Take a look at where top brands are investing this year. Fenty Beauty launched a concept store inside Myer in Melbourne, while Carolina Herrera opened a boutique in Miami masquerading as an art gallery.
Brands and retailers are turning back to in-person experiences, hoping to bring back the emotional connection that online shopping has made harder to control.
A more affordable way to build relationships is through the post-purchase (or after-sales) experience, and most brands – even those selling mainly through third parties – can already take charge of it.
The post-purchase experience starts right after the sale and lasts as long as the customer owns the product. This could be a warranty for an e-bike, repair services for a dishwasher, trade-in options for sports gear, or resale programs for baby prams. It’s the only branded experience that reaches every customer without needing a store, a big event, or an invite list.
It might be the simplest way to see real business results.
Why are brands investing in physical experiences again?
Because the top of the funnel is getting harder to own.
AI tools now stand between buyers and brands. Forrester’s 2026 Buyers’ Journey Survey, which included about 18,000 business buyers, found that 94% used generative AI during their latest purchase, up from 89% the year before. More customers said AI or conversational search was their most helpful resource than any other option.
When an AI assistant creates a shortlist, it looks for accuracy, not personality. It hardly notices your brand’s unique voice, creative design, or the campaign the brand spent months building.
That’s why brands are wisely investing in moments that AI can’t control. The idea makes sense, but these experiences are costly and tough to grow.
What can the post-purchase experience offer that an event can’t?
It can reach every customer, even those who bought through a third party, and it does so at a much lower cost.
Brands already paid to acquire these customers. They already own the product. Every unit in the field is a standing invitation to make contact, and unlike an event, the audience grows every time a product is sold.
It also produces the asset that matters most: first-party data. As third-party data degrades, a direct relationship with a named customer becomes ever more valuable.
First-party data gets more valuable every year as discretionary budgets tighten, replacement cycles lengthen, and acquisition gets more expensive.
Brands need to take care of, and find ways to earn more from, the customers they already have.
The post-purchase experience lets you offer something valuable, like an alteration, an upgrade, or a reason for customers to return instead of going elsewhere or not coming back at all.
How can post-purchase products turn into a growth channel?
Warranty gives brands a reason to contact customers. Often, a registration or claim is the only way a brand knows who its retail customers are. If managed well, warranty can become a growth channel instead of just a cost. Products with required or expected warranties are often sold through third parties, so warranty not only tells you who your customers are, but also helps start a relationship where the sale itself didn’t.
Repair and maintenance services help keep products reliable and enjoyable. Relying on planned obsolescence can frustrate customers instead of building loyalty. Every repair is a chance to connect and gather data. It also gives customers a reason to stick with your brand instead of switching to whatever AI suggests next.
Trade-in programs complete the cycle. They speed up upgrades and let you capture the value of returned products, whether that means reselling, responsible disposal, or another option that fits your brand.
IKEA is launching its Preowned marketplace in the UK. In Spain, sellers who choose a gift card as payment get a 15% bonus. This is a smart business move, not just a sustainability effort.
The brand turns used products into store credit, keeping both the customer and the value within its own ecosystem. This is trade-in as a way to bring customers back, not just a recycling program.
The experience worth building
The experience economy has a less flashy side: the post-purchase experience.
There’s no launch party or press release for it. It’s the warranty claim that’s handled smoothly, the repair that arrives on time, or the trade-in offer that shows up just when a customer is thinking about upgrading. It reaches every customer, grows with each sale, and brings in first-party data and steady repeat business – something a concept store can’t match.
Circulo brings the post-purchase experience together in one system and connects it to your revenue-generating operations.
The ownership phase turns into a real growth opportunity, not just a pile of support tickets in a distant call centre. If you’re considering where your next growth opportunity lies, this is a conversation worth starting.
About Circulo
Circulo is a composable post-purchase platform for product brands and retailers, consolidating warranty management, service management (repair, alterations and maintenance), trade-in, spare parts management, and recommerce into one globally scalable system.
We offer a pay-as-you-reactivate trade-in tool that can be easily embedded in an email or SMS campaign, or on any website. It integrates with most e-commerce platforms, including Shopify, is available in English (British and American), Italian, and several other languages, and includes many pre-built logistics integrations such as Royal Mail, DHL, and DPD. Set-up takes approximately one week and includes guidance on program design to maximise desired business outcomes.
Get in touch – hello@circulo.tech