1. where can you think differently and challenge the status quo?

Definition: Finding new solutions by consciously questioning habits and introducing creative, diverse perspectives.

• Instead of the usual "discounts for new customers" - how about a "loyalty first" program? Reward your existing customers first with exclusive benefits, early access and personal shopping events

• Develop personalized WhatsApp shopping advice for high-value customers instead of standard email sequences

• Experiment with limited editions or collaborative products with influencers

2. who can you network with for new perspectives?

Definition: Active networking and exchange with various stakeholders in order to uncover blind spots and generate new ideas.

• Talk to your logistics partners about customer behavior during delivery - they see what customers really want every day

• Exchange ideas with return service providers - they know the real reasons for returns

• Network with successful DTC brands from other industries for cross-learning

• Build relationships with tech partners who develop innovative solutions

3. which market signals should you pay attention to?

Definition: Systematic analysis of market dynamics and emerging trends in order to be able to act proactively rather than reactively.

• Analyze buy-now-pay-later trends in your specific target groups and their impact on AOV

• Monitor social commerce developments such as TikTok store integration and live shopping events

• Track new payment methods and their acceptance in your target group

• Investigate changes in search behavior for sustainable products

• Observe AR/VR developments for virtual product experiences

4. how can you minimize risks and accelerate opportunities?

Definition: Strategic balance between risk minimization and the targeted promotion of positive developments.

Reduce negative impacts:

• Develop a detailed strategy for increasing returns costs

• Plan alternative supply chains for your top sellers

• Diversify your marketing channels due to rising customer acquisition costs

• Implement fraud prevention systems for secure payment processing

Reinforce the positive:

• Automate successful cross-selling flows based on purchase history

• Scale well-performing content formats faster on all channels

• Accelerate the expansion of successful product categories

• Optimize your conversion rate through A/B testing

5. who should you include that is often overlooked?

Definition: Conscious inclusion of all relevant voices in the decision-making process, especially those that are not normally in focus.

• Your customer service team - they know the real pain points and most frequent customer inquiries

• Warehouse employees - they see packaging problems and product defects directly

• Micro-influencers from your niche - they understand the community and trends

• Technical support teams - they know the most common shopping obstacles

• Regular customers - their insights are worth their weight in gold for product development

Practical tip

Make these questions an integral part of your weekly strategy meetings. Use them especially before important decisions such as:

• Product range expansions

• Tech stack changes

• Marketing budget allocations

• New market launches

• Platform or process optimizations

Document the answers and regularly check the implementation of the resulting measures.