Instead of selling products to the retailers who later turn to sell them to end-consumers, some brands have started going straight to the customers with their products and services. In a marketplace, where it is comparatively easier to connect with customers through WhatsApp or over e-commerce outlets, direct-to-consumer (D2C) sales are easier.
The sudden outbreak of covid-19 and continued lockdown made online shopping a necessity for many people. However, many brands are still dependent on their retail partners for sharing a hint of the first-party data, which can work in their favor. Despite such businesses existing, the D2C channel is growing exponentially.
In fact, according to the latest reports, there is an increase in D2C sales by 32.4% in the year 2020, the pandemic year. D2C can lead to elevated revenues; it provides marketers with the accurate insights they require to succeed across channels, email marketing strategies and partnerships.
So what do you think brands need a seamless translation from the traditional strategy to the direct-to-consumer world? Here is the list of three things you need before you get started!
Do you think diving directly into the direct-to-dealer (D2D) world will make the game easier for you? No! Before making any decision, you first need a solid reason and understanding of why you wanted to do this. For several brands, it is mostly about data. In the current marketplace, retailers have a habit of closely holding their customers' data as their major competitive advantage.
After shifting to the D2D data, you can have easy access to your customer's data which fosters relationships and bridges gaps leading to an increase in sales. Another crucial reason brands focus on multi-channel strategy is to protect their brand's name and offer an unmatched brand experience. In the marketplace, where the quality of the product is evening out, brand perception and loyalty can lead you to your potential customer's heart.
In simple terms, a D2D channel can multiply your sales while positioning you at the top in the eyes of your customers. For an improved experience, a retail partnership is an ideal choice.
Once you have a solid reason for why you want to make this shift, it's time to focus on how you will make this shift. Establishing a multi-channel strategy to execute your plan is an ideal scenario. A strategy or a plan is anything you discuss with your partners to attract profit and unmatched growth. There are several moving parts of a strategy. However, its major goal is to decide how you're going to do it. Some of the points you should think about while formulating strategies are as follows -
Apart from these, there are hundred other questions that every brand owner and other people consider while opting for a multi-channel strategy. You can take the help of consultants for effective strategy formulation, which works in your brand's favour.
The multi-channel brand strategy and multi-channel pricing strategy are closely interconnected. Since you already know that every sales channel can benefit you in some or the other way, it is ideal to set prices and generate conversational marketing bids that reflect your short-term and long-term goals. In case you're aiming to position your brand as the perceived product value, you are most likely to go with higher prices. However, if you want people to perceive your brand as the cheapest source of goods, using charm prices will work in your favour. In your multi-channel strategy, the pricing strategy should reflect effectively. However, it should blend well with the entire retail market for the following two reasons -
To avoid such circumstances, most retailers stick to a common pricing strategy, while brands mostly use software programs to follow the market price with extremely tight limits. Roger van Engelen, Principal at A.T. Kearney, believes that the dynamic pricing software is important for brands creating the D2D sales channel. This helps in making strong relationships with customers as well as other retailers in the market.
Migrating from traditional channels to multi-channel is a massive shift that can bring your business upside down. However, an excellent multi-channel strategy can work in your favor, most importantly because of the benefits involved. Big brands like Away and Quill have already shifted towards a D2C marketing strategy. And now, it's your turn to make this shift.
An effective D2D strategy offers marketers an end-to-end opportunity for building better credibility with the retailers for increasing distribution since you're aware of motivating the audience to pull products out of their shelves. If you want to learn more about the D2D commerce strategy or why D2C brands need an excellent multi-channel strategy, visit our website and read more! You can also explore our range of available services offered by in-house experts!
List of references
https://www.omniaretail.com/blog/3-things-brands-need-for-a-successful-d2c-strategy
https://www.coredna.com/blogs/direct-to-consumer
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