Customer Acquisition

It's been more than a decade since the direct-to-consumer (DTC) business model forever changed the world of consumer brands. With an iconic cohort of industry disruptors, including Warby Parker, Casper, and Harry's, the model paved the way for an explosion of businesses built upon direct and authentic relationships with their customers and, in some cases,…

Not only are Gen Z not shopping like their parents, they're actively trying hard not to. After all, they have their own channels now, ones that they navigate with facility — the very channels that their elders will often avoid altogether. The behaviors of Gen Z (those born between 1997 and 2012) as they become…

While inflation has been on the mind of everyone through 2022 and into this year, we recently have been hearing whispers of possible deflation in the near future. Naturally, this has many small retailers and grocers wondering what they would do to survive if that comes to pass. Starting in 2020, we saw larger retailers…

Consumers seek out brands that share their values, know them well, and provide the experiences they expect. Smart retailers leverage this knowledge to build customer relationships that endure. However, when it comes to relationship building with Gen Z — the cohort of consumers born between 1997 and 2012 — seasoned decision makers sometimes struggle to…

Join us as we discuss three strategies to maximize customer lifetime value, including bringing obsession to micro-experiences.

According to FoodIndustry.com, the U.S. food market is worth $1.5 trillion annually, or roughly 4 percent of the domestic gross product. $800 billion of that revenue is from supermarkets and food stores. Compare this to the U.S. apparel market, which is estimated to be worth $318 billion (Statistica). And while the retail industry often focuses…

Swedish fintech Klarna changed how consumers — particularly younger consumers — buy and pay for goods. Its model, which countless other rivals have since replicated, is simple. Rather than pay the entire sum upfront, the consumer pays a portion, and Klarna fronts the rest, which the consumer repays in manageable bi-monthly or monthly installments. At…

In episode 388 of Total Retail Talks, which was recorded at the ICR Conference earlier this year, Editor-in-Chief Joe Keenan interviews John Merris, CEO of Solo Brands, a pure-play direct-to-consumer (DTC) company with a portfolio of rapidly growing lifestyle brands, including Solo Stove, Oru Kayak, Chubbies, and ISLE. Merris discusses why so many public DTC…

Retail is constantly evolving. Some changes are so small or happen over such a long period of time that the impact on day-to-day business is negligible. Then there’s the case of the past few years. We’ve seen technological and societal forces converge and drive enormous changes, incredibly quickly. Whether you call it a revolution, a…

Duluth Trading Company is known for its durable, quality products and cheeky marketing campaigns that connect with its primarily male customer base. That formula has served the company well over the years. However, Duluth Trading Co. recognizes that to continue to grow the business it can't rest on its laurels. The business must evolve to…