DTC Pod: Get Cozy with Ramon and Blaine 🛋️ + This Week's Essential DTC News

A quick note:

Hey DTC Pod! This week, Blaine and Ramon become the captains of the DTC Pod, steering us through the e-commerce universe with their razor-sharp analyses.

Plus all the vital DTC news that you shouldn't miss.

Stay in touch! Ping us with your insights, thoughts or a fun meme at [email protected].

- Blaine, Ramon, & the DTC POD team ✌️

This Week's DTC Pod
This Week In Consumer & Commerce: China, Vertical Integration, Supreme, Lalo, & more.

On this episode of DTC POD, Blaine and Ramon discuss the latest trends in commerce, including issues with leakage, coupon codes, and overpaying on affiliate commissions. They also talk about the success of DTC brands and how consumers prioritize products. The conversation also touches on the challenges of product manufacturing stages in China and the bankruptcy of Instant Brands. Finally, the discussion turns to fashion and streetwear brands like Supreme and Fear of God, and the difficulties of staying relevant in a constantly evolving market.

📰 DTC & eCommerce News

Lalo's Baby Steps to World Domination - Lalo is making waves as one of the fastest-growing baby brands, and they're not slowing down! They just bagged a sweet $10.1M in a Series A funding round led by Spin Master Ventures. They're not just stashing the cash – they've got big plans! They’re talking product innovation, expanding their reach, and enhancing the customer experience. Get ready, folks. Lalo is on the move.

Andy Dunn Back in the Bonobos Mix! - Guess who’s back? Andy Dunn, the OG founder of Bonobos, is teaming up again with the brand, this time in an advisory role with the new owner, WHP Global. This feels like a full-circle, magical kind of moment. Andy, who made waves by pioneering Bonobos as a digitally native brand, said it best: “We’re going to do great things on behalf of current and future Bonobos customers.” Cheers to that!

Better Brand Bagels Breaks the Bank with $6M Raise - The low-carb bagel sensation, Better Brand, just raised a cool $6M in Series A, skyrocketing its valuation to a jaw-dropping $170M! Founder Aimee Yang is among the elite club of solo female founders hitting it big. The brand’s Grain-changing Technology™ is revolutionizing the bagel game. With an 800% sales spike and shelves in over 1,000 stores, these tasty rings are taking the market by storm. The bagel renaissance is here, folks.

Adore Me Coughs Up $2.35 Million in Settlement - On June 16, 2023, lingerie retailer Adore Me was hit with a $2.35M settlement over allegations of deceptive VIP Membership practices. Attorney General Michelle Henry put the hammer down, accusing the company of not being crystal clear about automatic charges and terms. The settlement, which involved Pennsylvania, D.C., Texas, and 29 other states, mandates Adore Me to notify VIP members about refund options for unused credits and make major changes to their business practices. Heads up, online retailers, consumer watchdogs might have their eyes on you 👀.

Tweet of The Week

Daniel Okon (@thedanielokon) shares insights from a brand operator who went from $5M to $50M in a year! The takeaway? Pinching pennies and scrappy moves. Reminder: e-commerce is a fierce battleground. Get scrappy or get left behind!

DTC Event

DTCX MEDIA BUYER SUMMIT JUNE 28 - Ready to transform your customer experience? Don't miss DTCX's first-ever Media Buyer Summit. A virtual conference where DTC brands learn to increase sales, loyalty, and retention. Elevate your eCommerce game. Click this link for details.

Interested in being a guest? Sharing a cool event? Suggestions on how to improve the pod? Email us at [email protected]