A direct-to-consumer (DTC) brand makes or sources its own products and sells them directly to the people who use them, mostly through its own online store, social media and email. There is no retailer between the brand and the customer.
Selling direct keeps the retailer's share of the price and gives the brand its customer data: who buys, what, how often and why. That data feeds better products, better ads and repeat sales.
The cost is that the brand has to bring in every customer itself. Advertising, creative production and retention all fall on it, which is why DTC brands watch CAC and customer lifetime value closely.
- Build a clear brand and a product people can't get elsewhere.
- Grow an email list early and use email flows to bring buyers back.
- If paid social is one of your main channels, keep a steady flow of new creatives.
To learn from established DTC brands, track their ads in the Brand Tracker, see their traffic and best sellers in Shop Analytics, and read the emails they send in Shop Emails.