Wayfair opens its first physical store near Chicago

Online home goods retailer Wayfair is opening its first physical store near Chicago, joining other digitally native companies moving into brick-and-mortar retail. This trend reflects challenges in e-commerce like privacy changes and competition from online marketplaces. Despite the growth of online shopping, the majority of retail sales still happen offline. Direct-to-consumer brands are expanding into physical stores to boost sales and profitability, but face challenges and risks in this transition.