Taking the new REI website for a spin

Summary: A subtle, but solid, redesign of what was one of the better outdoor retail sites to begin with.

On May 28th REI launched a redesigned website.

You can check out their overview of the redesign here: http://www.rei.com/features/redesignOverview.html

Although not a drastic change, the first thing that will probably strike visitors is that the layout and interface have been altered. The new design is subtle and clean. I’m not a big fan of “look at me, I’m in your face!” flash sites and REI avoids that here. Actually, when I first ran across the new site a week ago while looking into wedding registries (a blog for another day) it took me several moments to realize something was different. That is a good sign, it means even though I was on autopilot that day the site was intuitive enough that it didn’t require me to stop and look around to figure things out.

Some of the changes they highlight in their overview are bigger product pictures and better organized drop down menus, both of which are welcome updates, especially the default bigger product views. The site has always had a nice zoom in feature, you can literally see the weave of the materials on some products… or check out the breaks on a bike up close… but having a bigger initial picture when browsing items is nice. The improved drop down menus are an obvious upgrade over the older menus

The other changes they tout were already part of the older site, such as user reviews and an expert advice area, but these features may have received updates… hard to tell since I didn’t use them much before. Since I am in the market for a casual canoe or kayak right now, and could use some advice, this seemed like a good time to take the Expert Advice section for a spin. Essentially it is a library of articles arranged by subject – so I went to Paddling and then to Canoes (there is also a section for kayaks). There were about 40 or so articles touching on things such as safety, portaging, paddling tips and ‘how to choose’. The articles were pretty standard and basic, but useful if you are new to the subject. More detailed questions/advice will still have to come from another source.

More changes are incoming according to REI, including a mapping feature (It will be interesting to see what they have in mind with that), and the site seems to be running smooth. Although when I emailed customer support to ask when the update was launched the reply mentioned that there are some “wrinkles that need to be ironed out”.

Overall it is a pretty solid redesign for what was one of the better outdoor retail sites to begin with. Here is an archive of the site from August of last year in case you are feeling nostalgic, or just want a reference for the changes.