Death Wish Coffee – What We Can Learn About Building E-Commerce Brands That Last

When you’re building an e-commerce brand, one of the smartest things you can do is study the companies already doing it at a high level. Not just to admire their success, but to reverse engineer the principles behind it.

That’s exactly what we’re going to do in this new Brand Deep Dive Series — exploring how standout e-commerce businesses present themselves, position their products, and create long-term loyalty.

And for our first stop? Death Wish Coffee.

This is a brand that’s built a reputation in one of the most competitive categories in the world: coffee. Let’s review their website, products, social presence, and what lessons any e-commerce founder can take away.

First Impressions: A Brand That Grabs You

As soon as you land on deathwishcoffee.com, you’re hit with bold visuals, strong graphics, and instant notification prompts. Smart move — because not every visitor will come back.

• Attention-grabbing visuals: Quality images and animations create instant impact. In e-commerce, never underestimate the power of design to hook attention.

• Bold brand name: “Death Wish Coffee” instantly sparks curiosity. It’s memorable, disruptive, and creates intrigue. In a noisy market, a strong name cuts through.

• Clear positioning: From the first scroll, you know what they sell — coffee. No confusion, no wasted clicks.

👉 Lesson for e-commerce brands: Make sure your homepage passes the “3-second test.” Visitors should instantly know what you sell, why it matters, and what to do next.

Conversion Tactics in Action

Death Wish Coffee applies a range of proven strategies to increase conversions:

1. Rewards & loyalty programs – Their “Ritual Rewards” program incentivises repeat buying and community engagement.

2. Subscribe & Save – Encourages recurring revenue through subscriptions, giving the customer convenience and the brand predictable cash flow.

3. Social proof & credibility – Features in Yahoo, HuffPost, and others add subconscious trust. Reviews and user-generated content solidify credibility.

4. Upselling at checkout – “People also bought…” prompts and free gift incentives raise average order value.

One area they could improve? Their email sign-up. The call-to-action (“Let’s drink coffee and throw things at happy people”) might be fun, but without a clear incentive (like a discount or exclusive offer), fewer people will convert.

👉 Lesson for e-commerce brands: Always give a reason to join your email list. A bribe (discount, free sample, early access) works far better than vague copy.

Expansion Beyond Coffee

What started as a coffee brand has now expanded into merchandise, flavors, bundles, and societies.

This diversification:

• Builds multiple revenue streams.

• Deepens the brand experience beyond just a product.

• Creates community-driven loyalty (“Join the Coffee Society”).

👉 Lesson for e-commerce brands: Start with one hero product, but think long-term about how to evolve into a lifestyle brand.

Amazon & Marketplace Presence

Death Wish Coffee is also active on Amazon — with strong images, but opportunities for optimisation:

• No Brand Storefront – This is a missed opportunity to reinforce branding and tell their story directly on Amazon.

• Limited A+ Content – Adding enhanced content and video could increase conversion rates.

• Multiple Sellers – Their wholesale approach means different sellers are offering the product, which reduces brand control.

👉 Lesson for e-commerce brands: If you’re on Amazon, own your presence. A+ content, video, and a brand storefront are table stakes for authority.

Social Media & Community

On Instagram, YouTube, and TikTok, Death Wish Coffee leans heavily into their bold identity and community-driven content.

• They’ve been building consistently for nearly a decade.

• They leverage influencers and user-generated content.

• Their tone (“0% BS”) perfectly fits their name and brand positioning.

👉 Lesson for e-commerce brands: Social media is not just about selling. It’s about creating a cultural identity that your audience wants to be part of.

Final Thoughts

Death Wish Coffee is a fantastic example of what happens when you combine:

• A bold brand identity that cuts through.

• High-quality visuals and design that grab attention.

• Smart conversion strategies (loyalty, subscriptions, upsells).

• A long-term vision beyond a single product.

They’re not perfect — their Amazon presence could be stronger, and some conversion elements (like email capture) could be sharper. But overall, they’re a high-performing brand with lessons every founder can apply.

If I had to score them? Somewhere in the 8.5–9 out of 10 range for e-commerce execution.

Why This Matters

As I’ve always believed — brands are what stand the test of time.
Amazon sellers come and go. Wholesale models rise and fall. But brands like Nike, Apple, and yes, Death Wish Coffee, endure.

That’s why this series exists: to inspire you to think long-term, build brands that matter, and take massive action toward sustainable growth.

🔥 Over to you:
What do you think of Death Wish Coffee’s brand strategy? What lessons stand out to you? Drop your thoughts in the comments — and let me know which brand we should deep dive into next.