Gymshark is 95% online. So why is it betting on stores?

Watch now (12 mins) | A short episode on whether stores and events are a cost or a bet, and the three questions to answer when reviewing your own investment in physical experiences.

If you run an online brand then it’s likely that offline costs have been the hardest thing to justify in your budget. That’s certainly been the case for me, for the duration of my sixteen years in eCommerce.

So when Gymshark’s pre-tax profit fell to about 1p in every £1 and its board still put money into stores and events rather than discounts, I wanted to know whether that was a cost or a savvy bet.

In this episode I talk it through, including the expo stand that built the brand and the three questions I asked when reviewing its accounts.

You can use the same three on your own stores, events and pop-ups:

  1. Is it an asset?

  2. Which sales go up because of it?

  3. Could you afford the downside if it didn’t work?

If you’d rather read it, this article has the full breakdown with every number and where to find it in the accounts.

QUESTION: Which physical space is adding measurable value to your eCommerce brand?

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