What is Happening?

DTC furniture brand Outer isn't slowing down.

Last month the company announced it opened its 1,000th Neighbourhood Showroom. Which connects existing customers to potential ones.

The company invites existing customers to apply to be "hosts" and show the Outer products they bought to potential customers. Outer hosts are paid $20-$50 per visit regardless of whether the customer ends up buying from Outer.

Outer co-founder and CEO explained that; "We thought that the experience of shopping for furniture was not great. When shopping for outdoor furniture in an indoor showroom that's protected from all the elements, [that] didn't make any sense to us — it's not authentic or real.".

What Does it Mean?

Neighbourhood showrooms could be the future of selling higher AOV products.

Touch and feel has always been important. And integrating Airbnb-like hosts to support sales seems like a great marriage for the outdoor furniture category (and others).

📈 At the start of this year, the company announced it raised $10.5 million in a funding round led by Sequoia Capital China. The brand at the time said it aimed to use the funds to become an "outdoor lifestyle brand" by expanding beyond furniture and rugs, building on its sustainability commitments and adding to its unique showroom model.