By merging successful creators and e-commerce companies with landlords who have space to fill, alternative online-to-offline retail strategies are showcasing the value of physical spaces.
After mostly selling online, hand-held massage company Theragun is testing the brick-and-mortar waters with retail locations that will also offer Theragun massages and other alternative therapies, the Los Angeles Times reported. Just this year, the company plans to open 12 locations in a few cities, starting with L.A.
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The first Reset wellness center has opened in Brentwood, with five more on the way, where customers can test drive the popular massage gun, as well as “exotic physical treatments” like cryotherapy, light therapy and hyperbaric chambers. The other six locations will just include the Theragun products and Theragun massages.
The “omnichannel” approach of an online retailer opening limited experiential or concept-based locations is nothing new, but it has been growing recently as a way for retailers to reach more customers and collect more data.
“These [digitally native brands] are proving that wider omnichannel approaches are critical to driving growth, and when considered comprehensively, enable them to maximize the impact of each location,” according to a recent report by Placer.ai. “The fact that these brands are renowned for their data-driven approach to growth and deep understanding of customers only reinforces the impact.”
The digitally native brands are even taking top spots at high-end shopping malls and retail centers, which have seen increased investor demand. The fourth quarter of 2021 broke all-time records for retail investment sales volume in L.A., led largely by large regional mall trades.
Even e-commerce giants like Amazon (AMZN) — the nemesis of everything brick and mortar — and megaretailers like Walmart have established omnichannel strategies. Amazon is set to open its first physical apparel store, called Amazon Style, in Glendale, and Walmart was able to limit effects of the omicron surge in December 2021 and January thanks in part to its omnichannel strength, according to Placer.ai.
Gregory Cornfield can be reached at gcornfield@commercialobserver.com.
