Six direct-to-consumer strategies that build loyalty. Direct-to-consumer (DTC) companies succeed at the crossroads of agility, loyalty and authenticity. That’s why their content strategy focuses on building genuine relationships with customers who truly want to be part of the brand.

The rapid rise of these two China-based companies has shaken up the way Americans shop online, as they have successfully challenged and ultimately overtaken behemoths like Amazon, eBay and Walmart. But with rising economic tensions between the U.S. and China, troubling environmental concerns and pending litigation between the two companies, the sustainability of their success isn’t a given.