From Dropshipping to D2C Star: Nathanael's Success Story 🚀

Well hello, great people of the D2C community! This is your host, Berkay writing.

Thanks again for subscribing to our weekly newsletters and being a part of the D2CVille Community! As we were saying, there are a lot of D2C newsletters out there, but if you’re reading this:

Trust us, you’re in the right place!

So, where were we?

⌚️ Nathanael Ziegler, Founder of apfelband

As you know, we do a podcast series with successful D2C entrepreneurs and bring good stories out -we did 16 of them so far 😮. Here is a recap of the first episode that we did, with no one else but Nathanael Ziegler, founder of apfelband.

We are simply IN LOVE with apfelband as they have a team that is delivering, a website that is converting, and a product line that offers just what the customers are looking for! Come on, what else can you expect from a D2C?

P.S.: We initially thought it was a great idea to do these podcasts asynchronously. That’s why the episode is only 8 mins long… In hindsight, that wasn’t the best idea.

But, even 8 minutes were enough for Nathanael to share his great insights with us.

⌚️ Nathanael started as a dropshipper and found huge success there! But it was before transitioning to bulk purchasing and direct sales in Germany.

📈 Nathanael says he found more success with Google ads compared to Facebook ads, with a 10x return on investment on ad spend. But obviously, his returns have decreased gradually over time. That aligns with what other entrepreneurs said. WDYT? Which ad platforms work better for you?

Regardless, we should give credit to apfelband’s social media team. Their Meta ads rock!

💪 Nathanael emphasizes the importance of taking action rather than just consuming information.

“My philosophy is consume, consume, consume; create, create, create”

At one point, Nathanael says, you should stop consuming. There are lots of great content on the internet about how to start a business, how to set up your store, how to improve your website for better conversions, and everything else. But you should stop consuming, and get to the action after a certain level.

You know, I gotta say, I'm not totally on board with that. If you're just dipping your toes into this stuff, it's actually a pretty good idea to do some reading or watch videos online about how to do things the right way. And sure, as you get more experienced, that learning curve won't be quite as steep. But why give up on learning, right? (Of course, I'm assuming you're checking out the good stuff online.)

One thing's for sure – things aren't gonna get super easy. Building stuff takes commitment, practice, experience, and know-how. But you're not gonna soak up all that knowledge in one shot and suddenly become a master builder, are you? You gotta keep soaking up info bit by bit: that's what's gonna help you find your way around the business.

Now, here we are in 2023, and the tricky part is being choosy about what you're learning from. There's a bunch of folks chatting about all sorts of things, but are they really the right role models for you? Running a business in the States isn't the same as doing it in Europe. And let's not even get started on how fast-paced the beauty industry is compared to something like selling pet toys. Do your thing, but definitely pay attention to what others have gone through too!

Okay, now let’s continue.

💵 Success for Apfelband is measured in cash, and they track metrics and numbers to evaluate performance. That makes sense in 2023, right?

😯 The “aha” moment Nathanael had was when they outsourced marketing to an agency. And Nathan suggests this to all!

📹 One thing Apfelband differentiates itself from the competition is the active use of social media -especially TikTok! They share entertaining content on their products, daily lives in the offices, and many more! Check out their TikTok for hilarious videos they shared, here.

If you’ve liked Nathanael’s approach, why not drop him a message? He's a super friendly person, so I'm pretty confident you'll have a great chat!

🛠️ And check out the large tool stack of apfelband at D2CVille.com!

📣 PROMOTIONS - FABRIKATÖR INVENTORY ASSISTANT

We want to introduce you to some fantastic tools that bring incredible value to D2C brands. At the top of the list is Fabrikatör. Not only is it an excellent tool for predicting inventory needs, but Fabrikatör is also the sponsor that supports our work. 🙌🏻

🎺 Now, introducing Fabrikatör: Your Ultimate Inventory Sidekick!

In the fast-paced world of eCommerce, every second counts. That's where Fabrikatör comes in – it's not just another app, but your strategic partner for streamlined operations. Say goodbye to inventory headaches and manual tasks, and welcome the power of automation.

Fabrikatör is your AI-powered companion; it's your virtual employee, handling operational tasks with precision while you focus on innovation and strategy. With its backorder capabilities, you can recover lost sales and turn out-of-stock situations into opportunities for growth. By bridging the gap between the supply chain, CRM, and your Shopify storefront, Fabrikatör ensures your customers are always satisfied.

🚀 Maximize Profits: Forecast demand effortlessly, turning stockouts into revenue.

🛍️ Pre-Order Power: Automate pre-orders, boosting sales.

🔄 Streamlined Operations: Effortlessly coordinate tasks and optimize inventory.

💌 Integration Excellence: Sync your supply chain with your Shopify storefront and Klaviyo.

🆇 TWEETS OF THE WEEK (Sorry they’re posts now!)

1. Interesting take 🧐

2. WDYT? What are your favorite tools? Share your list with us simply by replying to this email.

👥 SOCIAL MEDIA

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📚 FREE RESOURCES

And here are the free resources we promised at the beginning of this newsletter! Enjoy them and let us know what you think.

Lastly, a big shoutout to every D2C founder out there who is working hard to build their own thing! We know your job is challenging and there may be sometimes you sometimes feel frustrated. But this is just a friendly reminder to believe in what you’re doing and keep focused 🚀 You’ll get there!