DTC Pod: Hitting 7 Figures Selling Pills on TikTok + Swift's Retail TD, AI in jewelry and Top News

NOVEMBER 17 2023

Hey DTC Pod fans! We’re back with another insightful episode. This week, we’re joined by ecommerce phenom Moe Hayek, who built a 7-figure health supplements business on TikTok. 💊

We delve into:

• Crafting viral products people love.

• Leveraging TikTok Shop to drive sales.

• Building an engaged community through content.

• and much more!

Plus, top DTC news on Travis Kelce's retail boost from Taylor Swift, On Running's DTC growth, a jewelry brand using AI in design, and a must-attend DTC event. Reply with your thoughts and reach out anytime.

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This Week’s DTC Pod Guest

#298 - Hitting 7 figures with TikTok Shop

In this thrilling episode of DTC POD, we have pleasure of exploring the dynamic world of ecommerce and TikTok strategy with our distinguished guest, Moe Hayek. A seasoned entrepreneur who dropped out of college, got into ecommerce at a young age, and since then, has evolved an impressive portfolio that includes various microbrands and a viral sensation, the Limitless Pill.

Join us as we dive deep into his invaluable insights into inbound marketing, the potentials of health-focused industries, and how to create a loyal following through consistent communication.

NEWS

👉🏻 Can retail Success Be Boiled Down to Celebrity Stardom and Popularity

Football star Travis Kelce's budding romance with pop icon Taylor Swift has scored him a financial windfall. (3 minute read)

Kelce's jersey sales saw a 400% spike after Swift attended his games, while his podcast hit #1 on Apple. With Swift's fame boosting his brand, experts estimate Kelce could gain up to $5 million in new endorsement deals. But does celebrity popularity easily sway today's consumer?

Read more here 🔗

👉🏻 On’s net sales jump as it plans to slow wholesale expansion

Swiss running brand On Running revealed it will ease up on new wholesale partners as it reported record Q3 growth, fueled by a 55% direct-to-consumer sales jump. (2 minute read)

The company raised full-year guidance to over 46% growth, projecting strong holiday demand despite consumer caution. On remains bullish on winning market share even as competitors stumble.

Read more here 🔗

👉🏻 Generative AI Help Retailers Create and Design Better Products

Jewelry brand J’evar believes AI can revolutionize the design process. They built their own AI image generator that quickly depicts new products based on provided specs. (2 minute read)

The technology greatly reduces manual work and opens up unexplored design possibilities. While AI aids ideation, founders say human oversight remains key to finalizing viable, beautiful products.

Read more here 🔗

Other News + Resources

👉🏻 Beyond Meat in ‘survival mode’ with going-concern risk a possibility, analyst says (2 minute read)
Beyond Meat received a dire analysis from TD Cowen as its sales declined for the sixth straight quarter. The plant-based pioneer confronts falling market share, high prices, and confusion around its health benefits. Bleak performance and rising debt levels pose a risk that Beyond Meat can't fund near-term operations, per analysts. (link)

👉🏻 The rise of the Stanley tumbler: How a 110-year-old brand achieved viral success (4 minute read)
The Stanley tumbler was a forgotten product until bloggers from The Buy Guide discovered it in 2017. Raving about the cup's functionality, the influencers organically drove sales. Stanley took note and pivoted marketing toward women, adopting tips from The Buy Guide. Thanks to social media and limited-edition drops, the Quencher tumbler is now Stanley's hottest item. (link)

👉🏻 DTC Fashion Brand Cider Brings First Pop-Up to NYC (2 minute read)
Cider, a globally known fashion brand, is testing physical retail with a New York City pop-up store. The Gen Z brand, known for its broad size range and community-building, chose SoHo for its first IRL activation. Spanning 2000 sq. ft., the shop features Cider's signature "mood" dressing collections. More permanent stores could follow if the pop-up succeeds, Cider said. (link)

👉🏻 Luxury furniture rental company Vesta acquires Fernish and Feather (2 minute read)
Luxury home staging company Vesta acquired furniture rental startups Fernish and Feather to expand into mass-market services. The brands will operate separately under Vesta's new banner "Showroom," which provides staging, design, and rental. Showroom seeks to become the dominant player in furniture rental through its national reach and shared logistics network. (link)

X of The Week

The 10 commandments for vetting agencies

This week's tweet is from e-commerce expert @HelenGuo_ with 10 tips on evaluating agencies to find the right partner.

From client references to contracts, Helen provides tactical advice for vetting agencies thoroughly. Her thread is a must-read for any DTC brand hiring help.

Tool of the Week

Want to turn your content into a conversion machine? Fermàt is here to help.

Meet Fermàt, the distributed commerce platform built to help brands seamlessly embed shoppable experiences across influencer content and owned channels. By extending existing commerce ops as a true brand extension. Fermàt helps brands reduce reliance on big tech while enabling frictionless shopping.

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DTC Event

Digital Summit Kansas City - November 29-30, 2023

Join the Kansas City Convention Center for two days of innovative discussion and networking at the Digital Summit Kansas City conference.

The summit will cover a range of digital marketing topics including strategy, content, analytics, design, and more. It will feature keynote presentations, breakout sessions, and exhibits offering insights from industry experts.

Resource of the week

If you enjoyed Moe’s episode this week and you're ready to push your ecommerce brand to hit the eight-figure mark, Moementum is your go-to newsletter. It's a treat for anyone interested in the latest in marketing, AI, and e-commerce.

Moe has a way of breaking down complex topics and making them super engaging and easy to grasp. He helps readers learn strategies to grow your ecom brand into 8-figures. If you’d like to read more, click the link below!

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