• by Sarah Mahoney  @mahoney_sarah, September 9, 2022

Shapermint, long a leader in the overcrowded D2C underwear world, is making its first move into physical retail. The company is now offering its products in Nordstrom and Belk, hoping to convert more fans to its affordable, inclusive products. And it plans to expand into more stores in the months ahead.

Massimiliano Tirocchi, Shapermint's CMO, tells Marketing Daily what's next.

Marketing Daily: You've been a pure D2C player since launching in 2018 and have done well–you're often ranked among the fastest growing and have sold something like 16 million units since you started. Why move to brick and mortar now?

Tirocchi: We decided to enter department stores in 2019, but after COVID, we had to cancel all the plans. Then, as stores started opening, we had to define the best moment. We've always known this was important–most sales in our category happen in stores, not online. People want to try out the product. They want to get the best fit for them.

Marketing Daily: Why these stores?

Tirocchi: We wanted good partners. And where they are located is important. So we're opening in 125 Belk stores, primarily in the south, where we have a big percentage of our audience. And the 50 different Nordstrom stores are also in strategic spots.

Marketing Daily: Does the decision to move into this channel change your marketing?

Tirocchi: No. Based on some research, we believe that when consumers see our brand in physical stores–and in stores they trust– it will drive sales to our website. That's all going to make our existing digital strategy more efficient.

Of course, we'll have specific activations with department stores and influencers. But that's the only short-term change.

Marketing Daily: Department stores typically have huge, messy lingerie departments with many competitors. How will you stand out in stores?

Tirocchi: We're working with our partners to train associates in our products and to develop the right signage. When people see our colors and brand, it will be exciting–and they'll recognize that they've seen us in the digital world. And we'll be learning. We expect our tactics will have to vary store by store.

Marketing Daily: What are the latest sales trends? Bra sales declined during the pandemic as women dressed up less. But there's also been a growing number of people who are permanently switching from bras to bralettes. What's selling best for you now?

Tirocchi: The bra category has been a growth one for us in the last two years–our best seller continues to be a wire-free bra. But we're seeing growing demand for products that offer more support as people move back into the world in our sales and Google trends. A top best-seller now is a high-waisted shaper short. We expect that to continue as we head into the holiday season. People are looking to celebrate. There will be more dinners, more parties. Our shapewear sales rose 25%, year over year, in August.

Marketing Daily: What else is driving those gains?

Tirocchi: I believe it's also connected to our price point–mainly $30 and under. We have high-quality products, but at the same time, they're affordable–we deliver a great value compared to other brands. That's important to people now, given what's happening with the economy.