It’s common for bricks-and-mortar retailers to launch online stores. Now Taobao, China’s largest online retailing website, has reversed the polarity by opening a home furnishings store in Beijing. The store, which occupies five floors and has 270 individual display rooms, is stocked with items available from merchants on Taobao Mall’s online furniture channel. Shoppers can purchase items through self-service terminals inside the store, have them delivered and, if necessary, installed.

Taobao says the physical outlethelps overcome the reluctance many consumers have about buying big-ticket items online, without examining them in person. The Beijing store is just the first; Taobao has plans to roll out similar outlets in other big cities. To read more, check out this AP story.