Deep Dive
来自我们记者的行业洞察
The Ebb of the DTC Model: From Frenzied Pursuit to Rational Return
In 2019, DTC brands like Casper, Away, and Glossier were thriving with valuations exceeding $1 billion, but just a few years later, Casper was taken private through acquisition, Allbirds closed stores and shifted to a distribution model, and Outdoor Voices shut down its stores. Simeon Siegel, Managing Director at BMO Capital Markets, noted that brands ultimately found they couldn't truly eliminate the middleman—they just became the middleman themselves. Neil Saunders, Managing Director at GlobalData, believes that DTC and wholesale are not opposites, and a hybrid model is the future.
Why Apparel Companies Favor Supplier Scorecards
Faced with chronic issues such as overproduction, human rights violations, and unethical sourcing, the fashion industry's need for supply chain transparency is becoming more urgent. Supplier scorecards, with their advantages of standardization, low cost, and ease of analysis, have become an important tool for brands to gain visibility. Companies such as Patagonia, Brooks Running, and Estée Lauder have shared their experiences in metric selection, implementation communication, and bridging data gaps.
Not all companies are abandoning DEI: Most firms still stick to diversity strategies
Since Tractor Supply adjusted its DEI policy in June 2024, companies such as Lowe's and Harley Davidson have followed suit, raising concerns about the future of DEI. However, a Conference Board survey shows that 63% of nearly 200 chief human resources officers plan to strengthen workforce diversity in 2024, and about 90% of surveyed companies still maintain their DEI commitments. Experts point out that most companies respond to pressure by adjusting their wording rather than abandoning substance, and that DEI is closely linked to legal compliance, talent attraction, and financial performance.
As Temu and Shein packages flood delivery networks, can the growth momentum be sustained?
The rapid rise of Temu and Shein has injected vitality into the parcel delivery market, but legislative scrutiny and customs crackdowns threaten the 'de minimis' exemption policy they rely on, and delivery companies are closely watching how these two e-commerce giants adapt.
Retail media networks accelerate expansion, concerns emerge: Is the industry heading for a reckoning?
Retail media, as the fastest-growing channel in digital advertising, is expanding from on-site to off-site channels such as connected TV, social media, and open web programmatic. However, off-site expansion faces risks including limited supply, declining profit margins, and transparency challenges. Industry experts warn that without effective management, they may repeat the mistakes of programmatic advertising, or even trigger industry-wide adjustments.
Google Abandons Third-Party Cookie Deprecation: Industry Impact and Future Direction Analysis
After more than four years of back-and-forth, Google officially announced it is abandoning its plan to deprecate third-party cookies in Chrome, instead discussing a "new path" with regulators. While this move offers temporary relief to marketers who rely on cookies, it may accelerate consolidation in the alternative ID space. Industry experts point out that privacy protection trends, the growth of cookie-less channels (such as CTV), and regulatory uncertainty still drive the industry toward a privacy-first evolution.
Tractor Supply's 'Rescue' Move Instead Raises More Problems
Under three weeks of social media pressure, Tractor Supply announced at the end of June the elimination of DEI roles, the withdrawal of carbon emission targets, and the termination of support for Pride events. While intended to appease some customer dissatisfaction, this move has triggered backlash from another group and brought multiple new issues involving reputation, customer base, competition, and internal stability.