Wayfair, a US furniture e-commerce company, confirms that its first physical store will open next year

It is learned that on June 28, Wayfair, the largest furniture e-commerce company in the United States, confirmed that its first physical store in the United States will open next spring. However, Wayfair first announced this plan two years ago, and the original opening date has been postponed for a year.

Wayfair also revealed details about its first physical store, a 150,000-square-foot space in the former Carson Pirie Scott department store in the Chicago suburb of Wilmette.

"You'll be able to shop, explore and access unprecedented, immersive and interactive experiences across 19 departments, from furniture and decor to outdoor and home improvement, and for the first time, gourmet food and snacks," Wayfair said in the announcement.

As for specific information about the immersive and interactive experience, there is speculation that Wayfair will provide self-service shopping technology where customers can explore products, trends, and design directions in designated locations, but Wayfair has not confirmed any details yet.

Details of the restaurant also have yet to be determined, though in-store dining dates back to the original department stores of the early 20th century and has become a fixture at discount stores, big-box furniture dealers and all sectors of retail.

Wayfair has been exploring physical stores for years, opening a test store near its Boston headquarters a few years ago and then closing it after a year or so. Next came smaller stores for some of its sub-brands, including Joss & Main and AllModern, also in the Boston Market area, which are still open.

Earlier this month, Wayfair opened a temporary store in San Marcos, Texas, between Austin and San Antonio. The 11,000-square-foot space is named after Wayfair and is scheduled to be open for eight months.

Last month, Wayfair opened a Joss & Main location in Chicago’s Oak Brook neighborhood that offers in-store design services, which could be a sign of the direction of larger Wayfair stores coming in 2024.

However, the opening of its first physical store is significant for Wayfair because it represents its first large-scale attempt to enter the physical retail market with its flagship brand. As a home goods retailer that conducts almost all of its business online, Wayfair needs to adopt an omnichannel model, just like almost all of its competitors.

During the worst period of the epidemic, Wayfair's business grew significantly and showed profitability for the first time in its more than ten-year history as a public company. However, as the epidemic eased and e-commerce business slowed down, Wayfair's profitability was affected, and total revenue and customer numbers fell sharply.

Wayfair's first physical store was reportedly scheduled to open this summer, but was delayed by a year due to the company's spending cuts, although the company denied there was a connection between the two events.

Editor✎ Ashley/

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