Welcome to The Week in Direct-to-Consumer, a weekly roundup for marketers from Quad Insights that sums up the latest news in the DTC space.
GoPuff launches Powered by GoPuff, allowing brands to offer fast delivery directly from their online stores
Fulfillment and delivery platform GoPuff just launched Powered by GoPuff, allowing brands “to build and manage a dedicated DTC sales channel on their websites,” Retail Insight Network’s Luke Martin reports. By leveraging existing GoPuff infrastructure, the new platform aims to help brands improve delivery speeds and boost sales while still maintaining customer relationships and retaining first-party data, Martin notes, adding that orders placed on these sites are automatically routed to the nearest GoPuff fulfillment center. Per GoPuff’s launch announcement, the platform’s pilot program includes major marketers such as Unilever, Ben & Jerry’s and Mondelēz.
See also: In February, Misfits Market launched an e-commerce fulfillment program for DTC brands, as we noted in an earlier installment of The Week in Direct-to-Consumer.
Knot Standard and Billy Reid announce merger
AI-powered custom clothing company Knot Standard just announced a merger with fashion brand Billy Reid. Billy Reid will acquire and rebrand Knot Standard’s eight DTC brick-and-mortar stores and will launch Knot Standard’s AI-powered custom clothing measurement and ordering tech in all existing Billy Reid stores. “Our combined strengths will not only elevate the made-to-measure experience but also expand our reach, bringing exceptional quality and personalization to more people across the nation,” Knot Standard CEO Matt Mueller said in the announcement.
See also: This week’s installment of The Week in Generative AI.
Levi’s builds on its DTC strategy in Southeast Asia with high-profile brick-and-mortar store
Further progressing its shift to a DTC-first business model, Levi Strauss & Co. just announced the reopening of its flagship brick-and-mortar store in Bangkok, Retail Dive’s Tatiana Walk-Morris reports. The store is the largest Levi’s location in Southeast Asia and features Thailand’s second Tailor Shop, “where tailoring professionals offer alteration, restoration and customization services,” Walk-Morris writes. “Thailand is an important strategic market for Levi Strauss & Co. within Southeast Asia, and Bangkok is one of the world’s most popular destinations for international tourists,” Sameer Koul, Levi’s General Manager for Southeast Asia, said in the announcement.
See also: “Levi’s sees strong DTC revenue rise in Q1,” as we noted in last week’s edition of The Week in Direct-to-Consumer.
Bombas further expands into footwear
DTC brand Bombas just launched its first non-slipper shoe called the Friday Slide, NBC News’ Zoe Malin reports. Best known for its DTC socks origin story and its Giving Back program through which the company matches a product purchase with a donation to charity, Bombas has gradually expanded into apparel and footwear categories, Malin notes. Featuring lightweight, water-resistant cushioning “built to go everywhere you go this summer,” the Friday Slide is available in men’s and women’s sizes at bombas.com.
See also: “‘Being very consistent’: Bombas co-founders David Heath & Randy Goldberg on how the apparel brand bucked the DTC doldrums” — a Modern Retail story we highlighted in an earlier edition of The Week in Direct-to-Consumer.
Further reading
DTC collaborations:
- “J.Crew and Minnow Launch Limited-edition Adult and Kids’ Swimwear” (Women’s Wear Daily)
- “Kendra Scott and LoveShackFancy partner on capsule collection” (Fashion Network)
DTC trends:
- “Golf fashion moves into the mainstream” (Fashion Dive)
DTC partnerships:
- “e.l.f. Cosmetics Races Into History as the Indianapolis 500’s First Beauty Sponsor” (Yahoo Life)
- “Lululemon designed Canada’s Olympic outfits as an artistic ode to the country” (Fast Company)
DTC strategy:
- “True Classic estimates order arrivals with AI” (Chain Store Age)
- “Full Glass Wine buys up struggling DTC wine companies” (Retail Brew)
DTC brick-and-mortar expansion:
