Promotion
The REI Company uses a lot of different types of promotion. With the promotion actions they will reach the customers and the members of REI. REI uses the following types of promotion:
• Catalog
• Magazine
• Newspaper
• Internet
• E-mail (they sent e-mails to the members)
• TV commercials (Discovery Channel)
• Radio Commercials
In 2010, they had been made a TV commercial for the first time. The commercial was broadcast on Discovery Channel. For promotional actions to the members they use e-mail and internet. REI sent an e-mail to the members and in this e-mail they mentioned new products, actions and many more information for the members.
The Fortune magazine has a list of 100 best companies to work for. In the next sentence, could you read the news release: When FORTUNE magazine measured REI against a broad range of companies across the U.S., we were saluted! In 2010 REI placed number 14 among the "100 Best Companies to Work For".
Product
They are selling top of the line products and even have their own brand. They test their own brand and other brands. They do this because they want to have only the best of the best in their shop.
Price
They aren’t the cheapest outdoor company. They want to sell products of high quality and with good service to people who want to give more money for a better product. So their motto is you get what you pay for, and when you pay much you get a very good product with a very good service.
Customer Comment (Paul Wiener)
Prices are good, with frequent special offers and the opportunity to get discounts at their outlet web site. Paul is member since 1965.
Place
The REI store in Tempe started 25 years ago. It’s not a big store, but the people will come there anyway. The costumers don’t come there on purpose, but with a reason. They really have to go there, to get what they want. The store in Tempe is a known store for all the people that live there. It’s all about the reputation that the store’s got. If something’s sold out, they can get it from the Phoenix store, so that they can please al there costumers.
The store there has a turnover of 10mllion. So they don’t complain about that numbers of the ‘small’ store. They do get more and more members so the store will stay in Tempe for a while.
Personnel
All people directly or indirectly involved in providing the service and/or product add a significant value to it and are an important part of REI. The staff has to attend a 2 weeks training of a total of 50 hours where selling skills, knowledge about the different products and general information about REI is given. Furthermore, the personnel needs to be interested in sports and have a positive attitude towards the customers by being helpful and nice at all times.
