DTC Hotline

Common Thread Collective
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  • UPDATED WEEKLY

Hot takes. Cold truths. Real eCom advice.

  1. 12/05/2025

    47 Brands, $127M: What Really Worked on BFCM This Year

    In this episode of The DTC Hotline, we unpack what actually happened during BFCM across 147 brands, representing $127M in revenue and $25M in media spend. We break down: The macro story: 8–10% YoY growth, flat order volume, rising AOV, and the surge in BNPL Why UGC video and 3–4x more creative output became the unlock in a post-Advantage+ world The shock appearance of AppLovin as the #3 channel in our dataset The “tight window” offer strategies that outperformed month-long promotions How brands used novelty, micro-peaks, and parachute offers to rescue underperforming days Hour-by-hour media pacing: why BFCM requires real-time decision making Tactical stories from accounts that flipped their day by switching offers or duplicating campaigns The emerging pattern: more spend, more creative, less fixed cost → the only way through 2025+ Plus: Luke and Tony give their unfiltered takes on Dubai, what felt surreal, and what they learned from meeting the accelerator team IRL. If you want the real BFCM insights—not recycled takes—this is the recap brands are using to plan 2025. Show Notes: Explore the Prophit System: https://www.prophitsystem.com The DTC Hotline mailbag is open — email us at podcast@commonthreadco.com to ask us your eComm questions.

    31 min

  2. 11/21/2025

    AppLovin’s Incrementality Is INSANE

    AppLovin’s incrementality is way bigger than anyone expected, and in this episode of the DTC Hotline, we break down exactly why. With Black Friday/Cyber Monday right around the corner, brands are scrambling to understand whether AppLovin is a true “next-Meta” opportunity… or just hype. After running multiple incrementality tests across CTC’s client portfolio, the results are clear: this channel is creating more business value than the platform reports. In this episode, Richard, Tony, and Luke explain: Why AppLovin is showing insane incremental lift How scale compares to Meta, Snap, and Pinterest The exact setup (pixel, feed, creative) you need right now Why BFCM performance will look inflated — and what to do after How to think about becoming an AppLovin advertiser in 2025 The mindset shift brands need to win new channels If you’re considering AppLovin for BFCM or planning your 2025 media mix, this episode is your blueprint. Show Notes: Whether you're running paid ads on Meta, Google, or TikTok, FERMÀT can help you increase your conversion rates without touching your website. https://www.fermatcommerce.com/ctc Explore the Prophit System: https://www.prophitsystem.com The DTC Hotline mailbag is open — email us at podcast@commonthreadco.com to ask us your eComm questions.

    20 min

  3. 11/14/2025

    The Truth About Meta Performance Before Black Friday (Stop Pulling Spend!)

    Everyone panics in early November… but your Meta ROAS isn’t actually broken, you’re just looking at the wrong numbers. In today’s episode of The DTC Hotline, we break down the real truth about Meta performance leading into Black Friday:why efficiency always looks terrible right now, how delayed attribution works, and why this is the single worst moment to pull back on spend. Tony, Luke, and Richard walk through: The 7-day vs 28-day attribution gap most brands ignore Why 80% of your value shows up late (and 20% shows up way later) How to know if you should hold or adjust your spend The BFCM offer structures that actually perform Why Black Friday ALWAYS works — and why the winners keep spending If you’re feeling the November fear… Hold the line. Trust the data. Plant the seeds now. Got a burning eComm question? Call or text 866-DTC-2263 to get it answered on the show. Show Notes: Whether you're running paid ads on Meta, Google, or TikTok, FERMÀT can help you increase your conversion rates without touching your website. https://www.fermat.com/ctc Explore the Prophit System: https://www.prophitsystem.com The DTC Hotline mailbag is open — email us at podcast@commonthreadco.com to ask us your eComm questions.

    27 min

  4. 11/07/2025

    How Do I Project Growth for My $3M Brand?

    Your brand’s doing $3M in revenue. You’re growing fast. But how do you actually project that growth for 2026, without guessing? In this episode of The DTC Hotline, we break down how to build a growth forecast like a $30M brand — using constraints, not wishful thinking. You’ll learn: How to forecast growth when you’re in the $3M–$10M stage The Spend-to-aMER model (and why it beats ROAS) How to set profitability constraints before chasing scale The difference between a $3M and $30M planning mindset What most founders get wrong about forecasting for 2026 Got a burning eComm question? Call or text 866-DTC-2263 to get it answered on the show. Show Notes: Whether you're running paid ads on Meta, Google, or TikTok, FERMÀT can help you increase your conversion rates without touching your website. https://www.fermat.com/ctc Explore the Prophit System: https://www.prophitsystem.com The DTC Hotline mailbag is open — email us at podcast@commonthreadco.com to ask us your eComm questions.

    19 min

  5. 10/31/2025

    How to Set Up Your Meta Account for Black Friday Success

    How should your Meta Ads account be structured to win this Black Friday and Cyber Monday? In this episode of The DTC Hotline, the CTC crew Richard, Tony, and Luke break down exactly how to set up your Meta account for BFCM success. You’ll learn: The simplest campaign structure that maximizes performance during peak sales When (and why) to use separate campaigns or bid caps How to create a “phantom” highest-volume campaign ready to flip on when spend surges The right budget pacing and time-zone settings for the BFCM weekend Quick landing page, creative, and offer consistency tips that keep your Meta ecosystem tight Whether you’re managing seven figure ad spend or just trying to get your setup right before Black Friday hits, this episode gives you a clear, tested roadmap straight from CTC’s media team. Show Notes: Whether you're running paid ads on Meta, Google, or TikTok, FERMÀT can help you increase your conversion rates without touching your website. https://www.fermat.com/ctc Explore the Prophit System: https://www.prophitsystem.com The DTC Hotline mailbag is open — email us at podcast@commonthreadco.com to ask us your eComm questions.

    16 min

  6. 10/24/2025

    How do you identify and fill your Q4 revenue gaps?

    Most brands talk about hitting their Q4 goals — but few have a system to identify and close revenue gaps before they happen. In this episode of The DTC Hotline, Tony, Luke, and Richard break down how to spot and fill revenue shortfalls during the holidays, using the same daily frameworks CTC applies across top DTC brands. They’ll walk through: How to pinpoint whether your gap is in new or returning customersThe daily cadence CTC uses to track and close gaps in real timeWhen to deploy incrementality tests and channel expansion (like AppLovin) to recover missed revenueWhy every forecast should translate into specific daily actionsAnd how to think in “units of growth” — the building blocks of hitting your Q4 target If you’ve ever wondered how to turn missed forecasts into closed gaps — this episode is your blueprint. Call or text the DTC Hotline: 866-DTC-2263 (866-382-2263) Ask your burning eComm questions and we might answer them live on air. Show Notes: Whether you’re running paid ads on Meta, Google, or TikTok, FERMÀT can help you increase your conversion rates without touching your website. ⁠ https://www.fermatcommerce.com/ctc⁠ Explore the Prophit System: ⁠https://www.prophitsystem.com⁠ The DTC Hotline mailbag is open — email us at podcast@commonthreadco.com to ask your eCom questions.

    30 min

  7. 10/17/2025

    How Many Meta Ads You Actually Need to Hit $500K/Month

    Most brands have no idea how many ads they actually need to scale profitably on Meta. In this episode of The DTC Hotline, Tony, Luke, and Richard  break down the creative math behind Meta ad performance revealing how to calculate your brand’s true creative demand and avoid overspending during Q4. They’ll walk through: How to know if your Meta spend has hit the point of diminishing returns The 5 creative metrics that predict your next winner How to estimate your ideal ad count to hit $500K/month Why Meta’s algorithm rewards creative diversity — not repetition The system CTC uses to forecast ad output for top DTC brands If you’ve ever asked “Why isn’t my Meta spend scaling?” — this episode is your answer. Call or text the DTC Hotline: 866-DTC-2263 (866-382-2263) Ask your burning ecom questions and we might answer them live on air. Show Notes: Whether you're running paid ads on Meta, Google, or TikTok, FERMÀT can help you increase your conversion rates without touching your website. https://www.fermat.com/ctcExplore the Prophit System: https://www.prophitsystem.comThe DTC Hotline mailbag is open — email us at podcast@commonthreadco.com to ask us your eComm questions.

    35 min

  8. 10/10/2025

    AppLovin’s Rise, Google Ads Setup, and Amazon Reality Check

    AppLovin’s Rise, Google Ads Setup, and the Amazon Reality CheckWelcome back to the DTC Hotline, your direct line to hot takes, cold truths, and real e-commerce advice from the team at Common Thread Collective. In this episode, “The Professor” and “The Chopper” dig into three huge topics shaping paid media right now:-AppLovin’s Rise — Why this mobile ad platform is suddenly delivering 2× Meta’s ROI, how its non skippable video inventory works, and what makes its pixel shockingly powerful.-Google Ads Setup for 7-Figure Brands — The right order of operations for success: pixel, feed, shopping, scale. How to avoid double counting conversions and nail your Merchant Center setup.-Amazon Reality Check — The truth about launching in today’s supplement saturated marketplace. When “velocity” beats “branding,” and how to decide whether you’re ready to compete.-Plus: Why “decide and commit” is the only mindset that works in new channel expansion and how CTC is testing AppLovin incrementality for real results.Call or text the DTC Hotline: 866-DTC-2263 (866-382-2263)Ask your burning e-com questions and we might answer them live on air.Show Notes:-Whether you're running paid ads on Meta, Google, or TikTok, FERMÀT can help you increase your conversion rates without touching your website. https://www.fermat.com/ctc-Explore the Prophit System: https://www.prophitsystem.com-The DTC Hotline mailbag is open — email us at podcast@commonthreadco.com to ask us your eComm questions.

    35 min
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Hot takes. Cold truths. Real eCom advice.

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  • Creator
    Common Thread Collective
  • Years Active
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  • Episodes
    18
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    © Common Thread Collective
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    DTC Hotline