When a brand opens a wrapper store, they are admitting: "Our digital experience has become so frictionless that it is forgettable. We need physical friction to remind you we exist."
We are witnessing a strange retail archaeology project. In the 2010s, the mantra was "DTC (Direct-to-Consumer) kills the mall." In the 2020s, the mantra has become "If you aren't on the high street, you don't exist."
The wrapper store will die. Because eventually, the customer realizes they paid a 40% markup for a fancy box and a mirror selfie. The plastic wrap comes off, the cardboard goes into recycling, and they are left with a product they never actually needed to see in person.
When a brand opens a wrapper store, they are admitting: "Our digital experience has become so frictionless that it is forgettable. We need physical friction to remind you we exist."
We are witnessing a strange retail archaeology project. In the 2010s, the mantra was "DTC (Direct-to-Consumer) kills the mall." In the 2020s, the mantra has become "If you aren't on the high street, you don't exist."
The wrapper store will die. Because eventually, the customer realizes they paid a 40% markup for a fancy box and a mirror selfie. The plastic wrap comes off, the cardboard goes into recycling, and they are left with a product they never actually needed to see in person.
