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What every DTC brand founder on Shopify should be paying attention to
Running a DTC brand in 2025 means navigating a more competitive, fast-moving market than ever before. Customer acquisition is getting more expensive, consumer behavior is changing quickly, and standing out requires more than just a great product.
What’s working now? Brands that prioritize experience- across mobile, personalization, and retention- are pulling ahead.
If you're building on Shopify and thinking long-term, these are the five trends worth watching right now, with examples from brands leading the way.
According to a 2024 report by Statista, 92% of the time Android users worldwide spent on mobile devices was within apps, highlighting the significant preference for apps over browsers. This shift is driving higher retention, faster checkout, and better lifetime value (LTV) for brands that invest in mobile apps.
Brand Example: Bully Max
This high-performance dog food brand launched a mobile app to enhance ordering convenience and customer loyalty. With features like reordering, tracking, and exclusive offers, they created a direct channel that customers return to frequently. Apps like theirs reduce friction and increase retention, especially for repeat-purchase categories.
Why it matters: Mobile apps can 3x your conversion rates using personalized home screens on mobile apps.
With third-party cookies on the way out and iOS privacy changes reshaping performance marketing, brands are turning to first-party data. This includes purchase behavior, preferences, and interactions captured through owned platforms like email, SMS, and mobile apps.
Brand Example: Public Goods
The sustainable household brand used behavioral data from their mobile app to tailor recommendations and email flows. As a result, they saw a 22% increase in repeat orders and a 28% rise in average order value (AOV). They didn't rely on ads—they built smarter relationships.
According to Salesforce, 61% of customers feel most companies treat them as a number, and 80% say the experience a company provides is as important as its products or services.
The integration of shopping experiences within social media platforms is transforming how consumers discover and purchase products.
Brand Example: Wonderskin
Wonderskin, a beauty brand, capitalized on TikTok's viral potential by promoting its peel-off lip stain through engaging videos. By linking directly to TikTok Shop, they streamlined the purchasing process, leading to rapid sell-outs and enhanced brand visibility.
Bonus stat: TikTok users are 1.7x more likely to discover products on the platform compared to other social apps, highlighting the platform's effectiveness in product discovery.
DTC brands are increasingly adopting subscription models to secure recurring revenue and foster deeper customer relationships.
Brand Example: Blume, a Gen Z-focused skincare brand, introduced subscriptions complemented by loyalty rewards and flexible delivery options. This approach emphasizes choice and transparency, resulting in enhanced customer lifetime value and reduced churn.
Bonus Insight: Brands with robust subscription models experience up to 60% higher lifetime value (LTV) compared to those relying solely on one-time purchases.
In 2025, artificial intelligence (AI) transcends basic automation, enabling brands to deeply understand customer behavior and respond in real-time. From dynamic pricing to predictive merchandising and personalized product recommendations, AI empowers DTC brands to deliver smarter, faster, and more relevant shopping experiences.
Brand Example: Sephora
Sephora stands at the forefront of leveraging AI to enhance the customer journey. Through technologies like Color IQ and AI-driven recommendation engines, Sephora matches customers with makeup and skincare products tailored to their preferences, purchase history, and even skin tone. Integrating these tools across their mobile app and in-store experiences has led to improved conversion rates and increased basket sizes.
According to McKinsey, personalized shopping experiences can increase conversion rates by up to 30% and drive up to 40% more revenue.
As we navigate 2025, the emphasis for DTC brands on Shopify should be on retention, personalization, and owning the customer journey. Relying solely on paid growth strategies is no longer sufficient. Success lies in swiftly adapting to customer needs and investing in controllable channels.
For brands aiming for long-term growth, now is the time to enhance customer experiences—be it through mobile optimization, intelligent data utilization, or fostering direct customer relationships.
The overarching trend? Making every customer feel that your brand was crafted specifically for them.
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