Direct-to-consumer is having a moment. DTC sales accounted for around 1 in 7 e-commerce dollars globally at the start of 2024 (Nielsen).

And sure, the allure of cutting out the middleman is undeniable. Higher margins, total creative control, a direct line to your customers—what’s not to love? But before you pop the champagne and launch your brand’s sleek new e-commerce site, let’s pause for a reality check.

Going direct-to-consumer (DTC) isn’t as simple as flipping a switch. The landscape is littered with brands that assumed customers would flock to their online store, only to be met with…crickets. The brands that succeed start with a deep understanding of their consumers—what they want, how they shop, and whether they actually care about buying directly from you.

So, before you pour millions into a DTC operation, let’s talk about the four critical questions you need to answer first.

Consumer confidence, often a bellwether for economic health, has taken a notable hit. According to the University of Michigan's Consumer Sentiment Index, February saw a seven-month low in consumer confidence. 

Historically, falling consumer confidence signals a shift in purchasing behavior. As economic uncertainty looms, households tend to cut down on discretionary spending, opting instead for essentials. This phenomenon plays out across sectors—luxury goods see declining sales, retailers report increased demand for private-label products, and service industries adjust to changing consumer priorities. The result is a market landscape that is both volatile and difficult to navigate.

Join us on Wednesday, February 12 for a 30-minute webinar where you'll learn how to make a compelling business case for research by addressing common objections like cost, time, and ROI. We’ll share practical knowledge on how research reduces risk, improves marketing efficiency, and drives measurable business growth. 

When we talk about Key Performance Indicators (KPIs) these days, we tend to focus on AI and advanced analytics – and those things are great for establishing measurable goals that can be tracked in a spreadsheet. When we talk about Key Performance Indicators (KPIs) these days, we tend to focus on AI and advanced analytics – and those things are great for establishing measurable goals that can be tracked in a spreadsheet. However, many business leaders overlook the role that human insights, gathered through qualitative research, can play in refining the way that a brand measures success.

When it comes to food, innovation is crucial for standing out on the shelf and on the menu. But too often, R&D teams rely solely on industry trends or product capabilities, overlooking what their consumers actually want.

We love a year in review as much as anybody, so to celebrate the new year, we’re recapping our top blog posts from 2024. From exploring whether gender is still a relevant datapoint, to dissecting the most common—and costly—brand evaluation mistakes, we aim to provide insightful thought-starters that help you make better decisions.

Picture this: it's the start of a new year, and your team is brimming with ideas for growth. But how do you ensure those ideas align with what your consumers actually want? That’s where a solid annual consumer research strategy comes in. 

This is your chance to learn how research can help you make better decisions, spark creativity, and get closer to your customers. Don’t miss out—register today!

The winter holidays bring a flurry of shopping activity, emotional highs and lows, and unique purchasing behaviors. As a general rule, we in the consumer insights business would tell you that this not the time to launch a major research project. However, there are exceptions to every rule. 

It’s already Q4 and many marketers are staring down their remaining budgets for the year, trying to determine how to spend it all in a way that’s going to set themselves up for success next year. Well, here’s a hot take from an insights firm: If you’re serious about crushing it in 2025, now’s the time to double down on consumer research. 

In the ever-evolving landscape of brand strategy, insights professionals know that brand success isn't just about consumer perception—it's also about how a company engages its employees. The growing intersection of employer and consumer brands reveals that the techniques used to engage consumers externally can also be highly effective with employees.

We’re talking about flipping the script and spending some quality time with the people who walk past your store, scroll past your ads, and choose your competitors over you. Here’s why understanding the ones who say “no” can be just as powerful as knowing those who say “yes.”

Successful brands are always thinking about things through the eyes of their target audience. They want to know what these consumers want and need, how they feel, and what will motivate them to move from customers to brand advocates. Unfortunately, these same brands are not always giving their employees the same consideration.

It’s never been more important to create an authentic and ownable brand identity. The ubiquity of social media has shone a spotlight on brands that have done the work to create and consistently execute a recognizable brand, while indistinguishable brands struggle to stay afloat in the vast oceans of social feeds.

It’s well-recognized these days that gender is more complex and multifaceted than the binary (male/female) construct most of us were taught as children. 1.2 Million adults in the U.S. identify as non-binary. Yet the concept of gender in research has been slower to evolve.

In the quest for insights and success, many marketing teams have become adept at analyzing quantitative metrics to guide their strategies. But let's take a moment to acknowledge the illusion of precision that often accompanies these numbers.