“We’re the Peloton of reformer”: Aussie brand Your Reformer eyes global growth
Now, the at-home pilates provider – which sells and rents reformer pilates machines, or beds, and operates an on-demand platform of exercise videos – is embarking on a global expansion.
This week, the brand announced its first-ever ambassador, model and 2010’s Miss Universe Australia Jesinta Franklin, and is set to disrupt the US market next.
“It’s funny people ask what we do and the easiest way to describe it is we’re the ‘Peloton of reformer’, but we do it in a very different way,” Emma Stallworthy, founder of Your Reformer, told Inside Retail, adding, “We certainly have learned from observing Peloton and what they’ve done.”
“One of the big ones being that we run quite lean from a stock perspective,” Stallworthy said.
Once one of the coolest brands in retail, Peloton has had a tumultuous few years. Since achieving a record-high valuation of US$50 billion during Covid, when many people stopped working out in gyms, the at-home stationary bike brand has been hampered by product recalls, marketing missteps and the rapid drop-off in consumer demand. In May, Peloton CEO Barry McCarthy announced plans to step down.
Meet Your Reformer
Your Reformer was established in 2021 and was born from Stallworthy’s drive to make reformer pilates more accessible.
Coming from a background in running gyms, her transition to an e-commerce and logistics-based business presented a steep learning curve. However, by seeking out and partnering with experts from the beginning, she has created a path for growth and innovation.
Examples include collaborating with a digital performance marketing agency and a filming team for Your Reformer’s on-demand exercise video platform.
Instant success
Your Reformer’s initial launch was an overwhelming success. The first sale occurred within seconds of the website going live, and the entire first batch of beds sold out within 20 minutes.
Stallworthy credits this to a well-executed prelaunch campaign that built an engaged database ready to buy or rent.
“We were in lockdown in Victoria when we launched, and at-home reformer was not ‘a thing’, but our customers were ready for it. The timing was ideal,” Stallworthy said.
Your Reformer’s business model is diversified across the retail and software space, creating a robust business that engages customers at multiple touchpoints throughout their buying lifecycle.
“For this reason, community engagement is paramount to build on brand trust and equity,” Stallworthy said.
On-demand classes are crucial to Your Reformer’s business, serving as a tool for building a community and delivering on its mission of accessibility.
With over 550 classes offering various durations, styles, and physio-led programs, Your Reformer caters to a broad range of clients.
The business has made significant investments to produce high-quality video content on-demand, providing the “visual element that clients often miss in a class setting,” Stallworthy said.
Originally targeting the home market, Your Reformer has attracted organic interest from commercial clients.
Leveraging Stallworthy’s 13 years of experience in the fitness industry, Your Reformer has expanded its offering to provide adaptable solutions to commercial clients, resulting in the emergence of 24/7 reformer pilates OnDemand in commercial settings.
Your Reformer supports over 200 health club facilities across Australia and New Zealand, including major chains Goodlife, Revo, Club Lime, Snap Fitness, Derrimut, World Gym, Fernwood and many more independent clubs.
This expansion into commercial sales and hire contracts has significantly bolstered Your Reformer’s business, with B2B revenue currently accounting for 30 per cent of the company’s business.
The rental side of the business represents 10 per cent of Your Reformer’s revenue.
In the retail space, Your Reformer’s core product is the reformer bed, however, the team has introduced small accessories that complement pilates practice, such as mats, resistance bands, and grip socks.
“We’re still in the early stages of this, we only launched our sock range in January,” Stallworthy said.
“Our core business is our beds, so we often expose customers to our other retail products via gift with purchases in sale periods, or by incorporating them in our OnDemand classes.
“We pride ourselves on being design-led, so we want the aesthetics of our products to look aspirational, and brand-recognisable.
“Recently we have started to explore apparel to again support the life cycle of our customers.”
Analysing sales trends has been key to adapting the retail offering A notable trend is the increased preference for fast and full-service delivery options, and a decline in customers opting for credit options.
“We are always reviewing and adapting our retail offering,” Stallworthy said.
“As a retail business, it’s a cost to hold stock, you want it to move, so making sure we are offering what our customers want or will want is key.
“As the business grows, we continue to mature and evolve our brand personality and become even more resolute on what our mission and purpose is and how we are catering to that.
“As a result, the product offering has evolved.
“Less customers opting for credit options such as Afterpay, or our internal payment plans, show a trend for stronger budgeting and prioritising their spend on wellness and lifestyle products.”
Global expansion
Your Reformer’s growth strategy combines market geographic expansion and product diversification. With the successful launch in New Zealand at the end of 2022, Your Reformer is now setting its sights on the US market, starting with California.
International physical concept stores, similar to Peloton, are also on the horizon, with three showrooms currently operating on the east coast of Australia and plans for a flagship showroom in Los Angeles.
These showrooms are designed as experiential spaces where customers can ‘touch and feel’ the products before making a purchase. Virtual showroom appointments have also become popular, helping to build trust and authenticity with the brand.
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