DTC*PULSE
Vol. 01 — Est. 2026 — Every Tuesday
The Tuesday briefing for e-commerce operators

Every Tuesday, the only five minutes of e-commerce news you actually need.

Each issue: the week's one story that matters, decoded into what it means for your store. A tool worth the trial signup. A tactic you can ship before Friday. That's it.

01

The Lead

The one story reshaping DTC this week — and what it actually means for your P&L, not just the headline.

02

Tool Spotlight

One tool, vetted. What it does, what it costs, and whether a store your size should care.

03

Numbers to Know

The stats worth stealing for your next planning doc — with the context that makes them useful.

04

Tactic of the Week

A concrete play you can implement before Friday. Setup steps included. No theory.

Written like a briefing, not a broadcast.

Every issue is researched from operator-grade sources — retail trade press, platform changelogs, and what's actually working in stores — then cut down to the five minutes that matter.

Issue #1 — The Lead

Dick's Bet on Paid Loyalty Should Make You Rethink Yours

Dick's Sporting Goods just launched ScoreCard+, a $99/year paid loyalty tier that hands members $100 back in rewards — $25 per quarter. On paper it sounds like a wash, but that's exactly the point. Paid loyalty isn't about margin on the membership fee; it's about locking in purchase frequency and justifying the spend psychologically. Once someone hands you $99, they're motivated to get their money's worth.

For DTC operators, this is a signal worth paying attention to. Amazon Prime proved the model. Walmart+ is proving it again. Now it's trickling into specialty retail. If you're running a Shopify store with a repeat-purchase product — supplements, apparel, home goods, pet supplies — a paid tier deserves a serious look…

→ The rest lands in your inbox Tuesday

We read the press releases, the 40-link roundups, and the "10 trends for 2026" posts — so you never have to.

No sponsor filler No recycled hot takes No 2,000-word intros No gated "premium" tier

Your competitors read it Tuesday at 9.

⏱ 5-min read 📬 Tuesdays, 9 AM ET 💸 Free forever