C o m m e rc e C e n t r e
WHAT'S THE STORY
Freiraum represents tangible brand affinity: it allows customers to experience digital native brands with all their senses.
FREIRAUM
AN INTERFACE TO AVOID VACANCIES Retail-as-a-Service platform Freiraum, launched by Emanuel Elverfeldt and Franz De Waal, aims to connect brands that were previously only available online with vacant retail spaces in prime locations. A pilot project started in January 2020 with the opening of an inaugural Freiraum concept store in the basement of the iconic Quartier 205 shopping centre in Berlin’s “Friedrichstrasse”.
“We are the omnichannel partner for digital Direct-to-Consumer brands seeking offline sales channels. Many modern D2C brands are promoted online and are primarily visible on social media platforms such as Instagram. Accordingly, customers lack the opportunity to experience the merchandise physically before making an informed purchase decision. We strive to make it as easy as possible for brands on our platform to leverage a physical customer experience. We
Freiraum founders Emanuel Elverfeldt and Franz De Waal offer brands direct access to consumers in prime retail spaces that guarantee high customer frequency.
enable them to go offline with a few clicks while still selling products via the Freiraum online marketplace,” explains Emanuel Elverfeldt, who has years of experience in real estate investment. He has worked for, among others, BNP Paribas, Hudson Advisors Lone Star Funds, Cresco Capital Group, and – most recently – as Director Investments at Rocket Internet. “We are reducing the current vacancy rate to counteract the demise of city centres. According to HDE, around 20 percent of retail space will be vacant as of late 2021. Freiraum offers an experience-oriented, digitally connected marketing channel that interlinks online and offline, and enables constantly changing, exciting brands to appear in stationary
retail at short notice and flexibly in prime locations. Omnichannel is the future. No matter whether the customer buys on site via a QR code or decides to buy later at home, in both cases the goods are conveniently delivered to the customer’s home,” says Franz De Waal, who, after studying in London and Cambridge and winning several awards, including the Alastair Ross Goobey Award, worked for Tishman Speyer Properties for several years, where he was primarily involved in the development and management of properties in London and Berlin. More than 120 brands are represented on the platform so far, both stationary and digitally connected to the Freiraum app and website. style in progress
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