Project Description
I joined REI Co-op to help it create engaging customer mobile experiences, with the intent to be a part of the digital transformation of a legacy retailer. I started as the creative manager for the mobile team, and then became the senior manager for all the product teams in mobile.
The consumer app and the employee app had not been updated in 3+ years, so the opportunities seemed endless. My team was able to incrementally increase the customer app revenue from $45M in 2019, to over $140M in 2021.
The redesigned employee app was instrumental in providing a seamless and efficient experience for store employees when my team designed and launched the first iteration of curbside delivery during the covid pandemic.
Project Details
Client REI Co-op, Inc.
Date 2019-2021
Skills Product management, product leadership, product strategy, creative direction, team leadership, mobile design
REI Mobile Product Strategy
Working with my product managers, product designers, and leadership, I identified two main courses of action my team could take to support the growth of the REI business:
- Create a more robust, personalized experience for shoppers using the app
- Increase the value of the employee tools to increase confidence with the customers they interact with in store, and also help them feel more informed about product availability and location.
Modernize REI’s investment in people and the outdoors
At the time, REI was a legacy retailer of 85 years when I joined. Given the acquisition of a trail mapping company out of Boulder, CO they hadn’t really engaged with, and looking for ways to increase the relevance of REI in people’s lives, my team took a hard look at how we could start with a digital-first approach to a post-covid world.
- Help people who are not outdoor people have a better idea of their fitness level, and provide ideas of what would be good options nearby
- Explore with friends to see where they are going, and connect to explore the outdoors together
- Help find profiles of people you would like to meet up with in a safe way
Ultimately, the project was cancelled as leadership priorities changed, and the trail company was sold off.