There are now roughly 600 stores across the U.S. operated by digitally native brands, according to Green Street Advisors, and that number is rising fast.
More companies are recognizing that the road to growth lies only in having a physical presence and omni-channel retail options, experts say.
“Online brands have embraced clicks-to-bricks,” said Faith Hope Consolo, chairwoman of Prudential Douglas Elliman’s retail division, speaking to the Associated Press in an article carried in the Houston Chronicle. “Shoppers love to touch, interact and try on in person, and malls are upping the ante by offering immersive experiences that are exciting and memorable.”
Bedding brand Casper plans to have about 200 stores in two to three years, up from 20 now
That growth is destined to continue, with Bonobos, for one, planning to add about 100 stores to the 60 it operates now, and mattress retailer Casper intending to boost its store count by 10-fold over the next two or three years, to about 200, up from 20 now. Among others rapidly adding on stores are eyewear retailer Warby Parker and fashion merchant Fabletics.
For emerging brands (defined as those less than 10 years old), opening a store helps increase online traffic by an average of 45 percent within a given market, according to an ICSC study released in the fall and titled The Halo Effect: How Bricks Impact Clicks. For established brands (those 10 years old or older) a store opening helps boost online traffic by some 36 percent, on average.
By Edmund Mander
Director, Editor-In-Chief/SCT
