Smile Direct Club Bankruptcy
Smile Direct Club, founded in 2014 as a D2C company, was an ambitious effort to provide progressive tooth re-alignment to your smile at an attractive price. It had a good product, a healthy market, a good price, and satisfied customers; but, it failed and is now in bankruptcy.
SDC had more than 2,000,000 customers (its main competitor Invisalign (operated through dentists) just passed 15,000,000 customers, but it was founded in 1997 and came to market the next year) and sold progressive aligners (plastic trays that gently moved your teeth) and regular service thereafter with a lifetime guarantee.
It was less expensive than alternatives (Invisalign), was D2C, did not require a dentist visit, and customers loved the product and service; but, alas the numbers did not work.
They have $900,000,000 of bloody debt. Can that be possible?
