Survival Of The Fittest For DTC Brands

While COVID-19 deals a major blow to almost every retail vertical (grocery, wellness and drug stores as the primary exceptions), direct-to-consumer (DTC) brands are in an especially vulnerable state. Even before the pandemic turned consumer activity upside down, we were already seeing flaws in the DTC model. The implosion of athletic apparel company Outdoor Voices represented the wider trend of putting influencer status ahead of sound business practices. And the disastrous Casper IPO shined a light on the vulnerability of hot-out-of-the-gate brands that lack a solid plan for customer retention and longevity. Read more at Retail Dive.