ICP Intelligence February 2026: D2C

Industry in Modern Commerce

What are the most significant emerging risks and growth areas for D2C brands? The D2C sector is experiencing notable shifts, with key factors like Narrative, Data, and Risk all showing significant increases over the last six months, up by +0.64, +0.42, and +0.52 respectively. Current sentiment indicates high engagement in Growth (4.63/5) and Stakeholder (4.72/5) activities, yet there's a strong emerging focus on managing increasing risks, evidenced by a Risk score of 3.57/5. This population splits into three distinct behavioral clusters: Low-Technology/High-Narrative (37.9%), High-Technology/High-Risk (35.0%), and Low-Risk/Low-Growth (27.2%). Brands are grappling with the pain point of keeping pace with the ever-changing retail landscape, suggesting a critical need for agile strategies to navigate both growth opportunities and escalating challenges.

AI-generated summary · February 11, 2026

Behavioral Factor Profile

Narrative
3.93
▲ +0.64
Operations
3.37
—
Data
2.54
▲ +0.38
Technology
2.71
▼ -0.13
Risk
3.58
▲ +0.51
Growth
4.64
▲ +0.25
Stakeholder
4.72
▲ +0.24

Scale: 1 (conservative) to 5 (innovative) · Arrows show 6-month shift

Factor Radar

Top Power Words

amazingstrongerrooted in successopportunitycommunity+ 10 morePRO

Thematic Intelligence

Priorities

sample
create the most value for the company
work with products that make a positive difference
believe in the business model
+ 12 more PRO

Pain Points

sample
keeping up with the everchanging retail landscape
keeping up with the ever-changing retail landscape
dealing with human factors in planning and predictions
+ 12 more PRO

Success Metrics

sample
revenue (financial number)
cost (financial number)
definition of an active member
+ 12 more PRO

Decision Frameworks

sample
blush test: if a decision would become public, would you feel guilty or blush?
newspaper test: similar to the blush test, considering public embarrassment for actions.
data-driven allocation: allocate resources based on data insights, e.g., which countries perform better.
+ 12 more PRO

Red Flags

sample
selling tobacco or weapons
company focusing only on one market
lack of clean or defined numbers
+ 12 more PRO

Behavioral Archetypes

37.1%
36.2%
26.7%
Low-Technology / High-Narrative(37.1%)
High-Technology / High-Risk(36.2%)
Low-Risk / Low-Growth(26.7%)

Cluster quality: weak · Full archetype profiles with factor comparison PRO

Other Industrys

Retail/ConsumerE-commerceMarketplace

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