The tables have turned on digital native retail brands that thrived during the pandemic, when they seemed to be ushering in a new era in which retailers were no longer shackled to bricks-and-mortar stores as e-commerce proliferated.

The heady days of 2021—when e-commerce briefly zoomed to a 60% share of retail—have reverted to something closer to the pre-pandemic normal, with online retail's share now plateauing at around 14%.

The digital native brands that emerged and blossomed during the pandemic—think Wayfair, the online home furnishings brand with ubiquitous TV commercials starring Kelly Clarkson—now are caught in a crossfire of headwinds that are threatening the survival of many of them.

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