I think this article makes some good points. No matter how you spin it, most people just won't understand the appeal internet-connected, smart devices for the home. That's why the direct-to-consumer market isn't exactly the correct route to take, right now.

It works well with tech-savvy individuals, but that's a small subset of humanity. It's basic economics.

My company (ElectrIQ Power) is actually in the IoT space, and we've carefully assessed the market before even starting. Fortunately, for us, we're in a unique group where demand is currently small, but increasing at a very high rate. Our revenues are also far greater than would be possible if we were operating in a direct-to-consumer strategy.