Oura announced Monday that its smart ring will be available in select Target stores in the United States. The deal, which also brings the wearable to the retailer’s site, follows similar announcements with Amazon in March and Best Buy last April.
It’s good validation for a company that has almost single-handedly legitimized the Smart Ring as an alternative form factor to smartwatches and ubiquitous wrist-worn trackers. The retail effort has been a focus of CEO Tom Hale, who took over in 2022, as interest in health trackers grew amid the pandemic.
The period also saw high-profile adoptions from sports leagues like the NBA, with the company touting health tracking that could potentially detect COVID-19 infections early. In March 2022, the nine-year-old company announced that it had sold its millionth ring.
The target tips will provide a “unique in-store sizing experience,” with dummy units on display. For those who purchase a $10 sizing kit from Target’s site, the retailer will send a $10 gift certificate to offset the price.
Gen 3 rings start at $300, but Oura’s subscription service is where the real revenue comes from. The company faced backlash when it announced it would charge monthly fees to access certain features, although such criticism does not appear to have had a major negative impact on Oura’s growth.
Further validation of the form factor came earlier this year, when Samsung announced the launch of its own fitness ring. The Galaxy Ring is expected to hit the market later this year.
techcrunch
