#25 The Least Boring Weekly Newsletter 

October 06, 2021 • Estimated Reading Time: 11 minutes

Good Morning readers!🥣

How have you all been doing this week?👌

#1 Frances Haugen says, in her time with Facebook, she saw, “conflicts of interest between what was good for the public and what was good for Facebook”. 

(P.S. You can watch the entire interview here.)

#2 As you know, the world is warming because of fossil fuel emissions caused by humans. Extreme weather events linked to climate change are intensifying.

The 26th session of the Conference of the Parties (COP 26) to the UNFCCC is going to take place from 1-12 November 2021, in Glasgow, UK, where countries will have to keep making bigger emission cuts until reaching net-zero in 2050.

Almund's newsletter will let you in on all kinds of tips for D2C brands and much much more. 

Alright, so let's get right to it! 

This newsletter is going to dive into :

📜 Top reads for this week,

👩‍💻 Cargo ships anchored near West coast ports could face a 4-week delay to dock, raising further fears over the global supply chain.  

👩🏻‍💻 Whats(h)app, social media? 

📱 How to create a frictionless mobile experience? 

🔄 Rate of Returns on the rise? Here are some prevention measures.

🙎 BRAND of the week - BENCHMADE

👩🏻‍💼 Plenty of jobs awaiting you!

So, scroll down already to THE VERY END & read up on what's yet to come your way!

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TOP READS FOR THIS WEEK

📺 Instagram is getting rid of IGTV, sort of.

💵 Latin American E-Commerce Accelerator Merama Secures $225 Million Investment. 

🏬 Canal empowers existing storefronts to sell products from suppliers with a similar ethos.

🧋 Chocolate Milk brand Slate raises an additional $3.3m in seed round, expands distribution to 4000 stores. 

🩲 DTC brand Parade looks to physical retail as it raises $20M in Series B funding round.

💅 eSalon expands DTC Retail Experiences With Allure's Immersive Beauty Store. 

🍲 Sunbasket Becomes First Direct-to-Consumer Meal Delivery Service Available on Instacart Nationwide. 

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WHAT’S COOKING, HUH?

The COVID-19 pandemic has strained supply networks even more. The backlog occurs during a period of port staff shortages, which have been attributed to the country's manpower shortfall. 

Increased consumer demand has also contributed significantly. Hundreds of cargo ships moored off the West Coast may have to wait up to four weeks to dock. 

Consumers may experience a shortage of apparel, electronics, toys, and furniture as a result of record numbers of large cargo ships stranded in key ports.

Supply chains are the artery that feeds our entire ecosystem. "The government needs to intervene to stop this crisis immediately, or face increased inflation and unemployment, and economic breakdown or face an end to global trade.”

Amid a global increase in shipping delays, which have significantly impacted some ports, including those on the West coast, operations at the port remain strong.

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WHATS(h)APP, SOCIAL MEDIA?

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How to create a frictionless mobile experience?

Optimizing Your Site and Offers for Mobile Search. 

Firstly, make sure to optimize your website's content so that visitors using mobile devices receive an experience that is tailored to their device. Optimized content moves seamlessly between desktop and mobile devices, giving users an exceptional experience. 

A study found that 57% of all online traffic occurred on smartphones and tablets and that between 15 and 70 percent of emails are opened on mobile devices, depending on the target audience.

Make your Journey and Call-to-Action as clear as possible. 

There will be numerous mobile distractions while 67 percent of buyers are planning to complete their holiday shopping on their mobile devices (yes we are talking about all those social notifications your customers are getting while they are on your site). This is why it's critical to ensure that your user has a pleasant mobile experience. Give them clear CTAs and a path to follow to find what they’re looking for, because people's attention spans can be short, especially during the holidays.

Pop-Up Deals especially for the Holidays.

Let's talk about pop-ups while we're on the subject of attracting attention. Better better, make sure your pop-ups are optimized to give value over the holiday season. Update your messaging and offer to provide customers with actual seasonal value. Free delivery, for example, is a major inducement for 94 percent of customers this Christmas season. So, along with specific holiday messaging, try replacing your email pop-up with a free shipping incentive.

Payment must be Quick and Easy. 

Provide as many instant payment choices as you can. Seriously, have them all. While you're at it, include a couple of installment payment choices. The more payment options you provide, the more likely your customer is to convert. Make paying simple and convenient.

From Social Media to e-Commerce, Consistent Messaging is Essential.

Naturally, you'll be inundated with new eyes and traffic over the holidays. Many of these new users will come via social media platforms. To ensure a seamless omnichannel experience, make sure your social messaging, aesthetics, and offers are consistent with your eCom ones. Your social media accounts are an extension of your online shopping experience!

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Rate of Returns on the rise? Here are some prevention measures. 

You’ve probably bought clothes that were sized differently in which case, you had to return them. You probably would’ve bought a jug online, (thinking it was THE one) but would’ve ended up getting an extra small cup. 

Now, maybe during the whole experience, you returned your lemonade as if it was too sweet or too sour, or because they had added ingredients in it that weren’t mentioned. This happened due to the lack of information and precision.

Having to return a product does seem frustrating and a nuisance to some, but is also a way for a “trial and error” process for your customers. They’ll be aware of the dos and don’ts after purchasing your product.

Tap below to read more! 

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BRAND OF THE WEEK is…

Benchmade, a knife business located in Portland, is adopting a unique approach. The decades-old firm, which has hitherto specialized in specialist outdoor knives, is now entering into the D2C market with its cookery line.

Benchmade invested heavily in new machinery to enable in-house assembly of their new kitchenware items. It solicited comments from the company's internal team and teamed with several Portland-area chefs to obtain real-world feedback on knife quality and performance.

Benchmade provides a distinct value proposition to offer D2C shoppers in terms of market positioning: Premium Knives made in the USA. 

Their strategy is to introduce a high-quality, American-made product to a market that has become synonymous with commoditized products created in China, Japan, and Germany.

“For some, the leveling of the playing field is an opportunity; for others, like heritage brands, it could pose a threat,” said Jaime Schmidt, Founder of Schmidt’s Naturals and Investor at Color Capital.

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In need of a  job? We’ve got plenty awaiting you!

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CHOOSE SUCCESS below and have a great week! ‘Get that D2C business runnin’.

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