What you need to know about the return of Wayfair Online in Wilmette

Online retail giant Wayfair’s first physical store is up and running in Wilmette, but some customers may be wondering if they will now be able to return items purchased online to the new store.

While online returns will be allowed at the 150,000-square-foot store, Wayfair said it’s not that simple.

“Although our physical Wayfair store will accept returns on products purchased online, we encourage customers to take advantage of the online returns process as it can often provide a more convenient returns experience.”A company statement said.

The highly anticipated store, located at 3232 Lake Avenue in Eden’s Plaza, opened its doors on May 23 and also includes a restaurant called “The Porch,” which serves breakfast all day along with snacks, salads, sandwiches, coffee, beer and wine. where customers can “drink and shop,” officials said.

The massive purple and white store can be seen from the nearby Edens Expressway, and is located in the redeveloped Carson Perry Scott space at the Plaza, which has been vacant since 2018. According to Wilmette Village President Cinta Plunkett, the store is expected to have a “transformational impact.” In the suburb.

“This will be our largest sales tax generator,” Plunkett told NBC Chicago in an interview. “We’re excited to be able to reinvest that sales tax money back into our infrastructure. It’s a big deal here.”

Here’s more information about the new megastore in the northern suburbs.

What does the store look like from the inside?

The store has more than 80,000 items of inventory, from sofas and cribs to wallpaper, flooring, backsplashes, showers, sinks and refrigerators, plus a home improvement department, test kitchen and newly renovated, fully-equipped design center.

“We wanted customers to see that we have things for the entire home,” said Barclay Ressler, director of visual merchandising at Wayfair. “And not only that, we have a full range of styles, from the newest to the most traditional, and all price points as well.”

Just like a home furnishings store, a stroll through Wayfair offers many vignettes and colors of the home as well as finishing touches like pillows, candles, vases and dinnerware. While many furniture brands and their finishes are exclusive, e.g Joss and Mainewhich also has a physical store in the Chicago area, also sells appliances from big names like Samsung, Bosch and Cuisinart.

Gallery wall builder and “dream center” that allows customers to combine specific mattresses and pillows through a five-question process.

According to officials, customers can select and purchase items in the store and pick them up at the end of their shopping trip, although some items will need delivery. Customers can also order items online for in-store pickup or select “Fast & Free Shipping,” which usually takes less than a week.

The Chicago market, especially Wilmette, presented a “huge” opportunity for Wayfair’s first brick-and-mortar store, officials said.

“There are a lot of young families here,” said Lisa Lefkowski, vice president of marketing. “It’s a good fit for our brand.”

Lefkofsky went on to say that the store aims to be a destination for all things “home” and to suit a variety of budgets.

Ahead of the grand opening, here’s a sneak peek inside: