What:  E-commerce increase does not prevent Warby Parker from betting on increasing its retail footprint

Why it is important:  Omnichannel translates, for their customers, into choosing or getting information online, but still coming in stores to discuss with brand specialists and physically try products.

Warby Parker, the sunglasses 11-year-old DTC brand and success story, is planning to aggressively expand its retail footprint with 35 new stores, even though e-commerce, after an initial dip at the beginning of the pandemic, soared.

After a total closure of their store network, which led them to negotiate lease flexibility or percentage rent, they are now looking for expansion, as they realised that stores are crucial in the customer’s journey. Even though online and offline transactions are evenly split, 75% of customers who transact in stores have shopped online.

This means that they use online not only to check practical details such as store opening hours, but they preselect the products they want to see and try when in-store.

Warby Parker Founders Explain Why They Are Adding 35 Stores After Pandemic