January 31, 2023 ■ 2 min read
Thirteen-year-old direct-consumer rug brand Ruggable laid off 100 employees on Friday, joining a number of e-commerce startups resorting to layoffs in the new year ahead of a potential recession. “This outcome was driven by an internal restructuring to ensure our business will remain strongly positioned in today’s challenging economic environment,” a statement from the company read.
January 31, 2023 ■ 7 min read
As challenges like customer acquisition and fulfillment continue to plague direct-to-consumer, more founders are leaning on retailers to grow their businesses. Newly-launched brands, in particular, are foregoing the default DTC playbook by building their business around retail partnerships from the start. Plant care startup Arber is one such brand, which has secured wholesale deals with Walmart and Target less than two years after launching.
December 02, 2022 ■ 1 min read
With the growth of e-commerce, retailers are facing greater challenges with online returns — from increased logistics costs due to inflation to higher return rates as more shopping goes online. As for shoppers, they continue to expect online returns that are easy and free. These challenges are also opportunities for retailers, as consumers increasingly gravitate […]