D2C: Let consumers fall in love with your brand and strengthen your bond with resellers

Companies can use a Commerce platform more broadly to strengthen their position in the B2B segment. It also offers a solution for Direct to Consumer (D2C) applications. With the help of Propeller’s Cloud Native solution, which supports all sales channels (online and offline) and makes the e-commerce and sales departments work better together, brands can also reach consumers directly.

If Covid-19 has made anything clear in retail, it’s that e-commerce strategies and channels must constantly adapt to customer expectations. Direct to Consumer (D2C) has long ceased to be the exclusive domain for B2C companies. Opening D2C channels can certainly also be of great added value for B2B companies. But this requires careful planning and an understanding of consumer needs.

D2C can help B2B brands generate new revenue streams, tap into new customer segments and increase loyalty with current customers. In addition, having (customer) data based on D2C interactions (if customers agree) can provide valuable insights for the B2B channel to further improve products, innovate and create stronger consumer loyalty. Finally, D2C channels give B2B companies more control over their brand, their expressions and ownership when it comes to the relationship with consumers.

Balanced strategy

Being able to respond well to consumer expectations and strengthen the relationship with your resellers requires a balanced strategy for D2C. It is important to think carefully about which design form you choose for your website or platform. A product-oriented design seems nice at first glance. Your product is clearly visible and can be ordered quickly and easily. This usually ensures a high conversion rate. But there is also a downside to this: with a product-oriented design you run the risk of alienating yourself from your dealers.

To stay away from a conflict with your dealer network, choosing a content-oriented or service-oriented design is often a better option. You share information, give tips & tricks and let new consumers fall in love with your brand. Plus, it’s an excellent way to build brand loyalty with your existing customers. Showcase your brand(s) and strengthen the bond with the existing dealer network. By sharing information and acquired knowledge about consumer buying behaviour, you help your dealers to sell more. For example, using product demos, streaming content and offering other online experiences. Or by drawing the attention of new consumers to the nearest dealer in the area. This can be done, for example, by placing an easily findable store locator on the website. This extra turnover not only benefits the B2B dealer, but also you.

Vitalstyle.nl, a B2B organization in the field of ecological animal nutrition and Ecostyle.nl, a biological pesticide for the garden, supply all their products to consumers via retailers. Because they have rolled out a clear D2C model through our Commerce platform, they can position their brand and customer story directly and clearly with existing end customers and new consumers and professional end users. By giving clear advice and tips and inspiring consumers, they not only ensure more demand for their products, but also more loyalty among their customers. In addition, they create the opportunity to build a direct relationship with the end customer through newsletters and a login page where personal and segmented information can be shared.

Headless Platform

This strategy can be executed quickly and simply because Propeller is a Headless Platform. Until recently, developers and marketers were often at odds with the selection of a Commerce platform. If you opted for high-end technology at the back, marketers often complained that they had to work with a Spartan CMS at the front. And the fancy CMSs they knew from the B2C market didn’t mix well with the complex back-end in the B2B segment until now.

With Headless Commerce, those two sides are disconnected and connected via an API. This gives all your sides – whether businesses or consumers – the experience they deserve. Our architecture gives you complete freedom to connect any desired front-end. You choose which CMS you want to work with. If you prefer to sell directly via Google Shopping, Instagram or Facebook or, for example, want to use augmented reality or voice control, this is no problem at all. With Headless Commerce you have maximum flexibility and freedom of choice.

B2B and D2C Features

Propeller is B2B Commerce at its core. That means typical B2B and D2C functionalities are built into the core of the platform. So you don’t need plug-ins or add-ons for Product Information Management (PIM), campaign management, customer intelligence, pricing and order management. D2C Design, as we mentioned earlier, focuses on sharing content with consumers and professionals instead of hard conversion. Different business models, sales channels and websites can be linked to the platform. By providing a personalized customer experience with specific catalogs, content in their own language and currency, every customer gets exactly what they need.

With our platform you ensure that people fall in love with your brand and resellers sell more. Marketer happy, developer happy, dealer happy, consumer happy.