Bespoke Post, a DTC subscription service that sells specialized gift boxes from small brands, is evolving its business strategy leaning more into retail these days.

While memberships are still part of its business, they’re no longer the main focus. Early on, Bespoke Post’s main goal was to increase signups—but today, it’s about getting high-quality products in front of customers.

“That business has done really well, but we started seeing more opportunity and people just coming to us to buy on a one-off basis,” Co-Founder Rishi Prabhu told Retail Brew.

Bespoke Post joins a host of larger DTC brands like Glossier, Goop, and Allbirds that have adopted a similar approach to drive growth beyond a slowing DTC channel. The big challenge facing DTC brands today is the rising cost of customer acquisition, Retail Brew previously reported.

“Now our goal is to get really exciting products in front of our customers, a lot of which are from small brands,” Prabhu said. “We have a lot of small brands that we sell, that you might not have heard of otherwise, that you can discover and you’ll be really excited about.”

Keep reading here.—VC

Consumers may be tightening their purse strings, but that doesn’t mean they’re giving up on holiday shopping.

In fact, retail sales are projected to rise between 3.5% and 4% this season, according to the new Holiday Shopping Intentions Survey by retail organization ICSC. About 243 million consumers (91%) plan to shop this year, and 65% say it’s “more important than ever to celebrate holiday traditions.”

“Our forecast reflects that resilience,” ICSC President and CEO Tom McGee said in a statement, “but our data also signals a selective shopper putting pressure on retailers to connect in new ways and offer memorable experiences that entice them to spend.”

It seems shoppers are still shopping, but they’re being more intentional about what they buy and why.

Keep reading here.—JS

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Miller McCoy is CEO and owner of branding and merchandising agency Limitless Manufacturing.

How would you describe your job to someone who doesn’t work in retail? I build brands from the ground up for creators, celebrities, and entertainment companies. My team handles everything behind the scenes—from designing and producing the products to building the website, fulfilling orders, and running customer service—so our partners can focus on growing their audience while we turn their ideas into real businesses.

One thing we can’t guess about your job from your LinkedIn profile? Most people don’t realize I personally help negotiate manufacturing deals in China one day, and script marketing content for a celebrity the next. It’s a mix of logistics, branding, and chaos—and I love it.

What’s your favorite project you’ve worked on? Our first international tour. We were broke, scrappy, and too young to rent a car in any country except France (which wasn’t even our destination). That trip tested everything. I left with more bruises, memories, and lessons than any other project I’ve ever done.

Keep reading here.—EC

DTC shook up retail with Warby Parker, Allbirds, and Casper—but the next big shift is here. Rising ad costs and AI are rewriting the rules of how brands reach customers and how shoppers buy. Explore how today’s DTC leaders are preparing for the next wave of disruption.