When acquiring a DTC business, the surface-level metrics (revenue, ROAS, and EBITDA) rarely tell the full story.
The real value lies in hidden growth levers: underutilised customer segments, untested acquisition channels, margin inefficiencies, or scalable ops structures waiting to be unlocked.
At eComplete, we specialise in identifying and activating these levers through commercial due diligence (CDD) and post-acquisition execution. Here's what to look for and how to turn hidden potential into realised performance.
1. Underleveraged Acquisition Channels
What to look for:
Brands that are heavily reliant on one channel (e.g., Meta) but haven’t tested others TikTok, influencers, affiliates, paid search, YouTube, or organic.
Hidden lever:
Alternative channels may offer lower CAC or access to new customer segments the brand hasn't touched yet.
eComplete’s approach:
We break down channel efficiency during CDD and model the impact of adding new acquisition layers. Post-deal, our performance team rapidly rolls out controlled testing frameworks across new platforms with creative, landing pages, and budgets tailored to the brand’s customer DNA.
2. Low CRM & Retention Maturity
What to look for:
High acquisition volume but low repeat purchase rates, minimal segmentation, basic flows, and generic retention messaging.
Hidden lever:
Improving LTV through better lifecycle marketing can dramatically shift contribution margins without increasing spend.
eComplete’s approach:
We assess retention maturity across email/SMS in CDD — mapping gaps in journeys, personalisation, and winback. Post-acquisition, we deploy segment-specific flows, RFM-based journeys, and behaviourally triggered comms that significantly lift LTV and repurchase rates.
3. Product & SKU Margin Expansion
What to look for:
SKUs with strong sell-through but low margin, or upsell opportunities not being maximised in cart/checkout flows.
Hidden lever:
Bundling, pricing strategy, or COGs renegotiation can unlock higher contribution margins from existing traffic.
eComplete’s approach:
Our team conducts SKU-level margin and attach rate analysis during diligence. We identify bundling opportunities, low-margin drains, and pricing inconsistencies. Post-deal, we implement dynamic pricing tests, subscription or bundle offers, and negotiate supplier terms to boost blended margin.
4. International Expansion Headroom
What to look for:
A brand with traction in one market, organic international interest, but no structured global growth strategy or localisation.
Hidden lever:
Entering new markets with focused paid, logistics, and translation/localisation support can add scalable revenue streams.
eComplete’s approach:
Our CDD models geo-expansion potential by analysing order data, market demand, and competitor positioning. Post-close, we execute localised landing pages, regional fulfilment, translated comms, and market-specific media plans to launch and scale in new territories.
5. Inefficient Tech Stack or Ops Flow
What to look for:
Manual order processing, limited reporting visibility, disjointed toolsets, or reliance on legacy systems.
Hidden lever:
Optimising backend workflows can lower overheads and create capacity for faster growth without more headcount.
eComplete’s approach:
We audit the operational backbone during CDD, then streamline the tech stack post-close, integrating inventory tools, finance systems, CX platforms, and analytics dashboards to reduce friction, enable scale, and create real-time visibility.
6. Untapped Brand or Content Equity
What to look for:
A brand with strong community engagement or organic reach but no structured content strategy, influencer program, or UGC pipeline.
Hidden lever:
Capitalising on content and community can lower acquisition costs and drive organic growth.
eComplete’s approach:
We assess engagement quality, influencer visibility, and branded search volumes. Our post-acquisition creative and community teams build a scalable UGC/influencer engine to drive organic content, support paid performance, and deepen community-led growth.
Final Take: Growth Levers Aren’t Always Obvious
DTC acquisitions don’t fail because of what’s visible, they fail when hidden opportunities are missed.
At eComplete, our commercial due diligence process is designed to uncover these hidden levers. Then our operating team puts them into action with a roadmap that transforms potential into performance.
Thinking about selling or acquiring a DTC brand?
Get in touch to learn how our integrated CDD + operating model helps investors and founders unlock growth that others overlook.
