2022 is already proving to be a great year for direct-to-consumer brands and trends. But don’t just take our word for it! Take a look at the top 10 direct-to-consumer brands in 2022 and learn how to make your way onto this list:
What Does It Mean to Be a Direct to Consumer Brand?
It’s not hard to see that direct-to-consumer brands are all the rage these days. But what does it mean to be a direct-to-consumer brand?
A direct-to-consumer brand focuses on selling its products directly to its customers online. This is in contrast to brands that focus on retail sales in physical storefronts.
But why do direct-to-consumer brands do this? For starters, by cutting out the middleman of retailers, direct-to-consumer brands can boost their profit margins.
Direct-to-consumer brands can also build more meaningful connections and relationships with their customers since they’re interacting with them directly instead of through a third-party retailer.
What Are the Top 10 Direct-to-Consumer Brands for 2022?
That being said, the direct-to-consumer industry is constantly changing as more and more companies take advantage of this business model. So which companies are ahead of the curve in 2022?
Here are our top 10 direct-to-consumer brands to watch this year:
- The Farmer’s Dog
The Farmer’s Dog is a direct-to-consumer brand that promises customers smarter and healthier dog food.
Their food products are formulated by veterinarians and made with 100% human-grade food pre-portioned and delivered directly to customers.
There’s also the ability to customize your dog’s recipe based on their dietary needs.
- Brilliant Earth
Brilliant Earth is a direct-to-consumer brand that offers ethically-sourced fine jewelry. Their gemstones, including diamonds, come from mines that follow strict labor, trade, and environmental standards.
Their goal is to help consumers feel good about their jewelry choices while still offering their competitors the same look and quality.
- Warby Parker
Warby Parker is a direct-to-consumer brand that promises high-quality eyeglasses at affordable prices. Their goal is to make eye care and eyewear accessible for everyone.
They also offer affordable eye exams either through their mobile app or in their stores. Known for their technology, they also offer virtual glasses try-on in a mobile app.
- Hubble
On a similar note, Hubble is a direct-to-consumer brand that offers its brand of contact lenses delivered to customers monthly.
Since they produce their brand of contacts, they can offer substantially lower prices than competitors. They advertise prices as low as $1 per day.
- Stitch Fix
Stitch Fix is a direct-to-consumer online personal styling service that offers tailored outfits for men and women who don’t know how to shop or simply don’t have the time.
Customers are sent clothing items chosen specifically for them based on their preferences. Customers can then keep what they want and send back what they don’t like.
- Ritual
Ritual is a direct-to-consumer vitamin brand that advertises complete formulas made with high-quality ingredients. Ritual’s products are made with traceable ingredients, are non-GMO, vegan, and are third-party tested.
Their products are designed for a different customer base, including women, pregnant women, men, and children.
- Casper
Casper is a direct-to-consumer mattress brand that makes it easy for customers to order a mattress online.
Casper has been so successful at selling mattresses online because they offer a 100-day free trial for their products to eliminate the risk for customers essentially. They offer several different mattress products in addition to pillows and bedding.
- Misfits Market
Misfits Market is a direct-to-consumer brand specializing in selling high-quality and organic food items that grocery stores cannot sell due to appearance.
As a result, they can offer large discounts on their food items. The company also promotes itself as a solution to the cycle of food waste.
- Function of Beauty
Function of Beauty is a direct-to-consumer brand that offers personalized hair, body, and skincare products that are cruelty-free, sulfate-free, and paraben-free.
They match you with a customized formula based on an online quiz. However, all formulas are dermatologists tested for safety and effectiveness.
- Curology
Curology is a similar direct-to-consumer brand that offers custom skin care formulas based on skin concerns. The company matches you with a licensed dermatology provider who then recommends a formula based on acne, dryness, irritation, etc.
It offers an accessible alternative to expensive in-person dermatology consultations and appointments.
How to Become a Top Direct to Consumer Brand?
You can learn something from these top direct-to-consumer brands to become one yourself. Here are five tips to help you out:
Tip 1: Try the Subscription Model
If you didn’t notice, many of the brands mentioned above utilize the subscription model. This model is highly successful for direct-to-consumer brands. As a result, you may want to try it out for yourself to see if it works for your brand.
Tip 2: Know Your Customers
All of these top direct-to-consumer brands know their customers inside and out. So if you want to make it to the top, you need to know yours too! The best way to do this is to look at your current customers to figure out who they are, what they want, and what they care about.
From there, you can create an in-depth customer persona that dives deeper into your customers’ wants, fears, hobbies, and interests.
Tip 3: Simplify Your Choices
Another key to success as a direct-to-consumer brand is to simplify your choices. Customers tend to be indecisive, so make the process easier by giving them only a few options to choose from.
Or you can even go a step further by making personal product recommendations for your customers based on their answers to questions in a quiz.
Tip 4: Embrace Omnichannel Marketing
Marketing is extremely important for direct-to-consumer brands. However, it’s not enough to simply set up social media profiles and call it a day. Instead, you need to embrace omnichannel marketing and focus on creating a seamless purchasing experience for your customers that makes it simple to buy your products.
Tip 5: Work With Experts
Finally, you should consider working with experts who can help you grow your direct-to-consumer brand. The odds are that the companies on this list didn’t do it all on their own, so you shouldn’t have to!
You need to have a marketing expert like Greg Gillman on your team. Greg Gillman specializes in marketing for direct-to-consumer brands and has worked with many companies to help drive $4 billion in annual revenue. He did it for them, and he can do the same for you!
Wrap Up
2022 is the time to focus on the growth and success of your direct-to-consumer company. Using these top companies as inspiration, you can achieve your business goals with help from experts like Greg Gillman.
Sources:
The Direct-to-Consumer (D2C) Model: A Complete Guide for 2022 | The Blueprint
4 Rules for Successfully Mastering the Subscription Model | Inc.com
Buyer Personas: What They Are, Why They Matter and How to Best Build One | Entrepreneur
