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D2C Pulse is a newsletter written by the team at GlobalBees, curating happenings in the direct-to-consumer ecosystem of India.

While everyone continues to shed their reliance on pink and black hues post the vibrant and unforgettable ‘Barbienheimer’ weekend, there are other crazy things happening parallelly- from Taylor Swift fans literally causing an earthquake in Seattle to Subway giving away free sandwiches to anyone who changes their name to Subway.

Meanwhile, despite the inflation concerns, back-to-school shopping is defying expectations with strong consumer spending. Sellers across are pulling out all the stops with creative strategies, discounts, and promotions to keep the momentum going. The marketplaces are gearing up for the sale season battles all the way to the end of the year with the season kicking off with Prime Day (at Amazon), BSD (at Flipkart) and Hot Pink Sale (at Nykaa).

Speaking of battles, the one in the beauty and personal care space is getting interesting. It’s getting tougher for Nykaa. Can Nykaa maintain its dominance in the online market while facing fierce competition on multiple fronts?

🗞️Marketplace Updates

• Fashion Frontier: Calling all fashion enthusiasts! Myntra, unveiled a grand plan to empower 200 Direct-to-Consumer fashion and lifestyle brands in India. By forging strong alliances and offering tailored marketing support, Myntra aspires to create a dynamic ecosystem where these brands can flourish, inspiring novel ideas and transforming the way consumers perceive fashion. This initiative has now given rise to five brands that have captured the hearts of Gen Z consumers.

• The Serene Marvel: India's first floating Amazon store has made a dazzling debut on Srinagar's iconic Dal Lake! Combining cutting-edge technology and picturesque beauty, the innovative store named "I Have Space" brings a whole new dimension to the shopping experience. Shoppers can now browse a wide range of products while floating on the serene waters of the lake, creating an unforgettable retail adventure in the heart of Kashmir!

  Amazon started the 'I Have Space' programme in 2015 to help local stores increase their reach. The initiative is aimed to help Amazon collaborate with local store owners and add extra earnings to their regular income. It also aims to resolve last-mile delivery issues.

• The Ultimate Upgrade: Flipkart, is all set to roll out its exclusive premium membership program, Flipkart Plus Premium. Anticipated to launch soon, the membership will offer an array of exclusive benefits, including priority access to sales, faster delivery, and exciting rewards, promising to elevate the shopping experience for customers.

• Savour and Earn: Swiggy has teamed up with HDFC Bank to introduce an exciting co-branded credit card. This card offers exclusive benefits like attractive cashback rewards, discounts on food orders, and other enticing perks.

🍕D2C Bites

• Powerhouse Partnership: Indian consumer goods company, Marico, has announced its acquisition of a majority stake in the direct-to-consumer (D2C) brand, Plix, a plant-based nutrition brand. Marico already owned 32.75% of Satiya Nutraceuticals (Plix’s parent company), is buying more shares to push its stake up to 58%. Plix is a plant-based nutrition brand with a “digital first” approach, selling directly to consumers and via third-party e-commerce marketplaces. The brand’s plan is to ramp up its offline presence in the next few years.

• Lights, Camera, Flawless Skin: Kriti Sanon joins forces with mCaffeine to create Hyphen, a D2C skincare brand that's set to dazzle your beauty routine. Combining Kriti's star power with mCaffeine's expertise, Hyphen promises to revolutionize the skincare market, delivering top-notch products straight to the consumers' doorsteps.

• ‘Dip’ping into Success: Wingreens Farms, a leading player in the Indian packaged foods industry, is in discussions to secure a substantial investment. The company’s revenues grew around 30% YoY to about Rs 275 crore in FY23 but its losses widened at a much faster pace of around 55 % to reach roughly Rs 80-90 crore. The funding is anticipated to fuel the company's growth and expansion plans, bolstering its position in the competitive market.

• B2B commerce enabler Beyobo has raised Rs 5.5 crores in a pre-Series A. Founded by  Anil Agrawa, Beyobo focuses on beauty and personal care, consumer electronics, and fashion accessories. The startup serves over 35,000 retailers, and generated around Rs 95 crore revenue in FY23.

• Minifeel, a Mumbai-based start-up for consumers to discover premium beauty products at offers, has raised ₹3 crore. Minifeel offers premium skincare and cosmetic products like serums, cleansers, makeup, and more in mini/trial packs, allowing customers to try out any product at affordable costs. The company also serves as a marketing channel for brands to help create awareness among the right consumers at zero cost.

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Reads and Recommendations 📚

• Google says 2 billion logged in monthly users are watching YouTube Shorts giving it an edge over competitors like TikTok and Instagram Reels

• One copywriter’s guide to utilizing ChatGPT for social.

• Brands are moving beyond nostalgia into the realm of “fauxstalgia,” engendering a strange sense of reminiscence for times, places, and events we’ve never even experienced by covertly implanting a kind of branded false memory. Check out how brands are using fauxstalgia in campaigns.

• It looks like a Mexican standoff in Fast fashion. H&M Sues Fast Fashion Rival Shein. [link] Shein sues Temu. Temu sues Shein. [link]

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That’s all for this week! Bye!

Stay tuned for more.

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