The DTC Path for Chinese Footwear Brands
Understanding overseas expansion through markets, channels and conversion journeys
- Period
- May 2023 — May 2024
- Status
- Completed
- Type
- University-level project
- My role
- Lead investigator · Project coordination · Research framework · Presentation integration
Overview
A study of how Chinese footwear brands can expand overseas through DTC models, with attention to online marketing, channel choices and user conversion.
Background
The project grew from coursework in international trade and cross-border commerce. It examined the market-entry, brand communication and conversion questions that footwear brands face when selling directly to overseas consumers. The work relied on public sources and the team's research capacity, so staged observations are not presented as validated commercial results.
Core questions
- 01How should a brand assess target markets and channels for a DTC approach?
- 02How do content and customer touchpoints shape the conversion journey?
- 03How can dispersed research be organized into a consistent team narrative?
My responsibilities
- Set research tasks and milestones and coordinated the team's progress.
- Structured the research around market, channel and user questions.
- Integrated source notes, proposals and presentation materials into a consistent narrative.
Process
Research
Reviewed public industry and brand materials and clarified concepts around DTC, channels and conversion.
Design
Organized the research framework around market, channel, content and conversion stages.
Delivery
Allocated source work, facilitated milestone discussions and refined the scope.
Review
Cross-checked public sources and team wording to separate evidence from assumptions.
Output
Produced a research framework, staged materials and a project presentation.
Outcomes
- Research framework
- Staged research materials
- Project presentation
Evidence & materials
A project summary and method notes are public here; the full research materials are not currently public.
Limitations & reflection
The project gave me a working view of the cross-border commerce journey. A future iteration would need more systematic primary interviews and comparable cases.