Actindo AG

Direct-to-consumer (D2C) is on every brand’s agenda – but the road from strategy slides to a working business model is full of hidden traps. Too many manufacturers and retailers underestimate what it really takes to succeed, and end up wasting time, money, and credibility.

In this session, Jonny Hofberger will expose the five most common ways companies mess up their D2C approach. These “easy steps to failure” are not random – they consistently fall into five categories that almost every organization struggles with: 1. Strategy Fails – chasing trends without a clear value proposition. 2. Organizational Fails – no ownership, no alignment, no speed. 3. Team Fails – underestimating the people and skills required. 4. Tech Fails – building Frankenstacks or choosing the wrong tools. 5. Partner Fails – relying on the wrong agencies or integrations.

For each failure, Jonny will share practical insights from real projects with leading European brands – showing not only what goes wrong, but also how to fix it.

Attendees will walk away with a brutally honest checklist: what not to do in D2C, and the pragmatic steps that actually work – whether you are a global enterprise or a fast-growing challenger brand.