U.S. premium athleisure brand Alo Yoga has opened its first flagship store near Dosan Park in Cheongdam-dong. Since opening, the store has drawn crowds and has quickly become a so-called fashion hot spot. As athleisure looks that go beyond workout wear into everyday wear gain popularity, lines have formed on weekends to get in.
According to the industry on the 15th, a saying has spread among Korean consumers that "there is a smarter way to buy Alo Yoga." You try items on at the store, then actually purchase through the U.S. official website. On the site, new members receive a 15–20% discount code, free shipping on orders over $100, and no duties on orders under $200. Since key Alo Yoga items like hoodies and leggings are around $100, you can essentially qualify for free shipping even with a single item.
The freebies from direct purchases are also a hot topic. On the U.S. official site, orders over $200 come with a tie-dye shopper tote bag worth 66,000 won, a gift that requires spending over 400,000 won at Korean stores. After the giveaway launched on the U.S. site, the tote bag flooded secondhand platforms such as Karrot, reflecting the direct-purchase frenzy. The signature product Sunset Sneakers are priced at 315,000 won in Korea, but with discounts applied through direct purchase, the price drops to the mid-250,000 won range. At this point, it is clear why people say, "try it on in-store and buy through direct purchase."
What is interesting is the comparison with other U.S. brands. When Polo Ralph Lauren opened its Korean online mall, it immediately blocked access to the U.S. official site. Among consumers, the difficulty of access and payment even earned the nickname "Polo exam." Coach and Tory Burch have similar policies. Even just using official-site sales, you can buy at prices 30–40% cheaper than in Korea, and the gap widens to 70–80% on Black Friday, so from the brands' perspective, locking the doors is inevitable.
Alo Yoga's strategy is different. With Lululemon having entered Korea nine years ago and established an early lead in the market, latecomer Alo Yoga has chosen a two-track approach: keep direct purchases open to draw in price-sensitive shoppers while differentiating stores as experiential spaces for yoga classes, a cafe, fitting, and exchange. In the industry, some say that "during the early spread of a brand, it makes sense to run direct purchase alongside physical stores." That is because it is a time to build brand awareness. There is also talk that, over time, the brand is likely to reduce direct-purchase benefits and strengthen Korea-only perks.
In the end, for consumers, this may be the most advantageous time. It is a "golden period" when you can try items on in-store, buy cheaper through direct purchase, and snag a tote bag as a bonus. Still, it remains to be seen how long this period will last.