It may be an online eyewear retailer, but today Rivet & Sway is taking its products offline, putting them directly where its customers are – in beauty salons.
The startup, which sells eyewear only for women is introducing “Specs on Wheels,” a mini display center for its merchandise that fits on a tricycle. These “pop-up boutiques” will be placed in partner beauty salons across Seattle.
Customers can check out the frames on display, consult with an on site stylist and order their selection through a built-in iPad kiosk. The salons get a percentage (15-20% based on volume thresholds) of revenue made from in-store sales. Here’s what the whole thing looks like:
“We
are super excited to partner with forward-thinking salons to create an in-store
experience where women can explore glasses as a fashion accessory,” said Sarah
Bryar, CEO of Rivet & Sway. “By integrating our pop-up boutique
within a beauty salon, we can reach women in an environment where they are
already thinking about changing their look. And for our salon partners,
it’s an opportunity to generate additional revenue while also providing
additional value-adding services for their clients.”
It’s an interesting tactic for an online company to go offline when it comes to creating a point of purchase, but the real value dded here is from the real-time feedback women can get while checking out the display in stores. It can make the purchase a communal experience, especially if fellow customers join in. Not to mention the added high visibility perk of a large tricycle display in a beauty salon, where most customers spend a fair amount of time in one trip. A quick browse over to the display is highly likely.
