Casper Sleep is doubling down on tactile experiences. As a company that sells mattresses, pillows and other sleep-related goods, it’s a natural thing to do — but Casper has gone far beyond the basics of having potential customers “test” a mattress by lying down for a few minutes with a salesperson hovering.
In some ways it’s no surprise that Casper has focused on the in-store experience. Unlike many other digitally native direct-to-consumer (DTC) mattress brands, the retailer has embraced brick-and-mortar, operating a healthy portfolio of 66 retail stores and one outlet location, with plans to open more in the future.
As part of its ongoing efforts to understand and adapt to consumers’ in-store shopping behaviors, Casper has recently revamped its Sleep Shop in Costa Mesa, Calif., to include more interactive features and services that inspire shoppers to touch, feel and learn about the design behind its best-selling sleep products.
Located in the South Coast Plaza, the space has been central to Casper’s store portfolio over the years, acting as a “concept store” that has evolved with the brand over the years, according to Brad Bailey, Chief Sales Officer at Casper. Now, Bailey and the leadership team are calling the store a “first-of-its-kind sleep destination, with a focus on customer education.”
Giving Shoppers a Look ‘Under the Hood’
Casper Sleep has always been an education-based company, lauded for its focus on creating content and marketing campaigns that equally engage and inform shoppers. The company’s Sleep Shops were a natural progression, offering open and modern spaces where consumers can easily browse the brand’s assortment of mattresses and pillows, which are crafted using proprietary technology. But Bailey described this redesign as more “elevated,” done in response to consumers’ evolving shopping behaviors.
“We wanted this store to encourage customers to discover products they maybe haven’t seen before and give them a look ‘under the hood’ of our award-winning product innovation,” Bailey said in an interview with Retail TouchPoints. But make no mistake, the core of what many love about the Casper brand is still present, even central, to the new store experience.
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The brand already has many experiential concepts under its belt, such as Dreamery Nap Room and Nap Café, where consumers can get up close and personal with Casper products while getting some shut-eye. The South Coast Plaza concept taps into this heritage by allowing visitors to book complimentary nap appointments (for 30, 45 or 60 minutes) so shoppers can get a personalized trial of offerings. After check-in, they store their belongings in a locker and receive a Sleep Provisions Kit, which includes an eye mask, essential oils and other products to aid in their relaxation.
A Concept Rooted in Sleep Innovation
The overarching store concept was inspired by Casper Labs, the brand’s research and development arm and, specifically, its three pillars of R&D: cooling, support and comfort.
“There are so many experts behind our products in our Labs, and we wanted to share that with our customers in creating this new store strategy,” Bailey said. “It was crucial that we incorporate those three pillars of our R&D into the store.”
In fact, Casper harnessed the unique knowledge and expertise of several other departments to bring the idea to life. For example, the company did not work with any external strategy or design partners; all tactical work was done in-house by retail and visual merchandising teams.
Internal team members know the Casper brand on a personal and intimate level, and they tapped into this deep understanding to craft three new areas inspired by a “personal and physical approach” that provides “authentic and organic discovery for our customers,” according to Bailey. New store features include:
- The Snooze Bar, a dedicated consultation area where Casper’s Sleep Specialists can educate customers on products that will best address their needs and lifestyle. Specialists are on hand to answer any questions customers have about Casper’s product portfolio, but also have the knowledge required to help customers tackle their sleep goals and challenges.
“The Snooze Bar is designed to help immerse customers into the product benefits and easily demonstrate how our products perform and ultimately help improve the sleep of our customers,” said Bailey. “A lot of times this is not obvious. For example, buying a mattress is a bit of a blind purchase because you cannot see inside of it. We educate and train our sleep specialists in-store on how to bring the features and benefits of the technology we use in our products to life in an interactive way.” - The Pillow Lab, an interactive experience where customers can test and learn about the inner workings of each Casper pillow. This area is designed to be a “visual celebration” of all the materials that go into making each Casper pillow while creating a cozy and warm environment.
- A Bunkhouse getaway, a dedicated space for kids to relax, play and enjoy while their parents shop. It includes a fully outfitted miniature room with a twin-size mattress so kids can test a mattress too.
“We want our customers to be able to experience shopping with Casper like never before, whether it’s feeling all of the materials themselves in our pillow labs or sitting down with a specialist at the Snooze Bar,” Bailey said. “They can book a nap appointment where they can experience a personalized trial of the product offerings (or just take a nap if they’d like!), schedule an E-Zzz curbside pickup, or get local delivery.”
Serving Both Consumers and Professional Designers
The store also includes a Bedroom DeZzzign Center, which provides every customer — from interior designers to everyday shoppers — with access to a service experience where they can visually design and curate a “sleep setup” with any product in the Casper portfolio.
Although there are no set plans for more store updates, Casper is very much using the store as a “testing ground” to apply learnings to future Sleep Shops.
“We look forward to keeping a tight pulse on the customer insights that will come through from this new store opening,” Bailey said. “Since it will provide such a personal experience for each shopper, it will guide us towards their personal preferences, hence making the shopping experience with Casper always fulfilling.”
