Today’s D2C consumers have an inherently digital approach. They spend considerable time online, not just shopping but also engaging with brands through social media, blogs/vlogs and digital communities. In fact, platforms like Instagram and Pinterest now serve as main discovery engines for direct-to-consumer brands.

New-age consumers seek visually appealing content and intriguing storytelling aligned with their values and aspirations. Plus, they demand a frictionless, mobile-first experience, intuitive browsing and a hassle-free, secure checkout. Although this shift in consumer preference has unlocked new opportunities for brands, it also presents new challenges.

According to marketers and retailers, at the heart of this transformative change lies the shopping trends of millennials (aged 28 to 43 in 2024) and Gen Z (12-27). A 2022 Capgemini survey pegs these tech-native generations as the most significant demographics in the D2C market, as 74% of Gen Z shoppers and 62% of millennials purchase from D2C brands.

As technology has paved the way towards an all-new era of connected retail, big brands specialising in brick-and-mortar retail often struggle to cope with digital-age customers. But for D2C brands, the blurring of boundaries between digital and physical commerce and the consumer preference for value over price present interesting opportunities to redefine customer engagement.

To decode the changing landscape, Inc42 and fintech startup Cashfree Payments recently hosted the first roundtable of the D2C Leader’s Boardroom Series in Delhi. The discussions centred around one of the most relevant themes – Exploring Aspirations, Data & Innovations: A Deep Dive Into The New Consumer Playbook For D2C Success – and brought together as many as 13 D2C founders and thought leaders.

The roundtable was moderated by Renu Bisht, founder and managing director of Commercify360, with participation from:

• Vinit Jain, cofounder & CTO, cityfurnish
• Harshit Vij, founder & CEO, Freecultr
• Mohit Garg, cofounder & CEO, Assembly
• Shalabh Gupta, cofounder, NUUK
• Divij Bajaj, founder & CEO, Power Gummies
• Deepanshu Manchanda, founder & CEO, Zappfresh
• Rithish Kumar, cofounder, Pee Safe
• Abhishek Agarwal, cofounder, Farmley
• Piyush Wadhwa, head (product & engineering), SleepyCat
• Sumant Kakaria, cofounder & CEO,........
  

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