Retailer cooperatives have long helped smaller, independent stores purchase in volume. These loose confederations could also be an answer for ecommerce shipping and returns.
The idea is simple: A group of retail businesses pool their money to buy in bulk.
A hardware store in Boise, Idaho, wanting to stock DeWalt tools might not have enough buying power to get the best prices. But if it cooperated with 50 independent hardware shops nationwide, suddenly the group would have the collective resources to be taken seriously.
That’s a retailer cooperative in action.
