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  • March 31, 2020
  • Article
  • Harvard Business Review Digital Articles

Reinventing the Direct-to-Consumer Business Model

By: Len Schlesinger, Matt Higgins and Shaye Roseman
  • Format:Electronic
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Abstract

Over the past decade, a new breed of “direct-to-consumer” (DTC) startups, including Warby Parker and Casper, helped forge a new business model. But lately that business model is faltering as the advantages that early entrants enjoyed have evaporated. To retool, DTC companies will need to embrace an omnichannel strategy, create tighter ties with their communities, and vertically integrate to increase margins.

Keywords

Direct-to-consumer; Omnichannel; Business Model; Change; Strategy

Citation

Schlesinger, Len, Matt Higgins, and Shaye Roseman. "Reinventing the Direct-to-Consumer Business Model." H05HI1. Harvard Business Review Digital Articles (March 31, 2020).
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About The Author

Leonard A. Schlesinger

General Management
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More from the Authors
  • The Meteoric Rise of Skims By: Ayelet Israeli, Jill Avery and Leonard A. Schlesinger
  • Beyond the Barricades: Chile 2023 By: Debora Spar, Willis Emmons, Leonard A. Schlesinger and Ruth Costas
  • Doing Business in Lima, Peru By: Jeffrey T. Polzer, Leonard A. Schlesinger and Max Hancock
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