New York City-based sleep brand Casper has launched a retail presence in Canada, through a partnership with Williams-Sonoma-owned retailer West Elm. Until now, Casper has only been available to Canadian consumers online.

Casper launched within the West Elm store at Toronto’s Liberty Village earlier this month and according to Casper's Canadian general manager Nicole Tapscott, it’s been a hit with consumers. As eCommerce is less developed in Canada compared to in the U.S., having a physical presence in this country presents the opportunity for shoppers to see and experience the product before making a purchase, she noted.

It's the first time that Casper has offered its products within a retailer on a cash-and-carry basis, according to Ms. Tapscott. In the United States, West Elm shoppers can make a purchase in-store, but Casper products are subsequently delivered. Casper launched at American West Elm stores in the summer of 2016.

*(west elm in toronto. photo: google street view screen capture)*

Casper partnered with West Elm, which has stores in Toronto, Montreal, Calgary and Vancouver, because of the retailer’s strong reputation as well as modern design, reasonable prices, and connection to community. While Toronto’s Liberty Village West Elm is currently the only Canadian location to carry Casper, Ms. Tapscott says that more could follow.

In the spring of 2016, Casper hosted its pop-up “Canadian Nap Tour”, bringing its “Napmobile” to Vancouver, Calgary and Toronto. Customers were given the opportunity to take a short nap in one of Casper’s beds in one of several portable “Snooze Rooms” that the company set up in various locations.

In November of 2016, the New York Post reported that Casper was planning to open physical stores, based on help wanted ads on its website. The company won’t officially comment on any such plans at this time.

Backed by Leonardo DiCaprio, Tobey Maguire, Adam Levine and Ashton Kutcher, Casper launched in 2014 as a direct-to-consumer online mattress retailer, with its product delivered in a "how did they do that?" sized box. Casper's memory foam mattress comes in a variety of sizes, ranging in price between $725 and $1275 (Canadian), depending on size. Recently, the company has expanded its product assortment to include a "perfect pillow" pillow-in-a-pillow and soft, breathable sheets, and even dog beds. Casper keeps its prices reasonable by eliminating commission-driven wholesale channels and related costs, including retail space. The company's phenomenal growth saw it being declared one of Fast Company's "Most Innovative Companies in the World" and in 2015, Casper won the title of TIME Magazine's "Best Inventions of 2015”, with sales in excess of US $100 million.

Canadian Retail News From Around The Web: March 30, 2017