V.2

Finding my way back to physical product. After Web3, Blockchain, NFT’s & the Metaverse.

Tasks are being automated and aggregated by a machines..

However, the machines have not figured out how to automate fashion merchandising – intuitively forecast demand.

If they did, Amazon would be selling more fashion. I mean real fashion. I do not mean a basic tee. I do not mean the inexpensive “fast” basic dress available in 50 colors & prints on one product page with the most reviews that a marketing team manufactured you purchasing.

VC backed, DTC brands are building the algorithm for it while traditional merchants are focusing on their craft. They are making comparable and or better quality tangible items at similar prices with less hype.

The DTC hype is wrapped up and packaged for the consumer in the zeitgeist. When you peel back the onion, the funding is often about the Tech. The Tech is about the consumer data. The consumer data is used to build an algorithm.

It’s so important for “DTC” brands to be “tech first”. Tech is the purpose of the brand. Tech is the reason it got funded.

My first purchase from Everlane was on March 10, 2016. A navy blue canvas weekender for my trip to Berlin. I was leaving that day. It was delivered to my apartment in one hour. I’ve used it a hand full of times. The paint started to peal away from the leather straps almost immediately. This was a poorly crafted product. I was sucked into the hype and have been weary of all of their retention strategies to get me back as a customer ever since.

The frightening fact is that more than 60% of consumers are likely to switch brands after just a single poor experience. There is no technology available reading minds - to provide the data - that I’m not returning and not bothering to tell you why.

Tech is the tool being used to differentiate the “DTC” brand from the traditional retail brand - to sound like they are doing something different - something worthy of hype - worthy of VC funding - worthy of a $2B IPO. Tech is the priority.

Cole Hahn pulls back their IPO and Allbirds gets a $2.2B valuation.

Allbirds is not profitable. The sneakers are priced around the same as Cole Haan. The strategy is to open up more stores & expand categories. Essentially, they are looking to become Cole Haan. By the time Allbirds reaches Cole Hahn expansion status - a new company with a shiny marketing story will be on the block. Allbirds will be over assorted. Over stocked. In need of a human fashion merchandising expert.

I love my original V.1 Allbirds.