Will selling “high-quality, lightly used product at lower price points” likely impact REI’s sale of full-price items and overall margins? Do you see opportunities for REI to provide greater value to consumers and supporting sustainability goals through REI Used?
Interactive Edge’s CEO, Zel Bianco comments:
It confirms an idea I’ve been kicking around that most people have no problem buying high-end branded products that are not perfect if they can do so at a significantly reduced price. I need a pair of hiking shoes and don’t hike enough to warrant spending a big number on a new pair. This meets my needs perfectly. There is a market for high-end goods in every category that are perfectly fine to wear and use but may have a few stitches out of place. Every manufacturer has goods that cannot be sold at full retail because of a slight flaw. Why not makes these available to those that don’t care they are not perfect? Will it hurt their higher-priced offerings? There will always be consumers that want and need their purchases to be flawless.
Read the entire article from RetailWire: