REI Closed on Black Friday

By TIM DARNELL (Patch Staff)

REI is not only encouraging its customers to enjoy the great outdoors on Black Friday, it’s paying its employees to do so as well.

REI’s 12,000 workers -- including those at its Woodbridge store -- will have off both Thanksgiving and Black Friday, according to CNN Money.

In the past, Black Friday has been among the retailer’s top 10 sales days of the year, and the company admits that being closed on Black Friday will impact its revenue.

But Atlanta PR professional Mitch Leff says it’s a ” great strategy.

“It’s created a great deal of awareness of REI,” he said. “They’re encouraging employees to spend time outside which connects the announcement to their products and mission.

“From an internal communications and HR perspective it creates positive feelings among the company’s employees.”

Customers will be able to make online orders, but the company’s homepage will also encourage purchasers to get outside on Black Friday as well.

REI has 143 stores in the U.S.

“REI customers tend to be very local, so from a sales perspective, it’ll probably just shift sales to earlier in the week or the weekend after,” Leff said.