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retail watch | Dec 5, 2024 |
Wayfair’s first true store is generating a ‘halo effect.’ Will it generate cash?

Nearly eight months after opening its first large-scale store, Wayfair is finally providing some information on how it’s performing. But don’t hold your breath—the details don’t include any hard numbers (or even soft ones, for that matter).

Speaking on Wednesday at the Morgan Stanley Global Consumer and Retail Conference, Wayfair CEO Niraj Shah revealed some tantalizingly vague hints about how the 150,000-square-foot store, in the Chicago suburb of Wilmette, is doing. He used the word halo a lot.

“We’re quite happy with the halo effect of the store,” said Shah during the 45-minute presentation. He explained that when the company first began planning the project several years ago, the store had the dual purpose of driving additional business for the e-commerce-centric retailer but also to “serve as a halo for the brand.” (Among corporate types, the “halo effect” typically refers to the way a big, showy initiative can cast a positive glow on the overall business, improving results across the board even if the exact ROI is difficult to track.)

While disclosing no traffic numbers or sales or much of anything in the way of actual results, Shah said the store has provided “a halo effect” of getting email addresses for in-person shoppers, which Wayfair has been able to track for future ordering patterns. He also said the company looked at its business in Illinois versus the rest of the country to see if the new store was moving the sales needle, and it reviewed fulfillment levels from the outpost’s closest distribution center. His verdict? “We’re happy.”

When asked about additional large-scale Wayfair stores, Shah would not say much other than: “We’re working on our next store, but we haven’t announced it yet.” He did mention, as has been previously reported, that Wayfair has opened several small-format locations for its AllModern and Joss & Main sub-brands and expects to open the first two stores for its upscale Perigold nameplate in 2025.

On the call, Shah pointed to a number of initiatives Wayfair has rolled out in the past year, including its Wayfair Rewards membership program, its Wayfair Verified vendor program, delivery service enhancements, the use of new marketing channels in social media, and efforts to expand its B2B trade program. Despite significant staff reductions over the past 24 months, Wayfair has not stopped trying new things.

While the company reported improved financial results in its most recent quarter that have driven its share price up 12 percent over the past month, its stock continues to be down for 2024, off about 16 percent year-to-date. The next earnings call—sometime early next year—will be fascinating, especially if Shah decides to share just how much cash that halo is bringing in the doors.

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Warren Shoulberg is the former editor in chief for several leading B2B publications. He has been a guest lecturer at the Columbia University Graduate School of Business; received honors from the International Furnishings and Design Association and the Fashion Institute of Technology; and been cited by The Wall Street Journal, The New York Times, The Washington Post, CNN and other media as a leading industry expert. His Retail Watch columns offer deep industry insights on major markets and product categories.

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