While big data can tell a lot about "what" is happening, it has big shortcomings in telling you "why" things are happening. And that latter question is exactly the one fundamental for innovation.

By overriding middle-man, service agents and wholesale chains, Direct-to-Consumer (D2C) brands have opened a new path for online success, through delivering products from the source, right to the hands of the consumer. Consumer spending online has also gone up exponentially with the spread of coronavirus…