Sublime

Financial services simply weren’t designed for the modern internet, and this is a pain point for businesses today: nearly half (46%) of companies report that their banking experience has hindered their company growth.

This superior customer experience is why vertically integrated models will win over the long-term. Vertical integration generally has higher fixed costs and lower per unit costs at scale. In JOKR’s case, these cost savings can fall to the bottom line, be reinvested, passed to consumers in the form of lower prices and fees, or a combination of the a... See more

These data highlight the resilience of independent retail in a world where Amazon has grown its market share over time. Among the reasons for this: Independent retailers are nimble and provide a differentiated value proposition from vertical to vertical. The retail businesses most negatively impacted by the acceleration of e-commerce are midsize an... See more

Direct to Consumer (DTC) Brands are Replacing Specialty Brands

Currently, there is no single platform that showcases brands with purpose. Because of this, the onus is placed on the consumer to conduct their own research, ultimately, leading to brand fatigue. On top of that, everyday, our social media feeds are inundated with new brands and products, preventing us from purchasing the products we really want.

I think it’s inevitable that Shopify will become a consumer destination, but the way it monetizes demand gen will need to be aligned with its role as a Platform.

Perhaps the simplest way to express what has happened during Covid is to note that Amazon has actually lost share in e-commerce during Covid. The largest e-commerce share gainers in most categories have been category leading physical retailers as well as the DTC businesses of most brands.