#329 - The Crystal Ball of Commerce: Predicting Trends with Next Big Shop’s Founders

David Hoffman and Samir Rayani co-founded Next Big Shop, where they leverage their expertise to analyze and interpret publicly available but hard-to-access e-commerce data for insights into retail success and product trends. As partners, they collaborate on developing data products that inform and guide direct-to-consumer strategies for various brands and industries.In this episode of DTC Pod, David and Samir explore e-commerce trends, the significance of retail presence for certain product categories, and the intricacies of building and using data products to analyze market and sales data. They also cover the challenges faced when building data products, the role of data in measuring the success of brand strategies, and the need for precise data communication.Interact with other DTC experts and access our monthly fireside chats with industry leaders on DTC Pod Slack.On this episode of DTC Pod, we cover:1. E-commerce Sales Data Analysis2. DTC Brand Strategies3. Seasonality and Market Trends4. Data-Driven Decision-Making5. Subscription Business Models6. Data Product ChallengesTimestamps02:15 David and Samir’s background and experience in building data products08:31 What data says about commerce trends in 202415:03 One of the hottest accessories brand: Blenders18:55 Alo in apparel, how data can help optimize inventory turnover20:57 Comparing brand strategies and impact on sales24:52 Comparing beauty brands: Jones Road, Thrive, Peach and Lily, P. Louise30:32 Using data to confirm or invalidate assumptions31:39 Trending DTC topics and best-selling products in 202436:03 The relationship between demand and supply share38:59 Beverage brands, DTC and retail strategy43:34 Subscription business model, how subscription factors in data on Next Big Shop44:50 Retail distribution, using data to define success metrics48:45 Challenges of building data productsShow notes powered by CastmagicPast guests & brands on DTC Pod include Gilt, PopSugar, Glossier, MadeIN, Prose, Bala, P.volve, Ritual, Bite, Oura, Levels, General Mills, Mid Day Squares, Prose, Arrae, Olipop, Ghia, Rosaluna, Form, Uncle Studios & many more.  Additional episodes you might like:• #175 Ariel Vaisbort - How OLIPOP Runs Influencer, Community, & Affiliate Growth• #184 Jake Karls, Midday Squares - Turning Your Brand Into The Influencer With Content• #205 Kasey Stewart: Suckerz- - Powering Your Launch With 300 Million Organic Views• #219 JT Barnett: The TikTok Masterclass For Brands• #223 Lauren Kleinman: The PR & Affiliate Marketing Playbook• ​​​​#243 Kian Golzari - Source & Develop Products Like The World's Best Brands-----Have any questions about the show or topics you'd like us to explore further?Shoot us a DM; we'd love to hear from you.Want the weekly TL;DR of tips delivered to your mailbox?Check out our newsletter here.Projects the DTC Pod team is working on:DTCetc - all our favorite brands on the internetOlivea - the extra virgin olive oil & hydroxytyrosol supplementCastmagic - AI Workspace for ContentFollow us for content, clips, giveaways, & updates!DTCPod InstagramDTCPod TwitterDTCPod TikTok  David Hoffman and Samir Rayani - Co-Founders of Next Big ShopBlaine Bolus - Co-Founder of CastmagicRamon Berrios - Co-Founder of Castmagic