I think it might be too rapid change within the last 5 - 10 years. Amazon and Shopify made it possible for anyone to start their own internet D2C business. Fac

I think it might be too rapid change within the last 5 - 10 years. Amazon and Shopify made it possible for anyone to start their own internet D2C business. Facebook ads/social media, make it easier than ever before to find and reach potential and current customers. China's manufacturing opened up and became easier than ever with Alibaba. 1. Fulfillment became easier and more accessible. 2. Marketing became easier and more accessible. 3. Manufacturing became easier and more accessible. Quality in my experience differs a lot. I don't have that much experience but these are two examples. One electronics startup is still trying to make it work and dealing with a lot of QC issues. Their hardware and design expertise is not up to Apple's standards but they are able to work with a smaller factory. I've also worked with shoes and it seems that for some of my clients, they seem to get their shoes from the same place... Another trend I've noticed is affordable luxury. Most of my clients have been doing well in "affordable luxury". I read an article that Dollar Tree stores are doing well. I think it's making good quality products more accessible and affordable- and this is possible by cutting out A LOT (90%+) of middle men and offshore manufacturing for better or worse. In the past, it was a lot harder and much more people were needed to get a product from factory to customer. Now for some of my Amazon colleagues, they go straight from manufacturer to fulfillment centers. Then there are Chinese manufacturers on Amazon going straight to the customer. Or dropshippers, going straight from manufacturer to customer.