Read our last week’s news from D2C and E-commerce here
What Does Future Hold For D2C Businesses In Beauty Sector?
By 2025, the D2C market in India is expected to be worth more than $100 billion. One of the fastest-growing segments in India is the beauty and personal care market.
The pandemic has forced a shift in making consumers more eco-friendly and health conscious, meaning people are willing to pay more attention and money towards health and personal care. A shift toward chemical-free and environmentally friendly products, growing concerns about personal hygiene is driving a lot of demand for wellness items, and the rise of the direct-to-customer (D2C) model, resulting in agile and customised solutions, have all fuelled growth in this space.
This BW-Disrupt article throws light on five trends that could take the D2C game to whole another level.
The Tech-driven Shift To D2C In The B2B Sector
It is fair to say that B2B businesses are aiming to behave more like B2C brands. Purely because consumers are experiencing and fuelling the D2C on-demand evolution.
The app economy has inspired an ‘on-demand’ self-service culture among all kinds of consumers. The B2B sector is no exception and brands are responding to the changing customer demands through Direct-to-consumer models.
B2B brands want to reach consumers directly and aim to offer the seamless shopping experience of e-commerce like B2C brands. According to a McKinsey report, nearly two-thirds of B2B companies across industry sectors now offer e-commerce capabilities.
This Business Insider article has an interesting take on how B2B brands are approaching and going direct to consumers. Read the article to know more.
Amazon Adds Virtual Try-On for Shoes
The world’s largest retailer is using artificial intelligence (AI)-based innovation to drive eCommerce sales, as Amazon on Thursday (June 9) debuted Virtual Try-On for Shoes, an interactive mobile experience that allows customers to visualise how a pair of shoes will look on them.
This move is purely aimed at improving the shopping experience and helping consumers make better shopping decisions.
Amazon’s Virtual Try-On for Shoes features thousands of sneaker styles from New Balance, Adidas, Reebok, Puma, Superga, Lacoste, Asics, Saucony and other footwear brands.
How does this feature work? Read this article to know more.
Is Google Making Another Push Into E-commerce?
We have always assumed that Walmart was the only business that could push Amazon in the online retail space (Walmart has a lot to catch up, btw). While Walmart is forging its own strategies, Google wants a piece of the e-commerce pie.
A report from Bloomberg suggests Google is getting ready to take another run at retail giant Amazon with a renewed determination to conquer e-commerce.
There’s something Google has that Amazon doesn’t. The world’s most popular and the most visited and used search engine. If Google can help consumers search, discover, and buy products—all on its platforms, where does this leave Amazon?
This article from Search Engine Journal gives a fantastic picture of how Google is preparing and what its e-commerce strategies are. It is a terrific read.
Zara Now Charges For Some Returns. Will Other Retailers Follow?
The biggest cost incursion for any e-commerce marketplace or an independent online-only retail brand is product returns.
Last year, shoppers were expected to return over $761 billion in merchandise, with about $218 billion coming from online purchases, according to the National Retail Federation . The category with one of the highest return rates? Clothing.
The cost of returns has exacerbated since the pandemic due to increased fuel, materials and other supply chain costs.
What does Zara do?
The company announced in May that U.K. customers will now be charged 1.95 pounds, or about $2.45, for customers to return online purchases to third-party drop-off points. Customers are still able to return online purchases at any Zara store in the U.K. free of charge. Is Zara changing the way returns are managed and calculated? Read this article from RetailDive to know more.
