Insta360 Opens First U.S. Flagship Store in New York's Times Square, Drawing Thousand-Plus Opening-Day Crowd

Insta360 officially opened its first U.S. flagship store at 151 Broadway in New York City’s Times Square on September 19, according to a September 22 announcement. The location marks the action camera maker’s first flagship outside of Asia, representing a landmark step as it ramps up its global offline retail footprint.

"This store isn’t just about selling our products in the U.S.," said Max, co-founder and vice president of marketing at Insta360. "We want to connect directly with every user, and make our innovative imaging technology accessible to anyone who wants to capture their own stories."

Per U.S. imaging industry publication PetaPixel, more than 1,000 people lined up for the store’s opening. The location opened its doors at noon, and the first customer arrived as early as 2:30 a.m., waiting nearly 10 hours to get in. The first person in line, a young aspiring YouTuber, received a limited-edition Luna Ultra gimbal camera as a gift from Insta360 at the opening event. Attendees also included a race car driver who traveled specifically from Egypt for the launch, as well as an American father and son who visited to celebrate the child’s 10th birthday.

Insta360 noted the opening comes as the company’s cumulative global camera shipments have surpassed 10 million units. According to IDC data, Insta360 held nearly 70% of the global 360-degree camera market share in the first quarter of this year, ranking first in the category. Its recently launched Luna Ultra, the world’s first dual-lens gimbal camera, and the X6 panoramic camera both claimed the top sales spot on e-commerce platforms in both China and the U.S.

Known as the "Crossroads of the World," Times Square is home to a cluster of Chinese global brands that have expanded overseas, including Pop Mart, Miniso, and Heytea, all located a short distance from Insta360’s new store. In fact, Insta360 has been building its presence in the U.S. market for a full decade. Since entering the U.S. in 2016, the brand has primarily relied on online channels and social media for growth. The launch of the offline flagship is part of its retail strategy to expand from digital sales to immersive in-person brand experiences. This August, Insta360 opened a flagship store in Tokyo; it operates dozens of authorized retail locations across Asia, and plans to continue expanding into the European market. The Times Square opening is widely viewed as a signal of Insta360’s commitment to deepening its North American market presence and building long-term brand equity in the region.

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