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Vitruvi rebranded last month with new packaging centered on helping consumers better understand scent profiles in store. Now, Vitruvi's plans to center customer acquisition in store: the brand is inking new retailer partnership deals and launching new products to appeal to a broader array of retailers.
OpenStore launched in 2021, with the idea to use proprietary technology to suss out which online brands have the most upside. It's raised over $130 million both in venture capital and debt. E-commerce brands can go to OpenStore's website and share their Shopify data with the portfolio company. Co-founder Michael Rubenstein joined the Modern Retail Podcast this week and spoke about the current state of e-commerce portfolio companies and why he thinks OpenStore is poised for success.
Since Similac maker Abbott issued recalls of its products due to bacteria contamination in late February, U.S. retailers have been hit with a formula shortage. Amid the shortage, a number of upstart brands that specialize in organic or clean label baby formula have seen an uptick in customers -- so much so, that some of them have temporarily stopped accepting new customers. DTC formula brands like Bobbie, ByHeart, Kate Farms and Aussie Bubs are all promoting their subscription delivery as a convenient way for parents to get their children food.
As direct-to-consumer brands rush to sign leases, swimwear brand Andie is taking a more methodical approach. The swimwear brand has two pop-ups in the works – one in Sag Harbor that opened at the beginning of the month, and another in Berkeley that’s scheduled to open on May 27," “It’s still early for us in our retail journey, and I think there’s a lot for us to learn,” founder Melanie Travis said.
The key to DTC towel brand Weezie's success is staying in its lane -- or, bathroom. That's according to co-founder Lindsey Johnson who joined this week's Modern Retail Podcast. The company, which makes luxury bath towels along with other bathroom-related products like bathrobes and bathmats, has seen year-over-year growth and said late last year that it was on track to hit eight figures in revenue in 2021.
The direct-to-consumer startup boom has subsequently created a growing arms race in fulfillment over the past couple years, but which hit a peak last week. Last week, Shopify announced that it was acquiring Deliverr, a fulfillment startup that integrates with marketplaces like Amazon, Walmart and eBay for $2.1 billion.
Called Shopify Audiences, this tool lets brands choose products in their catalogs that they want to put in front of shoppers that are more likely to make a purchase. Using machine learning, the Audiences tool creates essentially a lookalike audience for that product that can then be deployed on advertising platforms.
Outdoor gear and apparel brand The North Face is relaunching its resale program with new service partners, in hopes of expanding the types of resale products it services it offers.
At the Modern Retail DTC Summit, held last week in New Orleans, General Mills' global e-commerce lead of DTC Carter Jensen took to the stage to talk about how he approaches his role. That conversation was recorded for this week's Modern Retail Podcast.
It’s easier than ever to start a direct-to-consumer brand, but it’s harder to scale one. But this changing landscape has given rise to a new realization: that there’s never going to be one marketing channel, one community-building tactic, or one product development strategy that every brand can embrace to rise above the competition.
At the 2022 Modern Retail DTC Summit New Orleans, Louisiana, retail executives came together to discuss about the biggest challenges digitally-native brands are facing today. This is a roundup of their frustrations and solutions when navigating marketing and growth obstacles.
For many direct-to-consumer brands, entering physical retail has become a standard growth strategy. At this week's Modern Retail DTC Summit, Fly by Jing founder Jing Gao highlighted the opportunity and challenges of selling through national retailers.
Direct-to-consumer marketplace The Fascination was acquired today by digital publishing vendor StackCommerce for an undisclosed sum. The Fascination co-founder Matt Hayes said today's acquisition deal would help The Fascination get "more eyeballs on its site" and offer "different ways to get in front of millennial customers." StackCommerce, meanwhile, will use the partnership to access The Fascination's premium DTC client list.
Fast growth comes with added obstacles, as many direct-to-consumer brands have shown over the years. Growing a digitally-native brand, both online and through wholesale partnerships, requires "failing fast and moving quickly," said luggage brand Béis' president Adeela Hussain Johnson.
After relying on digital sales for a couple of years, DTC brands are back to investing in physical retail. At this year's Modern Retail DTC Summit, Brooklinen's vp of retail explains how the bedding and homeware brand is going about its store expansion.
Apparel retailers faced numerous headwinds in the first quarter that dampened bottom lines including continued supply chain pressures and inflation. Moreover, apparel preferences are rapidly changing from stay-at-home basics to workwear and partywear.
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