Harvard Business Review

DECEMBER 7, 2017

One retailer I know saw a 35% bump in sales when it gave customers the option of picking up merchandise in its stores that they had bought online.). All members (men and women) receive a 10% discount on merchandise. But that alone will not save many retailers’ physical stores. Recreational Equipment Inc.

Merchandising 11

Merchandising Retail Reis Discount 11

Harvard Business Review

SEPTEMBER 17, 2018

REI—an outdoor supplies company—sells inexpensive co-op memberships , and members enjoy members-only sales, free classes, even in-store “garage sales” of returned merchandise. Or someone who waits in line for hours for the next iPhone because they want to get it first.

Productivity 9

Productivity Products Reis Film 9

Harvard Business Review

JUNE 22, 2016

Outdoor retailer REI goes even further by holding events, classes, and service projects to engage with the local communities around its stores. Customers are thrilled by the prices it offers given the quality of its merchandise. More big box retailers should design their stores to deliver big experiences like these.

Retail 9

Retail Discount Reis Supply Chain 9

Harvard Business Review

FEBRUARY 28, 2011

Last year REI drove traffic to its stores by offering $1 donations to charity for every check-in, with a ceiling of $100,000. Games like Farmville and Mafia Wars hosted on Facebook are immensely successful, creating an ideal opportunity for retailers to do something they know well: marry entertainment and merchandising.

Retail 15

Retail Discount Reis Merchandising 15

Harvard Business Review

JUNE 23, 2014

A better look at the merchandise, and the benefits of touch and feel – but even more, for expertise that could guide their choice. Backcountry.com and Zappos, for example, are excellent online retailers, but they haven’t displaced REI or the local shoe store, because people value that hands-on expertise. Design for empathic expertise.

Retail 8

Retail Reis Price Banking 8

Harvard Business Review

FEBRUARY 3, 2015

And the merchandising vice president had difficulty understanding why “product” was one of the categories we were discussing. REI’s brand platform is the excitement and adventure of the outdoors; Chick-fil-A’s is exceeding customers’ expectations with a servant’s spirit.

Brand 8

Brand Reis Objective Merchandising 8

Harvard Business Review

MAY 22, 2013

By contrast, the UK-based retailer, Tesco, has launched an array of "virtual" stores designed to sell products with no merchandise. The more compelling and unique — think REI with its climbing walls — the better. As Samsung demonstrated, sometimes a showroom is just a showroom.

Retail 8

Retail Reis Merchandising Download 8