Branding: The Integrated Shopper

Unlike Patagonia, REI carries a variety of other brands: North Face, Under Armour, Marmot and, yes, even Patagonia. This is good and bad. It's good because people can view REI as the ultimate resource for outdoor gear. It's bad because it dilutes the exclusivity and loyalty for the REI brand name.

After viewing its catalog, browsing its site and roaming its store, it seems REI has chosen to embrace its positioning as the ultimate resource. It offers a wider variety and bigger selection than Patagonia, and because of that comes across as the big guy on the block, although perhaps not as special. REI also uses lifestyle photography throughout its catalog and website, but it feels a bit staged and too polished compared to Patagonia's snapshot, real-life execution.