Category
Lifestyle
Shelf Theater
Trend cluster
Category
DTC
Plant
Direct-to-consumer plant shops speak to Millennial purchasing preferences.
5.5
Trend score
What's Happening
What is the DTC Plant trend?
DTC Plant: In an effort to help consumers find a natural escape from the stressors of urban life, consumers are turning to direct-to-consumer solutions, even when it comes to plants. This move fulfills the desire many younger consumers have to shop more seamlessly despite how fragile or cumbersome the product or service may be.
Insight
The consumer insight behind the DTC Plant trend
As the DTC model becomes more prevalent, consumer expectation around convenient, on-demand solutions is on the rise. The mainstream accessibility of on-demand services has made consumers, particularly Millennials, more accustomed to that level of convenience. Thus, an expectation for instantaneous satisfaction, even with typically hard to deliver products, persists.
Trend themes
Themes within the DTC Plant trend
Three behaviours holding the trend together01
Direct-to-consumer model
The DTC trend shows how consumers have developed a taste for on-demand services, creating an opportunity for businesses to provide cost-effective but quality products and drive brand loyalty and sales.
02
Wellness-centered marketing
The success of wellness-based businesses such as The Sill suggests that consumers now look for meaning and emotional connections in their purchases, giving rise to a new wave of socially responsible businesses that prioritize environmental health and urban well-being.
03
Innovative packaging
Businesses such as Bloomscape show how innovative packaging, coupled with a consistently high-quality product, can solve logistical challenges and offer customers a superior experience.
Industry implications
What the DTC Plant trend means for industry
Where the trend changes the playbookFor
Online retail
As seen in the popularity of subscription box services, online retail has great potential to provide convenience and maintain an excellent customer experience even with fragile products such as plants.
For
Health and wellness
The rise of products and services that promote stress reduction and urban well-being, such as houseplants and The Sill, indicates an industry opportunity for companies positioning themselves for emotional connections and social responsibility.
For
Packaging and logistics
Logistical challenges in delivering fragile products such as houseplants represent a disruptive innovation opportunity for companies focusing on innovative packaging and efficient delivery.
Workshop question
What Millennial need might a direct-to-consumer offering from your industry fulfill?
Trend signals
Trend signals for DTC Plant
Trend score 5.5 out of 10, from popularity 76%, activity 81%, freshness 8%.
Popularity76%
Activity81%
Freshness8%
Audience
50%Men
50%Women
- Gen Alpha
- Gen Z
- Millennial
- Gen X
- Boomer (not a primary audience)
Market
North America
Europe
Asia-Pacific
Evidence
Examples of the DTC Plant trend
5 featured examples from Jan 31, 2018 to Aug 26, 2019CategoryArt & Design
Wellness-Centric Plant Shops
'The Sill' Appeals to Millennials from a Self-Care Perspective
Disruptive innovation opportunity: Incorporate wellness-centric strategies, such as highlighting health benefits, into the retail experience to attract millennial consumers.
CategoryArt & Design
D2C Houseplant Start-Ups
Bloomscape Conveniently Delivers Plants Across the US in Boxes
The rise of online houseplant shopping presents disruptive innovation opportunities for e-commerce platforms looking to tap into the growing demand for plants.
CategoryArt & Design
Whole-Home Houseplant Sets
Horti Makes Buying Indoor Plants in Large Quantities Effortless
Online houseplant sales and subscriptions provide an opportunity for e-commerce businesses to expand their product offerings into the horticulture industry.
CategoryEco
Modern Houseplant Deliveries
Rooted Reconnects Consumers with Nature and Finds Their Best Plant
Opportunity for disruptive innovation by combining the convenience of online shopping with the growing demand for houseplants.
CategoryLifestyle
Succulent Subscription Boxes
'The Desert Box' Shares Succulents and Cacti on a Monthly Basis
Subscription box services in the e-commerce industry can incorporate the sustainable and indoor planting trends to increase sales and revenue.
