When the Store Doesn’t Yet Reflect the Strategy
Retail in Real Time ● March 12
In this field visit: A look inside REI following the launch of its Peak 28 strategy, where the vision for the future is clear, but the sales floor still catching up.
Last fall, REI introduced Peak 28: Ascending Together, a three-year strategic plan designed to guide the co-op’s next chapter.
The ambition is clear.
REI wants to become the most trusted retailer for people who love the outdoors.
Trust in retail is built through reliability.
The right gear. The right season. The right experience.
During a recent store visit, however, the environment suggested there may still be work ahead to bring that vision fully to life on the sales floor.
What I Saw
One of the most noticeable elements of the visit was how much of the store was dedicated to winter clearance.
By rough observation, roughly 40–50% of the sales floor appeared to be clearance merchandise.
Entire racks held only a handful of SKUs, often with just one or two sizes remaining. Product density felt light across several areas, leaving noticeable open space between fixtures.
Clearance signage dominated multiple walls and apparel presentations.
The environment felt slightly behind the season.
Several associates passed during the visit, but no engagement occurred. In a specialty outdoor retailer where expertise and guidance are part of the value proposition, that absence stands out.
For a brand known for helping customers prepare for adventure, the store environment felt thinner than expected.
Why It Matters
REI’s Peak 28 strategy is built around four pillars:
• Connected, focused and trailblazing culture
• Authentic, culturally leading assortment
• Elevated service and experience
• Reinvented membership
These are strong priorities.
But in retail, strategy only becomes meaningful when it shows up clearly in the store environment.
Customers experience a brand through assortment depth, seasonal relevance, and human interaction. When the store feels slightly behind the season and product depth is limited, the experience can begin to feel less dependable.
A Broader Pattern
This dynamic is not unique to REI.
Across retail right now we are hearing more about strategy, transformation and long-term vision. Customers are still waiting to see those ideas show up clearly inside the store.
In some ways, it reminds me of what we are seeing at Target right now. Leadership has outlined an evolving strategy and direction for the brand. The next step is bringing that strategy to life in the environment customers experience every day.
The distance between intent and execution is where many retail strategies succeed or stall.
A Personal Signal
As a long-time REI co-op member, I’m rooting for the brand to succeed.
But my own shopping behavior has shifted recently.
This year my dividend was $6.80. In prior years it was often over $100.
That change says less about loyalty and more about how important it is for strategy to show up clearly in the store experience.
When customers feel confident the store will reliably equip them for the season ahead, the relationship naturally deepens.
Closing Thought
Peak 28 outlines a compelling vision for REI.
The opportunity now is translating that vision more consistently onto the sales floor.
Because in retail, trust is not built through strategy announcements.
It is built through what customers experience every time they walk into the store.