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.
Survey says: 31% of Gen Zers say they prefer to buy fashion and accessories in-store
New survey results from marketing research firm 2 Visions found that 31% of Gen Z consumers prefer to buy fashion and accessories in-store, the highest percentage of any age group, D2C Insider’s Sarah Mahoney reports. Another 41% of Gen Z respondents said they like to shop in a hybrid way (in-store and digital), Mahoney notes, adding that these figures represent significant differences from millennial respondents, with 19% preferring in-store and 66% preferring hybrid in the age group. Explaining the Gen Z in-store shopping phenomenon, Yates Jarvis, principal at 2 Visions, told D2C Insider: “It’s the experience of getting out. Because they are digital natives, they might have had fewer of these experiences.”
See also: Per eMarketer’s recently released “Consumer Path to Purchase Survey,” 38.5% of U.S. clothing buyers say they discover brands and products by browsing in-store, as we noted in the April 17 edition of The Weekly 10: marketing, media and industry statistics to know now.
John Legend and Chrissy Teigen launch Kismet pet brand
Grammy-winning artist John Legend and his wife, model and TV personality Chrissy Teigen, have launched DTC premium pet food brand Kismet, Retail Dive’s Suzette Parmley reports. With dry food and treats ranging from $17.99 to $89.99, Kismet is positioning itself as a nutritious but affordable premium option for “today’s modern pet parent,” per the announcement. “Tiegen and Legend partnered with board-certified veterinary nutritionists and other formula experts to create the brand’s recipes,” Parmley notes, adding that each purchase benefits Kismet Cares, the company’s philanthropic arm. Kismet products are available now at kismetpets.com.
See also: “Nicki Minaj launches DTC press-on nail brand Pink Friday Nails,” as we noted in the March 22 edition of this column.
Fast Company explores the rise of DTC work boot brand Brunt
In an article titled “The $146 million DTC startup making a better work boot for tradespeople,” Fast Company’s Elizabeth Segran explores the rise of four-year-old brand Brunt Workwear. Founder Eric Girouard, a footwear industry veteran, tells Segran that Brunt’s DTC vision allows it to focus on the consumer and innovation — for instance, the brand’s boots utilize “Cush’n” insoles made from memory foam — and adds that DTC brands such as Warby Parker and Allbirds have “a direct connection with their customers, so they knew how to serve their needs. This is something that the bigger players in our space aren’t doing.” Read the full story here.
Lululemon becomes an official apparel partner of Life Time Tennis and Pickleball
Lifestyle brand and nationwide owner/operator of pickleball and indoor tennis courts Life Time just announced DTC athleisure brand Lululemon as an official apparel partner. Per the announcement, the partnership — consisting of an apparel collection as well as future event collaborations — launched over the weekend at PENN1, Life Time’s newest athletic club located in New York City, featuring seven pickleball courts. Just ahead of summer, the partnership aims to capitalize on pickleball’s rising popularity.
See also: “Lululemon releases first enzymatically recycled polyester product,” as we noted in the April 12 edition of this column.
Further reading
DTC trends:
DTC results:
- “Skechers (SKX) Rides on DTC Growth & Multi-Brand Offerings” (Zacks Equity Research via Yahoo Finance)
- “Warner Bros. Discovery’s DTC Segment Adds 2 Million Q1 Subs, Ups Operating Profit to $86 Million” (Media Play News)
- “Disney Entertainment DTC Business Gets Out of the Red in Q2” (Next TV)
- “Warby Parker’s Sales and Profits Soar in 2024” (Business of Fashion)
DTC strategy:
- “Crocs Expands Its Pre-Loved Shoe Takeback Program After ‘Encouraging’ Pilot Project” (Footwear News)
DTC brick-and-mortar expansion:
