Another week is upon us, and that means another set of charts packed with fun facts and hot trends! 🔥

Last week we took a look at some of the top performers within apparel, including DTC superstars True Classic and Quince. We saw that the zero-proof beverage biz is thriving, and highlighted some hot ticket items like RFID wallets, chef-designed pet food, and a new (damage-free) way to color your hair. 

This week we’re heading outdoors and giving you a first look at what activities and equipment we can’t live without, from power bikes to connected in-home workout equipment, to - you guessed it - Pickleball - the most controversial sport of 2023. We’ll also take a look at what’s trending on our top charts overall, from fancy raincoats to protein-packed cereal. 

Speeding Along

The electric bike has long been a staple in European cities, and in recent years, this sleek and sustainable mode of transportation is taking off also in the US.

Rad Power Bikes has topped our Activities and Outdoor Chart for several weeks in a row, and their most popular item is the sixth iteration of their RadRover fat tire bike, designed to navigate both city streets and mountain trails. The highstep version is retailing at $1,399 right now, and this product alone has brought in an estimated 400k in sales over just the last week. Other top sellers for the brand are their folding and utility bikes. 

For the kids, it looks like we’re sticking with the analog version (phew). While they also offer electric bikes the top two sellers from DTC brand Retrospec are balance bikes for the teeny ones, and these come at a pretty reasonable price point hovering around $109. Also note that their five-star rated Chatham Beach Cruiser is on sale at the timing of writing, couple that with their Handwoven Cane Bike Basket and you’re ready to ride. 

Low-cost equipment for in-home workouts

Exercise equipment like Peloton and the Mirror offers the opportunity to stay connected while working out from home, yet acquiring this equipment has historically had a few key requirements - like, you know, having the space for a stationary bike or treadmill, not to mention that neither product is exactly easy on the wallet. (Also note it was recently announced that the sale of hardware for the latter will be discontinued by the end of the year, after Lululemon and Peloton entered into a strategic content partnership.)

Now it looks like relative newcomer Crossrope is the latest hot trend in the connected workout space. The AMP Bluetooth-connected jump rope set is their most popular product at the moment, bringing in an estimated $54k last week at an average price of just $199. Membership to the Crossrope app, which offers access to workout classes and exercise programs, is billed separately at $11.99 per month (in comparison, the Peloton All Access Membership sits at $44 per month + tax). 

While the connected fitness trend is definitely down from its peak in 2020, there’s no doubt that we’re still looking for ways to avoid those in-person gym sessions. By reducing the upfront cost of investment Crossrope is addressing the risk-aversion around the potential of losing access to brand-specific content given shifts in the market.

Pickleball is still a thing guys

While some of you may be hoping that pickleball was a short-lived fad amongst millennials considering early retirement, I’m here to let you know it’s still going strong, at least in terms of DTC paddle sales (and also to invite you all to join my very cool and hip Pickleball club in South Florida 🤪).

Five brands including Recess Pickleball, Ace, PCKL, Picklish, and Disco Country Club all appear on the Next Big Shop Activities and Outdoor chart this week. 

That represents a tenth of the entire chart. And while the average product (read paddle) cost ranges from roughly $50 to $100+, it would seem we’re all still dinking in the kitchen sink. But make it fashion. 

Elsewhere on the Charts

Now for a little bit of this and a little bit of that. 

We’re staying dry this fall with fancy coats and waterproof bags from Rains, which is leading the charge on both Apparel and the full DTC200 this week.

Making noise in Beauty is cruelty-free goPure - we love a good serum to fight that dry skin in colder weather. 

And are Fruit Loops a thing of the past? Protein-packed and good-for-you cereal brand Magic Spoon is hanging around the top DTC sellers in Food, selling hundreds of thousands of dollars worth of cereal on a daily basis. 

That’s all folks. We’ll be back next week with another edition of ShopScoop from Next Big Shop, bringing you the top trends and brands in e-comm right now.