Recreational Equipment, Inc: Online Retail Presence Observations

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Recreational Equipment, Inc Online Retail
Presence Observations

• Presented by Therese Nielsen
• 8/14/08

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Researching REI Basic Information

• Founded in 1938 as a catalog-based retailer
• Structured as a cooperative
• As part of its core values, engages in
  environmental stewardship
• Conducts business via physical stores, online
  store, online discount outlet, catalog, and call
  center

3
Exploring Customer Experience

• Lots of material online Wikipedia, Forrester
  Research, IBM
• Visited the store and observed interactions
  between patrons and sales people
• Interviewed six people, and read Yelp reviews
• 100 guarantee retains customers
• In-store pickup very popular
• Customers like the membership benefits
• Customers generally fans of REI before ever
  visiting the website
• Went through the site very thoroughly, noting
  strengths and weaknesses

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REIs Website
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Good Shopping Cart Indicates Quantity
Shopping cart retains items
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Good Utility Menu
Shopping cart retains items
Efficient utility menu
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Good Aesthetically Appealing
Shopping cart retains items
Efficient utility menu
Attractive photos, nice use of white space
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Good Congruence with Company Values
Shopping cart retains items
Efficient utility menu
Attractive photos, nice use of white space
Promotes core values
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Good Tools to Educate Customers
Expert Advice section very worthwhile
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Good Brand Finder
Useful page provides simple way to find brands
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Good Social Networking
Customer reviews
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Good Zoom Feature
Zoom Feature
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Good Additional Product Views
Option to see more product views
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Good Flexible Shopping Cart
Shopping cart allows user to check out as a guest
15
Problem Too many navigational choices
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Problem Too many navigational choices
Competing and redundant menu items make it
visually overwhelming
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Problem Too many sub-navigational choices
Excessive menu items when hovering over main
menu items
Difficult for users to scan quickly and remember
contents
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Problem Lack of wayfinding guidance
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Problem Lack of wayfinding guidance
No section identifier within navigation
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Problem Lack of wayfinding guidance
No section identifier within navigation
Potentially confusing to put a brand in the
category area.
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Problem Unnecessary sorting criteria
Not logical to sort by brand when its already
filtered by brand
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Problem Non-descriptive section headings
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Problem Non-descriptive section headings
User must click on link to know section contents
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Problem Non-descriptive section headings
User must click on link to know section contents
Closely-related terms
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Problem Non-descriptive section headings
User must click on link to know section contents
Closely-related terms
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Problem Non-descriptive section headings
User must click on link to know section contents
Vague
Closely-related terms
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Problem Non-descriptive section headings
User must click on link to know section contents
Vague
What if user wants socks?
Closely-related terms
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Problem Difficulties finding products
Irrelevant search engine results
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Problem Product database not synchronized
Unavailable products
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Problem Important info not prominent
Key information should stand out more
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Problem Important info not prominent
Links to useful information, at the footer of
the page
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Problem Overlapping/Redundant Information
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Problem Overlapping/Redundant Information
Identical information on other pages, does not
support users memory
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Problem Poor information scent
Links are misleading and lead to confusion and
excessive clicking
From the Get Out There page
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Problem Mismatched Lower Level Items
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Problem Mismatched Lower Level Items
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Problem Shopping cart issues
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Problem Shopping cart alignment
This info should be on right side of screen
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Problem Unhelpful tax link
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Problem Excess information in cart area
Not necessary here
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Problem Extra steps in check-out
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Problem Extra steps in check-out
Leads to another screen, contents of which could
be incorporated on initial page
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Problem Lengthy check-out form
These steps are optional, should be flagged as
such
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Problem Poor positioning of information
Info relating to membership is located in
different area
Will likely be overlooked
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Problem Instructions to Use Site
Site should not need explanation of how to use
it.
Too much detail. Web users have little time to
read lengthy text
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Ideas from Competitors Moosejaw
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Ideas from Competitors Moosejaw
Simple menu
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Ideas from Competitors Moosejaw
Simple menu
Clear areas for help
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Ideas from Competitors Moosejaw
Continually visible shopping cart
Simple menu
Clear areas for help
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Ideas from Competitors Athleta
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Ideas from Competitors Athleta
Informative shopping cart area
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Ideas from Competitors Athleta
Informative shopping cart area
Menu items are clear
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Ideas from Competitors Athleta
More information when user hovers
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Ideas from Competitors Athleta Shopping Bag
Additional items draw interest
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Ideas from Competitors Athleta Shopping Bag
Additional items draw interest
Total neatly laid out
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Ideas from Competitors Athleta Shopping Bag
Additional items draw interest
Helpful info on tax in convenient location
Total neatly laid out
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Solution Simplified Architecture
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Solution Revised Section Page
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Solution Revised Shopping Cart
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Solution Revised Shopping Cart
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Solution Revised Shopping Cart
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Key Business Concerns for REIs Online Channel

• Focus on the customers needs
• Maintain a consistent identity across all
  channels (online store, online outlet store,
  physical store, catalog, call center)
• Collaborate and communicate across channels

63
Does REI follow multichannel opportunities?

• Positive signs
• In-store pickup for online ordering
• Allows flexible returns and 100 guarantee across
  channels
• REI.com and REI-outlet.com share search results
• Easy online chat feature

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Inside REIs Physical Store Membership
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Inside REIs Physical Store Membership
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Areas to work on multichannel opportunities

• Recommendation dedicate a section of the site to
  membership.

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Inside REIs Physical Store 100 Guarantee
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Areas to work on multichannel opportunities

• Recommendation give more prominence to the 100
  Guarantee

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Inside REIs Physical Store Organization
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Areas to work on multichannel opportunities

• Recommendation Invest in making website more
  usable so that information is findable.

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REI Online for the Future

• REI has a strong and loyal following that has
  existed since before its online channel
• To remain competitive and to stay true to the
  other channels that exist, REI should improve its
  online user experience
• Conduct more interviews, develop personas and
  scenarios, to begin to see things from the user
  perspective
• Follow with extensive usability testing

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Questions?