# Coterie Hires Retail Executive to Scale Wholesale After Seven Years DTC-Only *Premium diaper brand brings in Lindsey Kling to build shelf presence, testing the DTC-to-retail playbook that worked for brands like Glossier.* By **Jenny Huang Goodman MPA MSc MHSA, Principal** — The Stash Edge, Hako Shikin LLC. Published 2026-09-17. Canonical: https://www.pops4.com/stash/articles/coterie-2026-09-17t09-5 Subject: Coterie Tags: dtc-to-retail, wholesale strategy, babycare, channel expansion, retail ops --- Coterie, a direct-to-consumer babycare brand founded in 2018, hired Lindsey Kling to lead its expansion into retail wholesale, according to Ad Age. The move marks a strategic shift for a brand that built its reputation selling premium diapers and wipes exclusively through its own website. Kling previously held roles at Target and other retail-focused operations, signaling Coterie's intent to scale beyond digital channels. The hire reflects a pattern across consumer brands that launched DTC in the last decade. After establishing product-market fit and brand equity online, companies like Glossier, Allbirds, and Native brought in retail operators to negotiate shelf space and manage wholesale economics. Coterie is betting that its premium positioning — diapers priced above mass-market competitors — can translate to specialty retail and potentially big-box chains where parents shop for immediate need. The mechanics favor brands with differentiated product and proven repeat purchase. Wholesale requires giving up margin to retailers and distributors, but it solves the cost problem that has crushed many DTC brands: customer acquisition. A parent buying diapers at Target pays no shipping, waits no days, and discovers the brand through in-store browsing rather than a paid Instagram ad. The unit economics shift from high CAC and high margin to lower margin and near-zero acquisition cost per incremental buyer. Retail also forces operational discipline. Wholesale partners demand consistent inventory, predictable lead times, and product packaging designed for shelf display rather than unboxing moments. Brands that succeed typically hire someone who has managed these relationships before, which explains the Kling appointment. She brings institutional knowledge of retailer expectations, planogram strategy, and the promotional calendar that governs shelf placement. The steal for a small physical-product brand is to test retail on a regional scale before hiring a full-time wholesale lead. Start with independent boutiques or specialty chains in your category — baby stores, outdoor shops, gift retailers — where buyers make decisions locally and minimum order quantities run **500 to 2,000 units** instead of tens of thousands. Offer terms that protect your margin: net-30 payment, no return allowance on the first order, and a wholesale price that leaves you **35-40% gross margin** after production and fulfillment. Build a one-page linesheet with product specs, case pack configuration, and your brand story in three sentences. Email it to **20 buyers** in a single metro area. If five respond and two place orders, you have signal. If the product turns and they reorder, hire someone who knows how to scale it. Packaging must change before you pitch. Retail buyers need barcodes, case quantities that fit their shelving modules, and outer packaging that ships without damage. Design for the fixture first, the Instagram post second. A small brand can run this test for **under $5,000** in packaging adjustments and samples. Coterie's move confirms what procurement teams already know: the DTC brands that survive are the ones that find a second channel before their digital CAC becomes unsustainable. The question is whether they can maintain brand premium when competing for attention on a crowded shelf. ## The takeaway Test wholesale through local specialty retailers at 500-2,000 unit minimums before scaling to national chains or hiring a retail lead. --- ## Publisher **Hako Shikin LLC** — Virginia Beach, Virginia. Founded 1997. ASI 217876 · DUNS 18-204-6339. Principal and author: **Jenny Huang Goodman MPA MSc MHSA**. - Author: https://www.huanggoodman.com/about - LLM context: https://www.pops4.com/stash/llms.txt - MCP endpoint, for AI agents: https://mcp.pops4.com/mcp - Client dashboard: https://dashboard.pops4.com/ - Catalogue: 70,000+ products, 200+ brands