Copycat versions of popular products are a mainstay of the retail world. It’s not common to see brands fight back against giants to defend their intellectual property. | learn more
“By all appearances, Great Jones was a startup success story. Launched by the childhood friends Sierra Tishgart and Maddy Moelis in 2018, the direct-to-consumer kitchenware line positioned itself as a hipper, more affordable update to legacy brands such as Le […]
“A visual explainer of the numbers behind America’s ubiquitous bargain-basement chains.” | learn more
“The proliferation of influencer culture has pulled back the curtain on the world of brand sponsorships and endorsements, leading consumers to become more skeptical of what motivates a celebrity to make a product recommendation.” | learn more
With essentially no notice, FedEx fired 1,400 customers and stopped picking up their freight. They were too busy. “There hasn’t been a new asset-based LTL carrier since 1984 because the large amount of infrastructure needed is a barrier to entry. […]
A fascinating theory of Amazon hurting consumers with monopoly power. “Amazon also uses its bazooka of cash from Prime members paying high consumer prices, laundered through third party sellers, to distort industries across the economy.” | learn more
“The scruffy exporters are used to roaming about suburban factory areas and dealing with constant cash flow strain, but suddenly they find themselves having coffee with top Chinese venture capital firms and investment representatives from internet giants, who come with […]
“Amazon and Walmart both use artificial intelligence to decide whether it makes economic sense to accept a return. These merchants can absorb the cost. But for smaller merchants, returnless refunds are a recipe for financial disaster.” | learn more
In 2018, the anonymous blogger behind Deep Throat IPO wrote this incredibly long post exploring the question “What would have happened if Amazon and Walmart had never been born?” It’s a fascinating exploration of the dynamics of US retail and […]
Thingtesting highlights a few brands that aren’t following the typical d2c script for social media: “Manicured feeds, on-brand messaging, the occasional playful meme, and an ultra-friendly member of the customer support team lurking in the comments.” | learn more