REI expanding store concept dedicated to used gear and apparel
REI Co-op is building on its efforts to keep used outdoor products in circulation.
The specialty outdoor retailer will open a standalone REI Re/Supply store dedicated to used gear and apparel at Clackamas Town Center in Clackamas, Ore., in late August. The 16,113-sq.-ft. outpost will be close to REI’s existing store, which has been in business since 2007. It will join the retailer’s eight other stores in Oregon.
The new Re/Supply will provide REI members with access to high-quality, used outdoor gear and apparel at great prices, the company said. The selection will change frequently and be made up of lightly used products that REI receives through the typical returns process as well as items received through trade-in programs.
The new location will join REI’s Re/Supply store in Manhattan Beach, Calif., which opened in 2020.
“As a member-owned co-op, we have a responsibility to preserve the long-term health of the planet," said Bob Cagle, REI regional director. "Our Re/Supply offering reimagines the lifecycle of outdoor products and helps keep gear where it belongs — out on trails, waterways and other natural places. Opening a Re/Supply store in the community builds on the popularity of our used program that is enjoyed by many Oregonians."
Access to the program is a benefit of REI co-op membership, which has a one-time lifetime membership fee of $30. (The Portland market has more than 303,000 active members.)
Membership provides access to the Re/Supply program a as well as discounts on shop services and experiences, free flat-tire repair (labor only) and ski waxing. Members also receive an annual reward of 10% back on eligible purchases.
REI initially launched its online “recommerce” (used or resale) business in 2018, and in October 2019 the retailer piloted a used gear buy-back program with 5,000 members that offered the members REI gift cards when they trade in gently-used outdoor items for resale. Last year, more than one million used products were sold through REI's Re/Supply’s omnichannel offering.
REI's investment in Re/Supply also aligns with its 2030 climate goals to de-couple business growth from carbon impact. Buying used instead of new typically avoids carbon emissions of 50% or more based on REI's estimate of preparing used gear for sale versus making new gear.
The nation's largest consumer co-op, REI has 181 locations in 42 states and the District of Columbia. It has an active adventure travel business that runs more than 100 itineraries across the country.
In many communities where REI has a presence, professionally trained instructors share their expertise by hosting beginner-to advanced-level classes and workshops about a wide range of activities. To build on the infrastructure that makes life outside possible, REI invests millions annually in hundreds of local and national nonprofits that create access to — and steward — the outdoor places that inspire us all.