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Used car e-commerce companies are in high demand. The rise of companies like Vroom, Carvana and Shift shows that, as e-commerce continues to sweep the retail world, it has begun to ensnare even nontraditional online purchases, including big, expensive items like cars.
Direct-to-consumer brands have been conditioned to think that as modern companies, they need to have some sort of sustainability component. The problem is that there are a lot of different ways that brands are trying to claim that they are “sustainable,” and it’s not immediately clear which of these practices actually have the biggest environmental benefits. As a result, sustainability often feel more like a marketing ploy than a practice that actually results in real change.
Oatly wants to become the go-to alternative to dairy all around the world. In order to do so, the oat milk brand just filed to go public in the U.S. Oatly's rise has been rapid -- a Swedish company, Oatly Group AB only started selling its products in the U.S. in 2017. And last year, it had revenue of $421.4 million compared to just $204 million in 2019. What's fueled Oatly's rise is not only rapid international expansion, but also a bet on buzzy chains to help it gain brand awareness.
Ghost kitchen company Zuul is partnering with landlords -- and the model offers an early glimpse of a much larger effort by the ghost kitchen industry to establish itself in institutional food markets. Ghost kitchen companies are signing partnerships with hotel chains, residential buildings and traditional offices in order to supply bulk food orders -- all as a way to both build out a steady customer base and cut the overall cost of deliveries.
On Tuesday, Katrina Lake, announced that she would be stepping down as CEO in August. Replacing her is Elizabeth Spaulding, who joined Stitch Fix as president last January after spending 20-plus years at Bain & Company. Lake's resignation comes as Stitch Fix has been investing in giving customers more ways to buy and select clothes, which hints at what Stitch Fix's next phase of growth under Spaulding might look like.
Flower delivery became a big winner during the pandemic. The category, which taps into the socially-distanced gifting trend, saw major growth, especially during celebrations and holidays. Now, DTC players like UrbanStems are looking for ways to retain their new cohort of customers with self-gifting and add-ons.
E-commerce brands are getting ready to test the waters of physical retail again. The increase in vaccinations over the spring has coincided with an uptick in pop-ups from e-commerce companies like Misfits Market and Cuts Clothing. The interest in pop-ups is being spurred by a combination of factors, including the fact that rent is still low in many places right now. But not all e-commerce companies are fully ready to commit to retail again.
When Clubhouse first launched last April, founders flocked to the app as they were looking for more ways to meet fellow entrepreneurs while the world was still socially distancing. Months later, some of their initial excitement for their app has faded as they are trying to limit their usage to tuning into talks they feel like will actually, tangibly, help them in their business.
After growing its private labels alongside selling eco-friendly home essentials by brands like Seventh Generation and Method, Grove Collaborative is venturing into retail. Later this month, the DTC marketplace will launch its cleaning products at nationwide Target locations and on Target's website.
Direct-to-consumer startup Summersalt got its start in swimwear, but over the past few years the brand has been transforming itself into a full-fledged apparel company. In addition to swimsuits, Summersalt now sells loungewear, sleepwear, activewear and cashmere sweaters.
This year, DTC plants startup Bloomscape introduced a new line of outdoor and patio plants, its first venture outside. The company said the new category is way to retain customers, and attract new ones, as more millennials invest in their homes.
DTC furniture brand Article's ticket to growth is focused on the outdoors. Its new collection of outdoor furniture is prompting a wave of growth, the company told Modern Retail. Article already saw big growth in 2020, with sales up 70% year-over-year.
Target being a go-to for DTC brands' physical retail strategy is nothing new. Over the years, the big box retailer has become known for attracting digitally-native brands like Quip, Harry's and Schmidt's to its shelves. Now, the company is tapping young health-focused brands to offer clean alternatives for national over-the-counter names.
The messages app is starting to replace the email inbox as the most sought-after piece of digital real estate among brands and retailers. Using text messages to promote sales or new product launches are the most popular tactics, but marketers are still trying to figure out what kinds of text messages people would actually want to receive from them.
More than a year after the FTC quashed a proposed acquisition of Harry’s by CPG conglomerate Edgwell, Harry’s has started to chart out its new plan for building a next-generation CPG company. Now, Harry’s is looking to become more of a CPG conglomerate itself.
A California court just deemed Amazon liable for a faulty product sold by a third-party seller. The ruling, if nothing else, solidifies that Amazon has a real liability risk in California. “It’s going to carry a lot of weight in California,” one lawyer said.
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