“For light items and orders like apparel and shoes, shipping to home is likely to have a lower carbon impact unless the customer drives a zero-emission vehicle or walks,” says Sue. “Even taking public transit generally produces higher emissions than direct-to-customer for low- to medium-weight orders.”
With this in thoughts, members—together with staff—can be ok with ordering what they want on-line.
Like all advantages included in our membership relaunch, we selected to supply free delivery after listening to our clients and subject groups and discovering out what would greatest increase the worth of lifetime membership and contribute to the long-term well being of the co-op.
“We are proud to continue to offer our members the very best co-op experience, no matter where they shop,” says Brigette. “Our free shipping service enables members to save their time (and money) for what they really love—getting outside.”