Akshay Gurnani’s Post

It's so fascinating to see how we came from adoption of E-commerce to Q-commerce

𝐓𝐨 𝐀𝐦𝐚𝐳𝐨𝐧 𝐨𝐫 𝐍𝐨𝐭 𝐓𝐨 𝐀𝐦𝐚𝐳𝐨𝐧? 🤔 I have a question for the 𝐞-𝐜𝐨𝐦𝐦𝐞𝐫𝐜𝐞 𝐬𝐩𝐞𝐜𝐢𝐚𝐥𝐢𝐬𝐭𝐬 out there: Imagine you are selling a very unique consumer good product. Nobody else does this, and while it's not protected by IP, it is not easy for others to replicate. It's a relatively simple product with low maintenance and customer service requirements. You are currently selling direct-to-consumer (D2C) online through your own website. You have cultivated a loyal following of customers in your domestic market, but no significant international sales yet. In addition to your D2C channel, you also sell through some brick-and-mortar retail stores, though growth has been slow in that traditional channel as retail continues to face headwinds. To increase revenue and expand your footprint, would you start selling your unique product on Amazon as well? What would be the main pros and cons to consider for a move like this? I'm really interested to hear perspectives from those with experience in this space. What factors would you weigh in making this decision for a niche, differentiated product like the one described? Let me know your thoughts in the comments! #ecommerce #D2C #amazon #productstrategy #retail

🚫 Why do 90% of D2C brands fail within 5 years? Why does this happen? What’s holding D2C brands back? Discover SEVEN reasons D2C brands fail. 1️⃣ Rising ad costs on META and GOOGLE. 2️⃣ Too many new brands, leading to price wars and discounts, eating into margins. 3️⃣ Lack of product differentiation. The days of ignoring product and scaling only on marketing are over. 4️⃣ Not diversifying sales channels. D2C brands should sell everywhere - own website, marketplaces, offline retail, or boutiques. 5️⃣ Focusing only on performance marketing and nothing else. 6️⃣ Being stuck with unsold inventory that is liquidated at a loss. 7️⃣ Not tracking key metrics and numbers that impact profitability such as returns, RTOs, ad spends, cost of logistics and multipliers on COGS. #D2C #D2CBrands #Scaling #Growth #Profitability

Is Amazon and Flipkart Sale Impacting D2C Website Revenue ? 🚀 As we enter the September sales season, the impact of Amazon and Flipkart's events on D2C websites is undeniable. 🛒 Major sales by these e-commerce giants are increasing consumer spending across the board. 🌟 D2C brands can capitalize on this by attracting consumers looking for unique products and experiences. 💰 To compete, many D2C brands are adapting their pricing strategies and ramping up promotions. 📊 Increased traffic during sales events provides invaluable consumer insights, helping brands refine their offerings. 🔗 This period also presents an opportunity for D2C brands to enhance visibility through targeted advertising and partnerships. 📦 Additionally, optimizing inventory and supply chains becomes crucial to meet the heightened demand. 🤝 By focusing on customer retention strategies, D2C brands can turn one-time buyers into loyal customers. 🌟 Overall, with the right approach, D2C brands can thrive during these major sales, turning competition into opportunity! Comment how you strategise this Sale Event into Opportunity for your website. #D2C #Ecommerce #SalesStrategy #BusinessGrowth #Marketing

M2C (Manufacturer-to-Consumer) and D2C (Direct-to-Consumer) are revolutionizing the retail industry in several ways: 1. Disintermediation: M2C and D2C models eliminate intermediaries, allowing manufacturers to connect directly with consumers, reducing costs, and increasing profit margins. 2. Personalization: With direct access to consumer data (Data-Driven Insights), manufacturers can offer personalized products, experiences, and marketing, enhancing customer satisfaction and loyalty. 3. Agility and Flexibility: M2C and D2C enable manufacturers to respond quickly to changing consumer preferences, trends, and market conditions. 4. Brand Control: Manufacturers can maintain control over their brand image, messaging, and customer relationships. 5. Increased Efficiency: Streamlined supply chains, reduced inventory risks, and lower marketing costs contribute to increased operational efficiency. Both Amazon and Walmart recognize the importance of M2C and D2C in the evolving retail landscape.The lines between traditional retail and e-commerce will continue to blur as M2C and D2C grow in prominence. Both are trying to compete with and catch up to the 4 big dragons (TikTok Shop, Temu, Shein, and AliExpress). Any thoughts? #retail #omnicanal #ecommerce #evolution #transformation

🌟 Here is my comprehensive understanding of E-Commerce Marketplace v/s D2C. I tried to capture the gist of both models of distribution that a business aiming at online sales usually opts for. 🌟My take: I think any new business should start as a D2C brand, but gradually diversify it's channels of distribution by going to marketplaces and then offline as well. Reasons being simple -: 1️⃣D2C offers a greater flexibility, control over business, better customer connect and engagement, higher profit margins if the marketing is done wisely, and a space where the brand faces no other competition. 2️⃣Once they make a certain presence in the market, they should further diversify by entering marketplaces where there is immense growth opportunity due to platforms like Amazon, Flipkart being huge brands themselves, with a large customer base and a lot of trust. What do you guys think? How should brands utilize various models of going into the market? Dhananjay Singh Pranay Sindhu (Ph.D) Nitin Gupta Anand Narasimha #ecommerce #d2c #online #brand #branding #business #marketing

🤯 𝗦𝘁𝗿𝗮𝘁𝗲𝗴𝗶𝗲𝘀 𝘂𝘀𝗲𝗱 𝗯𝘆 𝗢𝗻𝗹𝗶𝗻𝗲 𝗠𝗮𝗿𝗸𝗲𝘁𝗽𝗹𝗮𝗰𝗲𝘀 𝘁𝗼 𝗺𝗮𝗶𝗻𝘁𝗮𝗶𝗻 𝗰𝗼𝗻𝘁𝗿𝗼𝗹 𝗼𝘃𝗲𝗿 𝗗𝟮𝗖 𝗯𝗿𝗮𝗻𝗱𝘀 🌟 The 𝗱𝗶𝗿𝗲𝗰𝘁-𝘁𝗼-𝗰𝗼𝗻𝘀𝘂𝗺𝗲𝗿 (D2C) trend is shaking up the online marketplace, and it's fascinating to see how platforms are adapting to maintain their pivotal role. - 𝗘𝘅𝗰𝗹𝘂𝘀𝗶𝘃𝗲 𝗣𝗮𝗿𝘁𝗻𝗲𝗿𝘀𝗵𝗶𝗽𝘀 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗔𝗴𝗿𝗲𝗲𝗺𝗲𝗻𝘁𝘀 🤝:- • Take 𝗔𝗺𝗮𝘇𝗼𝗻, for instance. They've struck exclusive deals with certain electronics brands, locking them into selling solely through Amazon's platform. This keeps the brands within Amazon's reach and customers loyal to the platform. - 𝗦𝘁𝗿𝗶𝗰𝘁 𝗖𝗼𝗻𝘁𝗿𝗼𝗹 𝗢𝘃𝗲𝗿 𝗖𝘂𝘀𝘁𝗼𝗺𝗲𝗿 𝗗𝗮𝘁𝗮 🔒:- • 𝗔𝗹𝗶𝗯𝗮𝗯𝗮, on the other hand, tightly controls the customer data on its platform. By keeping this valuable information close, they make it tough for D2C brands to build their own direct relationships with customers. - 𝗩𝗮𝗹𝘂𝗲-𝗔𝗱𝗱𝗲𝗱 𝗦𝗲𝗿𝘃𝗶𝗰𝗲𝘀 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗦𝘂𝗽𝗽𝗼𝗿𝘁 🛍️:- • 𝗙𝗹𝗶𝗽𝗸𝗮𝗿𝘁 goes the extra mile by offering integrated payment processing, marketing tools, and seller protection services. This not only helps D2C brands thrive but also makes it more attractive for them to stay within Flipkart marketplace. - 𝗜𝗺𝗽𝗼𝘀𝗶𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻 𝗼𝗳 𝗥𝗲𝘀𝘁𝗿𝗶𝗰𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻𝘀 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗣𝗼𝗹𝗶𝗰𝗶𝗲𝘀 🚫:- • 𝗠𝘆𝗻𝘁𝗿𝗮 has clear policies governing the products that can be sold and the pricing strategies within its marketplace. This tight regulation ensures that the platform maintains its unique identity and customer experience. - 𝗜𝗻𝗰𝗲𝗻𝘁𝗶𝘃𝗶𝘇𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗖𝗼𝗹𝗹𝗮𝗯𝗼𝗿𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻 🤑:- • 𝗦𝗵𝗼𝗽𝗶𝗳𝘆 takes a collaborative approach, emphasizing joint marketing efforts and access to its extensive customer network. This encourages D2C brands to see the platform as a valuable partner rather than just a sales channel. 𝗛𝗮𝘀𝗵𝘁𝗮𝗴 𝘁𝗼 𝗳𝗼𝗹𝗹𝗼𝘄, 𝗶𝗳 𝗻𝗼𝘁 𝗳𝗼𝗹𝗹𝗼𝘄 𝘁𝗵𝗶𝘀:- #HimanshuChronicles #WordsbyHimanshu #HimanshuInsight #HimanshuWisdom 𝗛 𝗔 𝗦 - 𝗛 - 𝗧 𝗔 𝗚 : - #EcommerceTrends #D2CStrategies #DigitalCommerce #OnlineRetail #d2cbrands #d2cindia #Amazon #Flipkart #Myntra #Shopify #Marketplace

💡 In D2C, "good" results can sometimes lead to tough lessons. Here’s a reality check: We were working with a brand that was absolutely crushing it: 💰 Revenue: 80L per month 📈 ROI: 4x 🚀 Growth: 10-15% month-over-month 🛒 AOV: 1200 Impressive, right? But then, FOMO set in. They decided to open an experiential store in a prime location. Staff, inventory, and operating expenses skyrocketed. 🏬💸 Here’s what happened next: ROI target jumped by 1.5x 💥 To cover costs, they hiked product prices—and customers noticed Sales dropped, and cash flow got tight The store didn’t pick up as expected, leaving them struggling even to fund their Meta ad account 😕 The lesson? Key takeaways: ✅ Understand the full scope of major decisions. Opening a store isn't just rent—it's staff, utilities, and ongoing operational costs. 🚫 Just because others are doing it, doesn’t mean it’s right for you. Don’t let FOMO dictate your strategy. 📉 Sudden price hikes can alienate customers. Be cautious when adjusting pricing to cover new expenses. 📊 Set realistic ROI targets—big jumps can be unsustainable and often backfire. 🤝 Online and offline strategies should complement each other, not compete. D2C is a wild ride, and sometimes the best growth strategy is optimizing what already works. What’s your take on this? Have you experienced similar pitfalls? 🤔 Let’s talk real strategies for sustainable D2C growth. 💬 #D2C #GrowthStrategy #Ecommerce #Retail #BusinessStrategy #RealTalk

Are you a D2C or e-commerce brand? Boost your sales, build trust, and grow your business by getting on a marketplace today! Platforms like Amazon and Myntra have built years of trust with customers, making them more likely to try new products. While there's a commission fee, the benefits far outweigh the costs. Many successful brands started on marketplaces before building their own websites. Don't wait—list your products on a trusted marketplace and watch your business thrive! #ecommerce #D2C #marketplace #amazon #myntra #businessgrowth #onlinesales #customertrust #sellonline #ecommercetips #businesssuccess

😕 "We're not set up for direct-to-consumer sales on Amazon and have no idea where to start." This is a common challenge for brands transitioning from third-party sellers/ Amazon Vendor Central to selling directly on their website and Amazon. Shifting from a B2B wholesale model to a D2C approach can seem complex, but with the right strategies, the advantages are clear—greater control over pricing, branding, and customer engagement. Consider the margin lost at each step in the traditional supply chain: Manufacturer → distributor → dealer → Amazon → consumer. Every step cuts into profits that could be reinvested into advertising, influencer partnerships, or social media campaigns. Another critical concern when transitioning to D2C is maintaining strong relationships with distributors. To keep them happy, offer exclusive products or bundles to distributors while using D2C channels for different SKUs. This prevents direct competition and ensures both channels can thrive with clear communication and mutual benefits. Here are some ways businesses are successfully making the shift: 🔓 Maintain Vendor Central and Seller Central accounts: Running allows flexibility and supports wholesale and retail operations. 🔓 Set up a separate entity for Seller Central: This helps avoid conflicts and streamline operations. 🔓 Start with select SKUs: Test the market with a few products to explore pricing and fulfillment without overwhelming your resources. 🔓 Control pricing carefully: Offer exclusive bundles or variants to avoid price competition between Vendor and Seller Central listings. 🔓 Leverage Fulfillment by Amazon (FBA): Amazon's fulfillment services ensure Prime eligibility and simplify logistics and customer service. 🔓 Utilize Amazon's advertising tools: Seller Central provides powerful marketing options, such as Sponsored Products and Sponsored Brands, to boost visibility and drive sales. Transitioning can be challenging, but with careful planning and execution, your business can thrive in this new model. #ecommerce #scale #manufacturer