Product Offerings

 
Write an analysis that compares the integrated marketing strategies of REI with those of a competitor company. There is no page limit for this assessment.
The focus of a marketing program is on summarizing the essence of the product or service through an integrated marketing effort. An integrated effort includes a thorough analysis of the company, the competition, and the customer requirements. The product line management uses design, product positioning, and other elements to present a unique set of values in the customer’s mind, either carving out a niche or maintaining market share leadership over competitive products.
SHOW LESS
By successfully completing this assessment, you will demonstrate your proficiency in the following course competencies and assessment criteria:

Competency 1: Examine the basic marketing models for a business or organization.

Compare product strategies of different companies with the same product category.
Compare distribution strategies of different companies with the same product category.
Compare price strategies of different companies with the same product category.
Compare promotion strategies of different companies with the same product category.

Competency 2: Relate the importance of an integrated marketing program to the economic impact of a business.

Assess how an integrated marketing program contributes to a company’s economic success.
Assess how an integrated marketing program of a competitor company contributes to the competitor’s economic success.

 
Case studies are a very effective way of applying business concepts to a real-world situation and that approach will be used for this activity. For this assessment, consider that you work as a marketing analyst for a consulting firm and that your manager asked you to develop a case study for the executive team of the organization in the case. That executive team will use your analysis and recommendations in their business planning.
For this assessment, return to the REI case study. Choose a product category offered by REI and research the REI product line for this product. Select an REI competitor and research its product line for the same category. Focus on how each company approaches its marketing matrix according to the 4 P’s (product, price, place, and promotion).
Based on your research, write an analysis that addresses the following:

Compares product strategies of different companies with the same product category and evaluates their relative effectiveness.
Compares the integrated marketing strategies of REI with those of the competitor company for the product category you chose and evaluates their relative effectiveness. In your comparison, be sure to include:

Product strategies (features and benefits).
Place strategies (distribution of products and services).
Pricing strategies.
Promotion strategies.

Assesses how each company’s integrated marketing strategy might affect its economic success and identifies opportunities for improvements to the marketing programs that could improve each company’s economic success.

Based on your executive audience, your case study should be well organized and written in clear, succinct language. Follow APA rules for attributing sources that support your analysis and conclusions.
Academic Integrity and APA Formatting

 
This research guide can be used as a starting point for investigating REI’s marketing practices.
Explore the Recreational Equipment Incorporated (REI) Web site for an overview of the company philosophy, products, and services. Check out the content of the About REI section of the Web site. Note: The following company background information was formerly presented on the Web site.
REI’s thriving spirit was born in the 1930s when Pacific Northwest mountaineer Lloyd Anderson began his search for an ice axe. Lloyd wanted a reliable tool at a reasonable price but had no success in finding one locally. He eventually found a high-quality model in an Austrian alpine gear catalog for a mere $3.50, shipping included. Word about his find quickly spread among Seattle’s climbing community, which led Lloyd and his wife, Mary, to convene with 21 fellow climbers to establish an outdoor gear co-op in 1938 (REI, 2007).
You might find it interesting to compare this historical outline with the content currently featured on the About REI page.
In this course, you will also be required to use secondary research resources. Explore and review the marketing research resources of the organizations below:
https://www.nsga.org/ 
https://www.sfia.org/ 

Use the Internet Archive tool, the https://archive.org/, to search for REI.com and you will find historical versions of REI Web site pages. Select a few pages and compare REI’s former prices and product offerings with the current online catalog.

Secondary research resources can also be found through organizations affiliated with REI.  https://www.entre-prises.us/ , the organization that built the first climbing wall in the REI flagship store, provided the following secondary research information about REI:

“REI opened the doors to its flagship store in Seattle, in 1996.
This large retail store is located adjacent to Interstate 5 in downtown Seattle.
Up to 250,000 people drive by the store every day. It was important to REI to capture their attention.
REI looked to Entre Prises to build a 65 ft. freestanding structure that would be the central focus of the store.
After ten months of construction, 4 miles of rebar, and 120 tons of concrete, the ICON for REI was sculpted. REI has received unparalleled media response from the climbing wall. People wait hours to climb the Entre Prises Pinnacle and in the first year over 10,000 people climbed it, and the interest continues to grow!” (Entre Prises USA, Inc., 2007).

References
Entre Prises USA, Inc. (n.d.). REI flagship store: Entre prises creates a masterpiece! Retrieved from http://www.epusa.com/featured_project.php?otype=i&id=13
Entre Prises USA, Inc. (2013). Entre Prises: Climbing walls. Retrieved from http://www.epusa.com
Internet Archive. (2013). Wayback machine. Retrieved from http://archive.org/web/web.php
National Sporting Goods Association. (2013). NSGA. Retrieved from http://www.nsga.org/i4a/pages/index.cfm?pageid=1
REI, Inc. (2007). The REI story. Retrieved from http://www.rei.com/jobs/story.jsp
REI. (2013). Retrieved from http://www.rei.com
Sports and Fitness Industry Association. (2013). SFIA. Retrieved from http://www.sfia.org