"We believe the most successful D2C brands are ones that offer the most disruption vs. the status quo," says one report.

Does opening more stores -- which usually means sinking considerable cash into pricey rents, long-term leases and inventory -- make financial sense?

And yes, they've noticed those radically outsized budgets make profits (ostensibly, the reason companies are in business) kind of impossible.

Natura & Co, a Brazilian beauty company, is acquiring Avon -- which got me thinking about why direct sales matter more than ever.