Why Dr. Martens is trading volume for value

Can you believe January is already in the rearview mirror?

The Q4 dust has settled, the returns are finally slowing down, but we are bringing some serious energy for the year ahead.

Since we are all in deep strategy mode for Q1, we wanted to kick off the year with something massive.

Deep Dive London: Retention & Acquisition

When: 12th February, 2026 | 9am - 3pm

Where: Central London

We’re gathering the sharpest DTC minds in the UK for a high-energy workshop on the two things keeping founders up at night: Retention and Acquisition.

It’s happening at Balthazar in Covent Garden, where the lunch is as good as the insights. If you want to leave with a clear plan and a stronger network, this is the room you need to be in.

Why you should be in the room

2026 is going to be the year where growth at all costs is replaced by sustainable systems.

• The Silo Problem: Most brands have a growth team buying customers and a retention team trying to keep them, but they rarely talk. We are breaking down those silos.

• The Networking: It’s not just the speakers, but who you are sitting next to at lunch. We’ve curated a room of founders and leaders who are solving the exact same problems you are.
• The Experience: Set in a premium Central London venue, this is a space to work on your business, not just in it.

Each session digs into one big growth challenge, offering strategy, insights, and practical takeaways designed to push your brand forward.

Secure your spot here.

Why Dr. Martens is trading volume for value

Is the age of the "perpetual sale" finally over?

For the last five years, the DTC playbook has been dangerously simple: When growth slows, send a discount code. It spikes revenue immediately, clears inventory, and keeps the top-line looking green.

Dr. Martens plc released their Q3 Trading Update on Tuesday, and the numbers tell a fascinating story about the current state of British DTC.

Dr. Martens reported a revenue dip of 3.1% (to £253m), with their DTC channel specifically down 7%.

On the surface, revenue down sounds like a warning sign. Usually, DTC is where you want the growth. But this is a calculated move. CEO Ije Nwokorie is executing a deliberate strategy to fix the brand's long-term health, even if it hurts short-term sales.

In his statement to investors yesterday, Nwokorie didn't mince words:

"This is a year of pivot, as we make the necessary changes to our business to set us up for future sustainable growth. I remain laser focused on executing our new strategy... We have continued to improve the quality of our revenue through a disciplined approach to promotions..."

In plain English: They stopped discounting just to chase top-line revenue and aim to protect their brand equity.

While their wholesale partners in EMEA (who love a sale) drove volume up 13%, Dr. Martens willingly sacrificed sales on their own site to protect their brand equity and margins.

What does this mean for you?

We often talk about brand integrity as a soft metric, but Dr. Martens just put a price tag on it. 2026 is shaping up to be the year where brands have to choose between market share and brand health.

Their results offer a few interesting points to consider for your own Q1 and Q2 planning:

1. Volume vs. Value
2. Breaking the Discount Cycle
3. Margins over Metrics

Food for thought

If a legacy brand like Dr. Martens is prioritising foundation over quick wins, it might be a good time to review your own promotional calendar. Are you balancing volume with long-term brand health?

While you were shipping… here’s what you may have missed!

• Royal Mail’s Goods Rule: If you ship internationally, it’s worth checking your settings. As of this month, International Tracked & Signed is strictly for documents only. You must use International Tracked for all goods/products, or risk your parcels being returned.
• TikTok Shop UK Update: As of Jan 27, customers can now request a cancellation even if an order is "Out for Delivery" (if it has missed the Estimated Delivery Date). The platform is tightening its grip on logistics, so keeping shipping times accurate is more important than ever.

Your chance to be on the panel

Want to speak at DTC Live Connect LDN?

🗓️ 12th March, 2026

📍 London

DTC Live LDN Connect is our flagship event, bringing the DTC community together for a full day of sharp thinking, honest conversations, and real-world learnings. Bigger audiences, bigger energy.

We’re currently finalising the speaker lineup for March and opening up a small number of speaking opportunities for operators and brand leaders who have something practical to share.

Ways to get involved

• Fireside Chats - share your journey, key decisions, and lessons learned
• Panels - join thoughtful discussions with other industry leaders on what’s actually working right now

Why speak at Connect?

Connect brings together hundreds of founders, CMOs, and senior marketing leaders. It’s a chance to contribute to the wider DTC conversation, share what you’ve learned along the way, and connect with peers who are building in the same environment.

We’ve welcomed speakers in the past from brands including SURI, Tommy Hilfiger, Represent, TRIP, Lorna Luxe, and TALA, and the format is designed to be open, conversational, and genuinely useful, not polished keynote theatre.

You can get a feel for the energy and format of our past conferences here: DTC Live YouTube Channel

Some of the brands already confirmed for March include Clothes Doctor, Little Lies, Naked Glow Self Tan & Skincare, Monday Muse and Condé Nast.

If March isn’t the right time, we’ll also be programming speakers for our London Connect event on 15 October.

Interested? Get in touch with amelia@dtclive.com and we’ll take it from there.

👉 Don't fancy speaking but want the insights?

Get your ticket to Connect here.

See you next Thursday!

The DTC Live Team

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