Hey Cowboys,

Happy Monday! A fresh week means a fresh round of DTC, retail, tech, and ecommerce news to unpack.

We’re kicking things off with the biggest stories, trends, and moves operators should have on their radar this week.

LIVE NOW — come hang out on X and YouTube.

Today’s lineup 👇 and stories.

From kids' vitamins to creative software to SMS, today's squad shows how founders and operators turn everyday categories into brands people genuinely love.

Texas convenience chain Buc-ee's is under fire after John Oliver dedicated a July 26 Last Week Tonight segment to its wave of trademark lawsuits targeting smaller businesses over mascots allegedly resembling its buck-toothed beaver. The legal campaign has Avocado Oil Study Finds Widespread Adulteration - already claimed casualties:

The most controversial suit targets Mickey's, a 42-location Ohio convenience chain operating since 1982, the same year the first Buc-ee's opened in Clute, Texas. Buc-ee's sued in February, two months before opening its first Ohio location, claiming the chain's cartoon moose logo is too similar because it features a "cartoon animal facing right with wide eyes and a smile," despite the two mascots coexisting for 35 years without conflict. Ohio's governor has publicly called on Buc-ee's to drop the case, while Mickey's CEO says the company is not going anywhere, with a settlement conference scheduled for September 9.

New Avocado Oil Study Is Concerning - A new UC Davis study found that 48 of 54 processed foods labeled as containing avocado oil were mixed with other oils. Researchers found that 93% of chips, 71% of mayonnaises, and 100% of salad dressings tested contained other oils. Even after allowing a 10% margin for natural variation, 89% of the products failed the purity test. The findings have sparked social media scrutiny of brands including Primal Kitchen, which is owned by Kraft Heinz and markets products made with avocado oil.

Under Armour Cuts Full-Year Outlook - Under Armour lowered its full-year revenue forecast to a mid-single-digit decline after North America revenue fell 9% to $609.8 million in Q2. Total revenue dropped 3% to $1.10 billion, while adjusted earnings came in above expectations. CEO Kevin Plank is cutting the product assortment by 25% and focusing on higher-priced offerings in training, running, and team sports. The company expects its turnaround plan to be completed by year-end.

DoorDash Launches CringeMart - DoorDash has launched CringeMart, a shopping hub for embarrassing purchases like condoms, plungers, and hemorrhoid cream. The launch includes a five-episode hidden-camera series with Tana Mongeau and billboards in Los Angeles and New York featuring real-time purchase data. DoorDash says customers buy condoms on the platform every 37 seconds. The campaign aims to position delivery as an easier way to shop for products people may feel awkward buying in person.

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Nate Lagos was just on our show, he turned on AI Shopper into an additional $17K in one day while completely off-line. Needless to say, it works.

→ Get the Conversational Report — directtoconsumer.co/theconversationalreport

Ecomm Cowboy is the go-to live show for ecommerce operators, breaking down the latest DTC, retail, and AI news while interviewing the founders and executives building today's fastest-growing brands.

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See you on the stream,
Ecomm Cowboy Team