Is Ryzon proof of the future of D2C?

In this Kassenzone episode, Mario Konrad, co-founder of Ryzon, talks about building and developing the D2C sports brand, from its beginnings in the triathlon niche to its strong focus on cycling and international growth in the USA. Topics include premium positioning, European production and the deliberate decision against platforms and wholesale.

Mario explains why closeness to the community, performance products and a clear brand core are key to high customer loyalty, and why the app, bundles and sets play a central role in retention and basket size.

How does Ryzon hold its ground against discount pressure, Chinese competitors and marketplaces like Temu?

An overview of the conversation with Mario Konrad.

1. 4:46 The shift in the bike market
2. 12:08 Growth and challenges at Ryzon
3. 15:53 Customer loyalty and retention
4. 27:02 Growth strategies and expansion plans
5. 37:35 Competition from Chinese brands
6. 45:02 Looking to the future

Why tech infrastructure and AI are the next lever for D2C brands

The example of Ryzon shows that profitable growth in D2C today rests on two levers, excellent customer loyalty and full control over the brand's own platform. In the conversation, Mario points out that the Ryzon app already generates over 30% of revenue. This is a clear signal that the direct, technology-supported channel to the customer is the most important value driver. But as complexity increases, for example through expansion into the USA or the management of bundles and sets, purely manual processes reach their limits.

Etribes helps companies treat this tech implementation as a strategic business lever as well as an IT project. Whether it's the smart integration of customer data platforms (CDP) to make full use of app data, or automating logistics processes for the international rollout, we turn complex system landscapes into scalable ecosystems.

Especially in AI transformation, we see huge leaps in efficiency for brands like Ryzon. Generative AI now makes it possible to scale the closeness to the community that Mario describes to a global level through intelligent personalization and autonomous agents in data automation. Through targeted AI impact quantification, we create clarity about where AI can directly increase sales efficiency.