Abstract: Preorder consumer food cooperatives, commonly called food-buying clubs, are a well-known example of participatory consumer cooperation. Members trade labor in return for lower prices on products This article develops a theory to predict when consumers will join a p reorder food cooperative. It also reviews previous empirical research on preorder cooperatives, employs multiple regression analysis to test for economies of size in preorder groups, and analyzes the dyamics of co-op growth in an attempt to explain why some preorders fail and other stabilize or grow. The concluding section evaluates the likelihood of continued increase in the number of preorder food cooperatives It also suggests that preorders may be the precursor of a new "catalog-based" retailing format with substantial system economies.

　　Subjects: COOPERATIVE societies; CONSUMER cooperatives; PRICES; REGRESSION analysis; CONSUMERS; ECONOMIES of scale; RETAIL trade; All Other Miscellaneous Store Retailers (except Tobacco Stores); FOOD -- Economic aspects; GROCERY shopping; FOOD