Sleep Number Unveils New Interactive Store In New York City

Sleep Number is opening a new brick-and-mortar store in the New York City’s Flatiron District, adding to its portfolio of over 560 locations. The store includes interactive elements, such as a mix-and-match bedding design lab and 3-D imaging, the retailer said in an announcement.

“Most people don’t realize what a difference their bed makes to their sleep, which is one of the most important aspects of their health and wellness,” CEO and President Shelly Ibach said in the announcement. “Our new Sleep Number store in the Flatiron District demonstrates the transformative impact of our smart beds on individual comfort, restfulness and well-being.”

With the store experience, shoppers can see a digital map that shows how people in neighborhoods across the city are sleeping. In addition, the store offers a presentation on the Sleep Number 360 that shows the benefits of the “smart bed.” Additionally, shoppers can use 3-D imaging to show their pressure points, and see how Sleep Number’s smart bed can help them get more rest. The store also offers a mix-and-match bedding design lab that comes with a large-scale digital planner.

The news comes as Casper is looking to open the doors of 200 brick-and-mortar stores in an attempt to fight off competition from internet imitators. The retailer aims to expand its identity from a place to buy a mattress to a destination for a variety of sleep products, the Wall Street Journal reported.

The retailer is not the only digitally native company to turn to retail stores in an effort to bolster sales and visibility: Everlane and Warby Parker, for example, have also expanded their brick-and-mortar footprints. At the same time, some online retailers have sought out busy brick-and-mortar locations to help their marketing efforts, as online customer acquisition costs have risen. Casper CEO Philip Krim said the brand’s acquisition costs have fallen, partly because of the new store openings. “It’s a way to educate new consumers,” Krim told WSJ.