For Subscribers

How This Online Lingerie Shop Is Letting Customers Try Before They Buy True & Co. has found a way to bring the fitting room to its customers.

By Caren Chesler

This story appears in the May 2016 issue of Entrepreneur. Subscribe »

photographs courtesy of True & co.

True & Co. has thrived as an online-only lingerie company, but it had a hard-to-shake handicap: Many women want to try on a bra before they buy. The company didn't want to bog itself down with brick-and-mortar stores, so it launched the Try-On Truck, currently fitting women on a coast-to-coast tour. "This is not a marketing campaign for us but a full retail experience with revenue goals and sales targets," says CEO Michelle Lam. Customers make an appointment and fill out a questionnaire, so that when they arrive, a "fit therapist" is waiting with a personalized selection of products. And it works: The average order on the truck is much higher than it is online. Here's how the shop rolls.

1. The shop's first roof was made of heavy wood, and it leaked. The architect redesigned it using movable, 20-pound panels made out of Sunbrella fabric.

2. On the street-facing side of the truck, a checkerboard-like series of wall tiles lets in natural light, and gives passersby a tantalizing peek into the store and its products.

3. The truck is for custom fittings, not customer browsing, so all product is stored in a cascade of trays. "We designed a way for our bras to be easily accessed by our fit therapists in the middle of an appointment," Lam says.

4. Two fitting rooms on each side are lit with four sets of LED bulbs, to provide a more natural (and flattering) light.

5. The shop is built on a 24-foot trailer, and can change based on customer flow: The center converts from a two-bench seating area to a two-counter checkout area, or a combo of each.

Want to be an Entrepreneur Leadership Network contributor? Apply now to join.

Buying / Investing in Business

Former Zillow Execs Target $1.3T Market

Co-ownership is creating big opportunities for entrepreneurs.

Business Ideas

70 Small Business Ideas to Start in 2025

We put together a list of the best, most profitable small business ideas for entrepreneurs to pursue in 2025.

Franchise

The Hottest Industries Today

Our list of the franchises best positioned for growth, even in uncertain times.

Marketing

How to Get Your First 1,000 Email Subscribers (The Smart Way)

Here's a step-by-step system for startup founders to build their first 1,000 engaged email subscribers — without guesswork or gimmicks.

Starting a Business

Entrepreneur+ Subscriber-Only Event | May 28: How This Founder Sold 3 Million Units of His Toy Ball Idea

Subscribe to Entrepreneur+ for just $5! Get access to all member benefits, including our next Subscriber-Only Event with Joe Burke, Founder of Ollyball.