#90 The Least Boring Weekend Newsletter

May 21, 2022 • Estimated Reading Time: 9 minutes

Good Morning Readers! 🌄

We’re hoping your weekend has been great 🙂

(If not, well, we’re here)

📢 Our BETA Program link is live for another week! 📢

Test our automation tool for enhanced data acquisition, faster processing, and efficient synthesis—give your DTC brand THE edge it needs. 

Did you check out one of our recent podcast eps? We had an amazing conversation with Samuel Tichnor about his new business venture, tapping into a crowded market, how analysis is a must when developing a DTC brand, and much more! Show him some love, too 💖

It was an information-packed episode that we loved. We’re sure you will too! Here’s the link:

Almund’s newsletter will let you in on tips for DTC brands and much more.

Alright, so let’s get right to it!

This newsletter is going to dive into:

👨‍💼 Sony Suits Up For The Metaverse

🏪 Things Are POPPING In The DTC Industry

🥇 Brand Of The Week - 4ocean

🎁 Brand Deals Of The Week

📕 Top Reads Of The Week

⚙️ Plenty of jobs await you!

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

DTC X METAVERSE

The DTC industry is growing and evolving every day. And of course, with the constant changes, the lines blur between a company manufacturing services and products en masse for consumers and one that caters to customers personally. Hence, entertainment giant, Sony is well inside the DTC space and is on route to taking the next big step. 

“The metaverse is at the same time a social space and live network space, where games, music, movies, and anime intersect,” said Chief Executive Kenichiro Yoshida while citing Fortnite in his recent briefing on strategy. 

Since 2/3rds of their operating income is acquired from their ventures in the entertainment market—gaming, movie, and music projects—they are manufacturing electronics that meet their consumer needs, aka metaverse-ready. 

Epic’s CEO, Tim Sweeney, tweeted, “PlayStation has played a huge role in the social gaming revolution that’s nurturing the growth of the metaverse as a new entertainment medium.” And Sony is in, by channeling its attention on providing its users with something more than single-player games like “Spider-Man: Miles Morales,” as they signed a deal to purchase Bungie. All this to catalyze their growth in becoming a major multi-platform consumer entertainment company. 

Things Are Popping In The DTC Industry

The DTC industry is seeing a shift in the way brands are changing the way they approach new customers. That’s why we’ve observed a sharp rise in the number of pop-up or brick-and-mortar stores. DTC brands are opting to invest in opening up retail stores while running their eCommerce websites to give their customers an omnichannel experience on another level. 

Investing in a retail store and managing a fully-online sales channel can be demanding yet a savvy strategy. If you’re looking to dive deep, it’s ideal you take some time to walk through the economics of the plan entirely. 

But what holds the most importance, before you even think of flooring the accelerator on this strategy, are the kinds of benefits it brings to your business.

Would it help? 

Is a pop-up store really what your brand needs? 

Does it align with your long-term goals? 

Let us walk you through why brick-and-mortar stores can also help your eCommerce sales. 

🗨️ Gives Your Customers A New Way To Interact With You

Your customers are social beings who like the convenience of shopping online but wish to enjoy the experience of shopping in person. With a pop-up store, you allow them to experience your products first-hand.

(Psst…more on this on our conversation with Andy Kurtts. Check out the podcast!)

🧑‍🤝‍🧑 Helps Build A Community

A big part of enjoying an in-person shopping experience is the sense of community. It becomes a social activity that many enjoy, associating your brand with it. Regardless of how small the store is (hence, the connotation of a “pop-up store”), you can leverage it to strengthen your relationship with your customers. 

🎖️ Building Credibility

Shopping in-person allows customers to touch, feel, sense (perhaps, smell), and see your products in real-time; this adds a whole new dimension to their shopping experience. The chance to see your products before making a purchase helps build brand credibility and encourages word-of-mouth marketing for your products and retail store. 

📈 Customer Acquisition Costs Are Soaring

Building digital campaigns, running ads, and acquiring new customers—the costs of tapping into a new audience is increasing every day. User-friendly platforms, such as Shopify and Big Commerce, have given easy access to global entrepreneurs to kickstart their eCommerce businesses. Unfortunately, this has increased competition drastically, making it difficult to swim against the sea of never-ending DTC businesses. 

Hence, a brick-and-mortar store is an excellent investment to look different and provide your customers with something new. 

😊 Going Out Is Fun Again!

After being locked in for one’s safety throughout 2020, the year has now stirred new colors into the idea of going out to shop and enjoying the feeling again! So if your customers are looking for a fun shopping experience, it’s only ideal to be ready to give them just that.

✨ Chance To Be Engaging

In-person shoppers have a longer attention span when compared to online shoppers. Additionally, if they’re in your store, you’re basically eliminating all competition for a brief time. You can use their undivided attention now to wow them completely, persuading them to shop only from you!

Use attractive in-store offers and other incentives to provide them with additional benefits to shop in-store to have them come back for more. 

A brick-and-mortar store can give you many opportunities to give your brand image a new spin or improve it. Work on creating a bright and fresh store that aligns with your brand’s vision to give your customers an extended shopping experience of your DTC business.

Brand Of The Week - 4ocean

A little late with our appreciation, but our recent coverage on eco-friendly DTC businesses had us tipping our hats to 4ocean!

This Florida-based DTC business provides its customers with standalone products and a subscription service. They offer a line of products such as funky tees, bracelets, and tote bags (#TikTokMadeUsBuyItToo). But the fun doesn’t stop there!

Their brand is centered around a mission to clean the ocean. With each purchase customers make, they donate funds for trash removal from the ocean. They use persuasive and strong messaging to resonate with customers who wish to live an eco-conscious lifestyle and be a part of a greater community. 

But their subscription is what made us fall in love with them 😍

Their Clean Ocean Club subscription includes a bracelet every month and additional perks like early access to advanced shipping and more. It encourages people to stay subscribed and do good for the environment. 

Brand Deals Of The Week

Smile Direct Club is running a limited period offer, giving away an $18 kit FREE!

Enjoy convenient grocery shopping while saving up to 40% on your bills with Misfits Market.

Memorial Day Sale at Burrow will give you a $1000/- off on your bills. Head over now!

You’ll love this freebie from Glossier on your orders above $60.

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Top Reads For This Week

Watch out for some of the greatest Metaverse events in 2022.

As the crypto ecosystem crumbles, AriZona-backed stablecoin can save the day.

A ‘yikes’ moment as NYC restaurants get flooded with orders owing to Grubhub’s free lunch promo.

Blueland is at it again with their eco-conscious products & services. This time, it’s refillable body washes. 

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In Need Of a Job? We’ve Got Plenty Awaiting You!

Senior Backend Engineer - Motion Recruitment

Associate Creative Director - Creative Circle

Marketing Specialist - Maryhaven Inc.

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CHOOSE SUCCESS below and have a great weekend! Get that D2C business runnin'.