📦 - WHAT’S HAPPENING?!

Mobile Apps, Shopify Q3, Branded UGC, Building Audience Connections, Online Shopping Growth Monday, November 6, 2023 In this newsletter, you’ll find: - 📦 Shopify is growing, BUT, is that growth actually coming from ecommerce? - 📦 Adding a layer of exclusivity to your ads - 📦 Think shoppers aren’t taking the bait this year? Think again. Let’s dive in: 👇 MOBILE APPS 🔥 As Gen Z Dominates BFCM, Is Your Brand Prepared?* Tapcart's 2023 [survey]( reveals that 43% of Gen Z prefers shopping via apps for a superior experience. Without an app, you're already lagging behind. Mobile might drive your traffic, but is it boosting your revenue? The missing link is [a seamless mobile app experience.]( And here's the golden insight: data shows consumers are 40% more likely to download an app and opt into push notifications during Q4 than during the rest of the year. Black Friday is your moment to amplify app downloads and supercharge your LTV, AOV, and CVR while countering soaring CAC. Now is your FINAL opportunity to adopt this sales powerhouse. Ready to unlock a revenue surge this holiday? 🚀 Discover how a mobile app can redefine your brand's success. [Dive into a transformative strategy call now.]( [Talk With An Expert!]( Q3 REPORT 🌎 What’s Going On In The World of Shopify and Ecommerce? The Q3 earnings reports just keep rolling in. On stage front and center this week is Canadian ecommerce platform Shopify. Here’s some updates you should know from [the recent report](: 👇 1️⃣ Shopify’s results show no sign of things slowing down with a 22.3% surge in stock price. 2️⃣ The earnings per share for Q3 2023 landed approximately 71% higher than forecasted. 3️⃣ Expected revenue was $1.67 billion, actual revenue was $1.71 billion. These strong results put Shopify in a strong position heading into the biggest time of the year for ecommerce merchants. With a big-spend Q4 looming, Shopify anticipates their overall 2023 revenue to grow at a mid-twenties percentage rate YoY. However, what do these stats actually mean for ecommerce store owners who’s sites are powered by Shopify? Sean Frank, CEO of Ridge, [posted some thoughts on X](. Sean mentions that while Shopify reports on gross merchandise value (GMV) being up year-over-year, they don’t actually attribute that growth – specifically if the rise in GMV is coming from legacy Shopify sellers, new merchants, or other sources like Shopify’s retail POS. We agree, it’s great to see how much Shopify is growing and that there’s overall growth and innovation present in the market. However, seeing YoY growth for specific merchants (even just as nameless percentages!) would be hugely beneficial for understanding the macroeconomic trends within ecommerce and DTC as a whole. We concur Doc, we concur: 👇 BRANDED UGC 📸 The UBER of Influencer Marketing. Quick. Simple. Seamless. * This just in: Your influencer marketing strategy doesn’t need to be complicated. [JoinBrands']( 40,000+ US content creators and micro-influencers are ready to boost your brand and streamline the process. ✅ It’s simpler than simple: - Share your content needs. - Choose creators who align with your brand. - Provide your product. - Handpick tailor-made assets (photos/videos). - Download your content and have creators post it and watch it go viral (we hope!). 👉 NO sign-up or subscription fees, no contracts. Industry low prices and only the best creatives is a recipe for success. Start today with code DTCNEWS in JoinBrands' chat support for a $25 credit. That’s right, FREE MONEY! [Let The UGC Magic Begin]( CREATIVE 🗣️ Curating Word of Mouth Referrals We hate to break it to you, but sometimes brands will finess their content to make it appear more authentic and build better connections with their audience… And the truth is, it works! 🤷 If you’re planning to do this for your brand, make sure you practice what you preach! AKA, make sure that your ad lines up with the reality of the product/service you’re promoting. Why? Because if social media has shown us anything, it’s that good word travels fast, but bad word travels faster. So with that word of caution, let’s dive into three easy angles you test to leverage your social proof and build stronger connections with your audience. 🤝 Created by [Pilothouse Studios]( It doesn’t get any more real than a text from your best friend ranting and raving about a product to make you want to spend your hard earned cash. 💸 Lucky for brands, these text convos can also make for a great hook. Here’s why it works: 1️⃣ Scrollers can relate! They know the feeling of sharing a good find with a friend, so showing your ad in a format they’re familiar with allows for easier connection with your brand. 2️⃣ You don’t want anyone reading your text conversations, right? Right. Because text threads are inherently private, viewers feel like they’re getting an exclusive ‘in the know’ piece of information. 3️⃣ Consumers are more likely to try something new when it comes recommended by a friend! Anytime your brand can weave this kind of social proof into your content, it is a win in our books. 👉 For examples from MUD\WTR and Skims leveraging social proof in their ads, [click here](. CONSUMER SPENDING 🎣 Think Shoppers Aren’t Taking The Bait This Year? Think Again Online shopping is anticipated to grow, with [US sales between November 1 and December 31 projected to exceed $221 billion, a nearly 5% increase from 2022](. Online shopping is not expected to take a back seat. In 2023, more than 60% of holiday shopping is expected to be done through online channels. These projections, and the notion that Amazon is hiring 70% more seasonal workers than 2022 to prepare for the influx of shoppers goes to show that having your online channels dialed in this year is extra key. Prepare for higher than usual traffic volumes, consistently test your checkouts and email automations, make sure your offers are attractive, and try out an ol’ gifting creative angle or two. Hold on to your hats DTC operators, because we predict this Q4 is going to be a wild one. 👇 SPONSOR DTC 📥 Promote your product to 160,000 digital marketing professionals DTC Newsletter + Podcast reaches a highly qualified audience of Shopify merchants, eCommerce founders, and digital marketers. [Talk to our team to learn more](. ⚡ QUICK HITS 🥁 [Here's how to create compelling content without lifting your phone](. Use the same tool GreenPan, Hydrant, Solawave, and Wild One rely on to get quality content at scale. * ♾️ [Meta has introduced a new Reels A/B testing tool]( along with visibility incentives to surpass progression levels in your professional dashboard. 🎵 [A new report indicates that TikTok]( users spent about $250 million on in-stream gifts alone, a strong indication that TikTok could be pushing for further shopping options and incentives for its users. 📺 [YouTube continues to advertise its push]( for mental health and wellbeing with new partnership and product updates to meet the needs of teens. 🔎 [Google AdSense will be updating its payout system]( for publishers to per impression payments early next year. 👀 BANTER We guess every product has product market fit with somebody 🤷 Have you heard our latest podcasts? - ⚖️ [Balancing Wellness & Nightlife](: Nishal Kumar of 'No Days Wasted' on DTC Strategy and Building Brand Communities. - 📚 [AKNF 348](: Unlock the Secrets of Profitable Meta Ads: Scale School Is Back! - 🌧️ [Owning the Weather and Scaling Through Nine Figures]( - Vessi's Tony Yu and Mikaella Go - 🚗 [AKNF 346](: Maximize Your Road to Q4 - 💋 [Form, Function, and Fragrance](: Cosmetic Industry Vet Sherry Jharwar on her Beautiful Journey in DTC Don’t forget to [rate the DTC Podcast]( on Apple (⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️) Got an awesome DTC brand story to tell? Calling all brand-side founders and team leaders! Fancy joining us on the DTC Podcast as a guest? [Tap the link to toss in your application](. DTC Newsletter is written by [Rebecca Knight]( and [Michael Venditti](. Edited by [Claire Beveridge]( and [Eric Dyck](. Was this email forwarded to you? Sign up [here](. NEED MORE DTC? 🚀 [Advertise]( in DTC Newsletter. Please note that items in this newsletter marked with * contain sponsored content. [Direct To Consumer]( Pilothouse, 1011 Government St., Victoria, BC V8W 1X6, Canada [Advertise with DTC]( | [Work With Pilothouse]( [Preferences]( | [Unsubscribe](