Trendwatch: “From Click To Brick”

Photo credit: K Street Magazine

D.C. fashionistas rejoice! The Washington Post just announced that Rent the Runway will open a 4,254-square foot store in Georgetown this fall. The online designer wear rental company joins a multitude of online retailers in this reverse revolution, of going from “click to brick,” or from e-commerce to storefronts.

• Earlier this year, subscription-based beauty company Birchbox opened its first standalone storefront in New York City after a successful run of  pop-up shops in New York City.
• Warby Parker started as an online-only retailer in 2010, but four years later it has 13 stores across the U.S. and stand-alone showrooms in major cities like Boston, L.A. And New York City.
• Baublebar has dabbled with a variety of storefront concepts from pop-up shops, to partnerships with stores like Anthropologie and Nordstrom.

I love the online shopping experiences these companies offered for a few reasons: I have access to trying better quality products and brands without spending my entire paycheck on them, and then realizing they weren’t worth the hype. It feels like I have a personal shopper who knows my style and taste and can offer recommendations and attention that normally comes with a pretty hefty price tag.

As more online retailers join this movement from click to brick, consumers will begin to expect a more curated and personal shopping experience from the industry in general. My heart says “bring it on,” but my wallet says “yikes!”