How The Coronavirus Altered DTC’s Relationship With Brick-And-Mortar

At the top of the year, many digitally native brands were in expansion mode. Rent the Runway launched a new tier to its subscription services, online plant brand Bloomscape forged a deal with West Elm, and Casper, a so-called darling in the direct-to-consumer space, made its public debut in February. In its IPO plans, the company reiterated its intent to open some 200 stores in North America. While Casper’s expansion seems lofty, it follows a trend in the sector. What started with bigger players in the space like Warby Parker and Bonobos opening up shop, has now stretched across the sector. Online lingerie brand Adore Me announced in 2018 plans to open up some 300 stores over the next five years and hair color brand Madison Reed said last September it aims to open 600 stores by 2024. A late 2018 report from commercial real estate firm JLL said e-commerce retailers were set to open 850 stores over the next few years. Read more at Retail Dive.