History of Wayfair in Timeline

Wayfair is an American e-commerce company specializing in furniture and home goods. Founded in 2002 as CSN Stores, it now offers a vast selection of over 14 million items sourced from more than 11,000 suppliers worldwide. Headquartered in Boston, Massachusetts, Wayfair operates offices and warehouses across the United States, Canada, Germany, Ireland, China and the United Kingdom, solidifying its global presence in the online retail market.

August 2002: Wayfair Founded

In August 2002, Niraj Shah and Steve Conine founded Wayfair as a two-person company. The makeshift headquarters was located in Conine's nursery in Boston, Massachusetts. Both founders had previously run companies before starting Wayfair.

2006: Reached $100 Million in Sales

In 2006, Wayfair reached $100 million in sales, marking a significant milestone in the company's growth.

2008: Expanded to Canada and the UK

In 2008, CSN Stores, now known as Wayfair, began shipping to Canada and selling in the United Kingdom. They also opened an office in London. The Boston Business Journal ranked them as the #1 fastest-growing private e-commerce company in Massachusetts.

2009: Expanded to Germany

In 2009, Wayfair expanded its operations to Germany, marking another step in its international growth.

2010: Joss & Main Launch

In 2010, Joss & Main, Wayfair's second specialty retail brand, was launched as a membership-exclusive online retailer, offering flash sales on home furnishing and decor brands.

2010: Headquarters Relocation and Launch of Joss & Main

In 2010, Wayfair relocated its headquarters to 177 Huntington Avenue, occupying 10 floors. At the end of the year, the company launched Joss & Main, a members-only online store.

June 2011: Raised $165 Million in Funding

In June 2011, Wayfair raised $165 million in funding from several investment firms to market its new brand and continue expansion.

September 1, 2011: Wayfair.com Launched

On September 1, 2011, Wayfair.com was launched, marking a significant step in consolidating the company's online presence.

July 2012: Consolidated Niche Websites into Wayfair.com

As of July 2012, Wayfair had consolidated all of its niche websites, with the exception of Joss & Main and AllModern, into Wayfair.com.

August 2012: Launched Wayfair Supply

In August 2012, Wayfair launched Wayfair Supply, which served as a single destination for Wayfair's business, government, and institutional customers.

August 2013: Acquired DwellStudio

In August 2013, Wayfair acquired DwellStudio, a New York City-based design house and retailer focused on modern home and family furnishings.

March 2014: $157 Million Pre-IPO Financing

In March 2014, T. Rowe Price led a $157 million pre-IPO financing round, valuing Wayfair at more than $2 billion.

June 2014: Headquarters Relocation

In late June 2014, Wayfair relocated its headquarters to 4 Copley Place in Boston. They also opened two satellite offices in the surrounding area.

October 2014: Initial Public Offering (IPO)

In October 2014, Wayfair raised over $300 million through an IPO on the New York Stock Exchange, trading under the ticker symbol W.

2014: Birch Lane Launch

In 2014, Birch Lane was launched under Wayfair, catering to customers seeking more traditional styles. Birch Lane focuses on a curated selection of traditional items, drawing inspiration from a category described as "traditional twisted".

July 2015: Sold Australian Business

In July 2015, Wayfair sold its Australian business to local online retailer Temple & Webster for an undisclosed amount. The brand was renamed Zizo and later absorbed into the Temple & Webster business.

2017: Perigold Launch

In 2017, Perigold was launched as Wayfair's first luxury home retail brand, known for its higher-end designer brands, top-tier customer service, free design services, and shipping advantages.

April 25, 2018: First "Way Day" Sale

On April 25, 2018, Wayfair hosted its first "Way Day" sale. Sales quadrupled compared to an average day in March, and the number of unique buyers rose nearly 400%.

December 13, 2018: $31.4 Million Tax Break Approved

On December 13, 2018, the Massachusetts Economic Assistance Coordinating Council approved a $31.4 million tax break for Wayfair in exchange for a pledge to increase hiring by at least 3,000 in Boston and 300 jobs at a new call center in Pittsfield.

March 26, 2019: First Permanent Physical Storefront Announced

On March 26, 2019, Wayfair announced that its first permanent physical storefront would open in the Natick Mall in Natick, Massachusetts.

May 2019: Added to Fortune 500 List

In May 2019, Wayfair was added to the Fortune 500 list for the first time, ranking at number 446.

June 25, 2019: Employee Protest Announced

On June 25, 2019, Wayfair employees announced plans to walk out in protest of a BCFS contract to sell beds to temporary migrant detention camps. Congresswoman Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez supported the employees.

June 26, 2019: Employee Walkout

On June 26, 2019, several hundred Wayfair employees walked out in protest of a BCFS contract to sell beds to temporary migrant detention camps after senior management did not terminate the order.

September 19, 2019: CEO Niraj Shah's Hiring Criteria Comments

On September 19, 2019, during a business panel, CEO Niraj Shah stated Wayfair looks for talented, non-political, collaborative, driven, and ambitious employees. His comments were later described by Wayfair as "misinterpreted and inaccurately positioned."

October 2019: Hired 1,500 People but Faced Net Loss

In late October 2019, Wayfair announced it had hired 1,500 people in the last quarter, but also reported a net loss of $272 million, despite a revenue increase of 36 percent over the previous year.

2019: Wayfair's Operations in 2019

As of 2019, Wayfair had over 12 million square feet of warehouse space in Europe and North America, offered 14 million products from 11,000 global suppliers, employed over 2,300 engineers and data scientists, and expected to spend more than $1 billion in marketing and advertising.

February 13, 2020: Layoff Announcement

On February 13, 2020, Wayfair announced a layoff of 550 employees, about three percent of their global workforce, including 350 employees from the Boston headquarters.

July 10, 2020: Subject of Conspiracy Theory

On July 10, 2020, Wayfair became the subject of a conspiracy theory falsely accusing the company of being involved in child sex trafficking as a front organization.

October 2021: Board of Directors in October 2021

In October 2021, the board of directors for Wayfair was established.

August 19, 2022: Layoff Announcement due to Post-Pandemic Growth Slowdown

On August 19, 2022, CEO Niraj Shah notified employees that approximately 900 positions would be laid off due to post-pandemic growth "that has not materialized as we had anticipated."

March 2024: Birch Lane's Physical Store Initiatives

In March 2024, Birch Lane initiated its physical store presence by opening its first store in Florida. Since then, three more stores have opened in Sarasota, Tampa, Naples, and Boca Raton.

May 2024: Opened Physical Location in Wilmette, Illinois

In May 2024, Wayfair opened its first non-outlet, Wayfair-branded physical location in Wilmette, Illinois.

January 2025: Withdrawal from German and Austrian Markets

In January 2025, Wayfair announced it would withdraw from the German and Austrian markets, resulting in the layoff of an estimated 730 positions, or 3% of its global workforce.