Simply put, for you to master the direct-to-consumer (D2C) sales format you need to focus more on the needs of your consumer rather than just providing them with whatever service you have.

Sounds easy right? Well, it is a little more complex to do than said!

Are you planning to take the D2C Selling route? Are you looking for detailed strategies to make the most out of the direct-to-consumer trend that can allow your business to partake in this new technology in the best possible way?

Sellers, retailers, brands – both small or big – have been keeping up with the new-age trend of the D2C business model that not only reaps many benefits but empowers your business to keep growing with the changing reality.

But, what is it about D2C that makes it the buzzword around the e-commerce world? Read on to get all the unique insights.

Why are E-commerce Businesses Going for D2C? Trends & Benefits!

In India, almost every brand wants to become Direct-to-Consumer as it has proved to be a savior for a lot of businesses amid the pandemic times. Be it budding entrepreneurs or established enterprises, the demand to go D2C is overwhelming in the nation.

As customers have now transitioned from shopping traditionally to the online platforms – which are trying to develop similar experiences to that of buying in a store with the help of AI (try and buy, shop in wheels, etc.) – D2C has pushed businesses to rethink their online sales strategy.

Right from building a strong consumer experience to creating complete visibility of trends, brands are leveraging some of these crucial aspects using D2C.

But again, the question is, what are the aspects that persuade a retailer to shift to the D2C business model? Let’s dive into the concept and understand the benefits of the trend, shall we?

Benefits of Adopting a Direct to Consumer (D2C) Business Selling Model –

1. Complete Control Over Brand Portrayal 

When you are able to have control over your brand’s identity, you are able to build a strong presence.

For example, by going D2C, a manufacturer is establishing a direct connection with the consumers. Moreover, the elimination of middlemen could also remove the distortion of branding messages. Hence, strategizing a D2C e-commerce plan, delivering the products to the end customers, D2C gives manufacturers full control to drive better customer experiences.

2. Potential to Grow and Increase Brand Loyalty 

With a complete understanding of what customers want, businesses can follow up on all the latest trends and requirements to constantly evolve their products and deliver the best to their consumers, giving them customized services and developing brand loyalty.

3. Utilizing Omnichannel Technology 

Another significant advantage of going D2C is that brands are no longer required to stick to a single platform to maintain sales when you have clarity of what your customers are shopping for, you also have visibility on where they are shopping from the most.

4. Increase Profit Margins

The first and most important advantage of going D2C is the amplified business profit margins. How? Well, middlemen sometimes cost you more than your cash inflow, leading to less or no profits. But the D2C retail works on the principles of self-service and automation, which thoroughly remove the participation of intermediaries, making it easier for you to make more profits.

With D2C, you are aware of the major sales channels to be present on, be it online or offline, and drive the traffic from there. Building the right omnichannel strategies can doubly benefit manufacturers and e-commerce businesses to further exponentiate sales.

How to Adapt Direct to Consumer (D2C) E-commerce Selling?

There has been a global wave to go D2C due to the significant spike in sales achieved from it. But how can you adapt D2C e-commerce selling and what are things you definitely need to consider before implementing a D2C strategy?

Let’s hear from some of the most sought-after e-commerce enablers who are empowering D2C brands like yours! 

• “The ones who are offering curated and unique offerings are leading the market. Moreover, maintaining a support system is of supreme importance, right from invoicing solutions to logistics and warehousing solutions,”  Mahadevan Gopalkrishnan – Director of Sales, Payoneer.
• “There are three aspects when it comes to determining the kind of partners a D2C brand needs to work with; expertise of the platform, on-platform expertise, and merchandising or the category expertise. All three are very crucial in scaling your D2C brand,” Amit Monga – Co-founder, ANS Commerce.
• “Sometimes it becomes difficult to scale business during intense competition. Therefore, it is advisable to pick a niche of customer base,” Abhiroop Medhekar – CEO & Co-founder Velocity. 
• “When a brand starts to expand its portfolio, its orders surge with time, due to which it becomes difficult for the brand to manage and fulfill them timely. To work efficiently in such circumstances, it’s important for a D2C brand to opt for an order management solution,” Swarndeep Singh – Managing Director, Logic ERP Solutions Pvt. Ltd.
• Moreover, Pallavi Utagi, Founder and CEO at Superbottoms also talked about how a D2C brand can grow exponentially. She says, “The brands should rather focus on a few products while going deep into them than expanding their product portfolio. It will unnecessarily complicate things especially when a brand is at its growth stage”.

Take a look at the session of the businesses/brands mentioned above!

Key Strategies on How to Adapt Direct to Consumer (D2C ) –

• Balance out both marketplace and website selling, with a clear focus on driving sales from the marketplaces and using the website to drive the narrative of the brand.
• Build a strategy to service customers from wherever they shop from, instead of restricting the brand to only one form of the sales channel.
• Organizational structure is the most important aspect of transitioning to a D2C brand. Have a dedicated team to analyze through data, customer expectations and create a road map from there.
• Utilize social media channels, marketplaces, and own websites to understand the target audience first.
• Design and optimize your website and focus on direct-to-consumer marketing which includes developing quality content around your product, running campaigns that can attract customers but at the same time keep the value of your brand intact.

The biggest derivative of adapting direct to consumer business model is to ensure that your brand is easy to search, has quick buying options, strong customer support and efficient logistics assistance.

Chumbak is one such successful brand that has effortlessly transitioned to a D2C brand with the help of highly advanced technological solutions and now sells across all possible channels including their own online and offline stores as well as leading marketplaces like Amazon, Myntra etc.

Let’s Go D2C!

If you haven’t yet started to make the transition and worry about the processes involved, we are here to help you with our expertise to ensure your business is capable of adjusting to this new arena smoothly.

Suggested Read:

• Direct To Consumer (D2C) E-commerce Order and Inventory Management
• How does Warehouse Management System Works?
• Role of Warehouse Management in the FMCG Industry in India
• Apparel Industry in India – Trends, Challenges, Opportunities & Solutions
• Footwear Industry in India – Trends, Challenges & Solutions
• How to Sell on Lazada Marketplace in Southeast Asia?
• How to Sell on Noon in the Middle East?
• Key e-cmmerce Challenges & Opportunities in Malaysia
• Omnichannel Retail Trends in the Middle East
• Order, Inventory, And Logistics Management Challenges in the UAE

The post Direct to Consumer (D2C) Selling Business Model – Solutions, Strategies & Benefits appeared first on unicommerce.com.

E-commerce Apparel Industry in India

According to the Indian E-commerce Trends Report of Unicommerce, the online fashion and accessories industry in India witnessed an order volume growth of 20.9%, becoming the segment with the highest order volumes in FY22 as compared to the previous financial year. 

The apparel industry is known for its ability to adapt to change, with new trends and styles emerging regularly. Change has always been the wardrobe essential of this industry, happening almost every quarter of each year. This constant need for adaptation also brings its own set of challenges for the industry. 

Keeping up with the fast-paced nature of the industry can be difficult for brands and retailers, as they need to stay ahead of the latest trends and styles while also managing costs and maintaining profitability. With a rotational shift happening in the industry, Unicommerce decided to go ahead and curate e-commerce fashion trends, challenges, opportunities, and solutions that can help you manage and schedule your business action plan in 2023!

Let’s look at the growing trends, challenges, opportunities & solutions in the apparel industry.

Apparel Industry Trends

The apparel industry is constantly evolving, with new trends emerging each season. Here are a few of the key trends to watch in the industry in the coming year:

Trend #1: Fashioning the Future With Sustainability

Consumers are becoming increasingly conscious of the environmental impact of the clothing they purchase. As a result, sustainable fashion, also known as eco-fashion or ethical fashion, is becoming an increasingly important trend in the industry. 

Brands are increasingly using organic cotton, bamboo, and linen, which are grown without synthetic pesticides and fertilizers. Recycled materials, such as recycled polyester and nylon, are also becoming more popular as they help to reduce waste and pollution. 

Another key aspect of sustainable fashion is the use of sustainable production methods. This includes reducing water and energy consumption, using low-impact dyes, and implementing fair labor practices. As consumers become more conscious about their purchasing power and environmental impact, it is expected that sustainable fashion production will become increasingly important.

Trend #2: Revolutionizing Fashion With Athleisure

Athleisure, a trend that combines athletic and leisure wear, has been revolutionizing the fashion industry in recent years. This trend has been driven by the increasing popularity of comfortable, functional clothing worn both in and out of the gym.

As per Statista:The sports and athleisure retail market in India was valued at 158 billion Indian rupees in financial year 2021, and estimated to grow to 402 billion rupees by financial year 2025. Footwear made up the largest chunk of the market during the measured time period, amounting to about 90 billion rupees in 2021, and projected to grow by 21 percent by 2025.

Brands are now offering a wider range of options, from performance-focused gear to more casual and street-style pieces. This has led to the creation of new styles, such as the fusion of athletic wear with formal wear, and has opened up new possibilities for fashion designers.

Another aspect of athleisure is the use of technology, such as moisture-wicking fabric and UV protection, to enhance the functionality of athletic wear. Apparel businesses are investing in research and development to create new fabrics and technologies that can improve the performance of athletic wear.  

Overall, athleisure has been a game-changer in the fashion industry, with its versatility and functionality driving the demand for athletic wear. As the trend continues to evolve, it’s likely that we’ll see more innovations in the design, materials, and technology of athletic wear, making it even more appealing to consumers.

Trend #3: Market Growth Headed by Women and Kids Wear

The shift in lifestyle and priorities of modern women is leading to a greater focus on self-awareness and appearance, driving growth in the women’s apparel market. As they are becoming more conscious of their fashion choices, the demand for trendy and fashionable clothing is increasing.

The market for kids’ wear is driven by factors such as the increasing number of working mothers and the growing trend of parents investing in high-quality clothing for their children. According to a recent report by Wazir Advisors, India’s kids’ wear market is expected to reach INR 1,23,000 Crores by 2023, growing at a CAGR of 13%. 

In terms of product segments, the market for women’s wear is segmented into ethnic wear, western wear, and lingerie. Western wear is expected to be the most lucrative segment in the women’s wear market, driven by the increasing demand for casual and formal wear. With the growth of e-commerce, the market is expected to continue growing, providing opportunities for fashion retailers and manufacturers.

Trend #4: Style and Functionality are Key to Modern Consumers’ Wardrobe

When it comes to fashion, modern consumers are looking for clothing that not only looks good but also serves a purpose. The combination of style and functionality is becoming increasingly important in today’s wardrobe. Consumers are looking for comfortable, durable, and versatile clothing that can be worn for different occasions and meet different needs.

Functionality is especially important for activewear and athleisure, as consumers seek clothing that can keep up with their busy lifestyles and support their physical activities. Fashion, on the other hand, fashion is essential in creating a unique and personal style. Consumers are looking for clothing that reflects their personal tastes and preferences and makes them stand out. 

Brands are responding to this by offering a wide range of options, from classic and timeless styles to trendy and fashion-forward pieces. As lifestyles and fashion preferences evolve, brands and retailers that understand and respond to these needs will be well-positioned to succeed in the market.

Trend #5: The Growing Era of Digital First Brands

The apparel industry is currently experiencing a shift towards digital-first brands. These brands prioritize online sales and digital marketing over traditional brick-and-mortar retail and are utilizing technology to create a seamless and personalized shopping experience for consumers.

One of the biggest advantages of digital-first brands is their ability to reach a global audience through e-commerce. These brands can sell directly to consumers, bypassing traditional retail channels and cutting down on costs. This allows them to offer a wide range of products at competitive prices.

With the advancement in technology and more people turning to the internet for fashion inspiration and shopping, digital-first brands will have a significant opportunity to thrive in the industry.

Opportunities in the Apparel Industry

The Indian textile and apparel market has significant growth potential, with the industry projected to reach $190 billion by 2025-26. To reach this target and establish a sustainable textile industry, Indian businesses must take advantage of government support schemes, meet global buyer sustainability demands, and prioritize supply chain traceability.

Government policies and regulations have directed their focus on this industry. Mr. Piyush Goyal, the Minister of Textiles, announced that the Indian government plans to create 75 textile hubs across the country. Not to mention the government has also reduced the custom duty rates on caprolactam, nylon chips, and nylon fiber and yarn to 5%. These regulations have created plenty of opportunities for the Textile and Apparel Industry in the e-commerce sector.

With lined-up opportunities, there come several challenges for simplified apparel e-commerce.

Current & Future Challenges and Problems in the Apparel Industry

The new trends, changing consumer habits, and market shifts have shed light on the new challenges the e-commerce apparel industry is facing in 2023. 

• Difficulty in managing customized order allocation and inventory sync
• Unable to align warehouse operations manually 
• The impact of COVID-19 and the need to adapt to the changing retail landscape and consumer behavior
• Inability to manage deliveries, leading to a higher % of Customer Initiated Returns (CIR)
• Hard to align multiple sales channels and offline stores alongside 
• Back-breaking for e-commerce platforms to manage multiple vendors
• Untimely and inefficient delivery of products
• No stock rotation leading to outdated stock
• The increased cost of Reverse Logistics
• The need to navigate the complex and ever-changing regulations and compliance requirements
• Poor management of returns and cancellations
• Difficulty in predicting and managing demand, inventory, and logistics

Evolving Practices as a Solution to Challenges in the Apparel Industry

Starting up your own fashion e-commerce business has never been easier, especially post the pandemic. Right from managing the inventory and warehouse operations to timely updating the digital attire of an e-commerce store, the aspects are many. But with the advancement of technology, it has become important to adopt some upcoming practices, aligning the sales with your operations.

Following are some of the upcoming e-commerce practices that act as a solution to the challenges you are witnessing during these tough times.

• Delivering Omnichannel Experiences

It has become imperative to provide customers with a seamless experience at all touchpoints. Integrating and aligning offline and online channels together helps both businesses and customers develop better relationships. Omnichannel retail offers unhindered shopping experiences to customers and helps keep the inventory and stock levels uniform. With its advanced Omnichannel solution, Unicommerce has enabled effortless business operations & tremendous growth for Iconic Fashion India. 

• Serving Directly With the D2C Business Model

D2C is quite a recent approach wherein brands deal with customers directly, eliminating intermediaries. While many new brands are adopting this strategy, some established brands are switching from traditional business models to D2C models. According to Unicommerce’s e-commerce Q3 2022 trends report, the e-commerce industry witnessed robust order volume growth of 48.3% through the brand websites, while marketplaces recorded a 21.5% order volume growth.

But the question is, what makes it so different that almost all the new brands are swearing by this approach? Well, the biggest advantage for a D2C brand is that they can shorten the time to sell the products, giving their customers a better price while earning a higher margin.  Direct to Consumer (D2C) e-commerce allows the original brand voice to come in front, giving brands better engagement with their customers. Moreover, the new-age solutions of Unicommerce are made specifically for D2C brands like Enamor, Chumbak, etc., to scale on higher revenues.

Why Unicommerce?

Unicommerce – Solutions to problems in the Textile and Garment industry

Unicommerce, the #1 cloud-based e-commerce solution, is focused on changing the face of Indian Fashion retail.  It is on a mission to automate the largely scattered apparel industry to make it technology-driven. Its Order and Warehouse Management solutions help to automate clients’ supply chain operations for both online and offline businesses (B2B and B2C). Moreover, Unicommerce comes with 200+ integrations; Cart, Marketplaces, Logistics, ERP, and POS systems to manage the needs of Wholesalers, Distributors, Retail Chains, Individual Store owners, and e-commerce sellers to increase revenue and save operations costs.

Unicommerce’s robust supply chain technology solutions have resulted in exponential business growth, & improved unit economics for over 20,000+ global marketplaces & brands across India, the Middle East, the Philippines, and Southeast Asia. Some of the notable clientele of Unicommerce in the fashion and apparel industry include TCNS Clothing Co. LTD. (W, Aurelia, Elleven), Oryvo, Brand Studio, Bestseller (Vero Moda, Jack & Jones, Only), Being Human, GAP, GANT, Crocs, etc. 

Below is a quick brief about Unicommerce’s offerings; click the links to know more in detail.

• Advanced Warehouse Management – Unicommerce helps track inventory counts and manage dispatched and allocated orders, making the flow of operations simpler and more efficient. Moreover, you get a real-time update on the entire warehouse operations across multiple locations. 
• Omnichannel Solution – Unicommerce offers an Omnichannel Solution so that you can route online orders to the nearest offline store. 
• ERP/ POS management – All the current ERP/POS systems (Tally, Base, Oracle, Navision, SAP, etc.)  get effortlessly integrated into our omnichannel software product
• Bundle Management – Unicommerce has a Bundle Management feature that lets you create combo packs while updating combo product SKUs in real-time across multiple sales channels. 
• Logistics Integration – Unicommerce helps brands reduce cancellations and returns as it automates the whole process, ensuring the right product gets shipped to the customers
• Unified Vendor Panels – With the Vendor Management solution, e-commerce fashion retailers can seamlessly manage suppliers via centralized login.
• Centralized Inventory Management – To enable more significant cost savings, the efficient Inventory Management system restricts bad stock while minimizing the risk of overselling.
• Accurate Report Analysis – Unicommerce lets you analyze and scrutinize your daily operations with its Dashboard segment. You can track the number of orders fulfilled, Sales achieved, Returns progressed, etc. 
• E-commerce Returns Management – Managing RTO and CIR are not difficult anymore. Unicommerce offers a comprehensive returns management solution through a centralized panel to manage returns across all sales channels, amplifying your overall sales profits. 
• Marketplace Integration – Having come pre-integrated with 40+ marketplaces, Unicommerce lets you sell efficiently across multiple sales channels such as Amazon, Myntra, Flipkart, etc. 
• Simplified Fulfillment – Unicommerce simplifies the process of fulfillment with its fastest and error-free order fulfillment feature.

To coincide, e-commerce brands in the fashion and apparel industry are rising. The Apparel industry is entering a phase where the opportunities are endless, provided the sector is getting constant assistance and support from the government. New and updated practices are required to address the rising challenges. However, online fashion brands must reorganize their business model to cater to evolving demands of the competitive business environment.

Explore our platforms:

• Logistics Tracking and Returns Management Platform
• Automate Reconciliation of Orders, Returns and Payments

Related read –

• FMCG Industry challenges in India
• Healthcare Industry: Trends, Challenges, Opportunities & Solutions
• What is Warehouse Management System?
• Logistics vs Supply Chain Management
• How is Batch Management Critical in Warehouse Operations?
• Top 7 Challenges of Order Management System in E-commerce
• Simplifying Receiving and Putaway Operations of Warehouse

Uncover Leading Brands Success with Unicommerce! –

• Mamaearth Attained 99.99% Order Fulfillment Rate
• Upscalio Achieved a 99%+ Order Fulfillment Rate with 100%+ Order Growth
• Dhani Healthcare Streamlined Operations Across 166 Facilities
• Urban Company Achieved 8X Growth in Sales Volume
• Plum Goodness Streamlined Inventory Operations with 69% Growth Rate in Sales
• Marico Achieved 100% Growth in Sales
• Bulbul Simplified Selling Across 200+ Vendors
• Chumbak Lifestyle Boost Sales Across 58+ Retail Stores
• TCNS Achieved 9X Growth in Sales
• Hamilton Housewares Attained 96%+ Pick Accuracy Rate

The post E-commerce Apparel Industry in India: Trends, Challenges, Opportunities & Solutions appeared first on unicommerce.com.

Tracking the status of orders received via marketplaces and (D2C) websites is crucial for any business. The inability to easily track order status can lead to confusion, delays, and unhappy customers. Don’t let this happen to your e-commerce business.

In this guide, we’ll dive deep into the world of order management and processing and provide you with a step-by-step guide that covers everything from tracking orders to handling returns. So let’s get started!

E-commerce Order Management: A Brief Overview

Order management refers to the process of tracking, managing, and fulfilling customer orders, from the time they are placed until they are delivered. This includes tracking inventory, processing payments, shipping, tracking orders, handling returns and refunds, and providing customer service.

A robust e-commerce order management system (OMS) is essential for any e-commerce business. It ensures that orders are processed efficiently, inventory levels are accurately maintained, and customers are kept informed about every step of their order journey. By streamlining order processing, e-commerce businesses can improve customer satisfaction, reduce costs and improve overall efficiency, leading to a better bottom line.

Order Management Process Flow: Key Steps

• Step 1: Order Received on Marketplace or D2C Website
• Step 2: Order Details Received via APIs Sent to WMS
• Step 3: Creating the Picklist
• Step 4: Order Picking and Packing
• Step 5: Shipping the Order
• Step 6: The Post-Sales Follow-Up Process

The order management process starts with receiving an order and ends with ensuring the customer is happy with their purchase. Here are the key steps in this process:

Step 1: Order Received on Marketplace or D2C Website

The “Order Received” step marks the start of the order management process when a customer places an order on a marketplace or D2C website. At this point, it’s important to verify that all the necessary information is captured correctly, like customer details, item details, quantity, etc., and that the payment mode should be confirmed. This helps ensure that the order can be efficiently and effectively processed at the warehouse.

Read: How Honasa Consumer, the parent company of Mamaearth, attained a 99.99%+ Order Fulfillment rate for its D2C operations?

Step 2: Order Details Received via APIs Sent to WMS

Using APIs in order management helps businesses automate processes, improve accuracy, and streamline operations. For example, when an order is placed on a D2C website, the order details, such as customer information, item details, and shipping details, are sent via API to the warehouse.

This allows for real-time updates on inventory and order status and enables warehouse staff to quickly and efficiently pick, pack and ship the order.

Step 3: Creating the Picklist

Now that the order details are received, they can be passed on to warehouse staff through an automated process known as a picklist. This step typically takes place in the warehouse after an order has been received and the inventory has been updated in the warehouse management system (WMS).

The picklist is a document that includes all the information required to pick, pack and ship the order, such as product codes, quantities, and the precise location of the products in the warehouse, such as shelf details and batch numbers. Once this picklist is created, warehouse staff can use it to go to the relevant locations and physically pick the items required to fulfill the order.

Step 4: Order Picking and Packing

It’s time for warehouse staff to physically locate the items on the picklist and retrieve them from their storage location. Using a handheld scanner or a mobile device to scan each item’s barcode to ensure that the right products are picked and to update the WMS system.

Once the items have been picked, they are moved to the packing area, where they are inspected, packaged, and labeled for shipping. This process involves wrapping and packing the items securely in a box or a shipping envelope, adding any necessary padding or packaging materials, and attaching any required shipping labels or documentation.

Step 5: Shipping the Order

The order is picked and packed; it’s time to ship the order. There are typically three primary stages to the order shipment process:

• Stage 1: Order to Be Picked By Delivery Agent
• Stage 2: Order Picked and On the Way
• Stage 3: Order Delivered

Order to Be Picked By Delivery Agent: In this stage, the order is prepared for shipment, and the delivery agent is notified to pick up the package from the warehouse or fulfillment center.

Order Picked and On the Way: Now, the order has been picked up by the delivery agent and is on its way to the customer. The delivery agent tracks and monitors the order, and updates are sent to the OMS and the customer.

Order Delivered: The last phase of order fulfillment is the actual delivery of the package to the customer and updating the OMS with delivery details.

Read: How XYXX, One of the Leading Men’s Innerwear D2C brand Streamlined its Inventory and Order Management across 17+ marketplaces?

Step 6: The Post-Sales Follow-Up Process

The post-sales process is the final step in order management and is crucial in building and maintaining customer loyalty. This typically includes thanking the customer for their order and ensuring they are satisfied with the product.

In case of a return, several steps are taken to ensure the return process goes smoothly:

• Step 1: Return Initiated
• Step 2: Return Picked
• Step3: Return Received
• Step4: Return Processed

Return Initiated: The customer initiates the return process by contacting the customer service team, either through the marketplace or D2C website or by phone, to request a return. The customer has to provide the order number and a reason for the return.

Return Picked: Once the customer service team authorizes the return, a return pick-up is scheduled, and a delivery agent is dispatched to collect the returned item from the customer.

Return Received: When the order is picked up, it is received and inspected by the warehouse to ensure that it is in the same condition as when it was shipped. The return information is also updated in the warehouse management system (WMS).

Return Processed: After the item is received and checked, it is processed, and a refund, replacement, or credit note is issued to the customer based on the return policy and the condition of the item.
By having a well-defined and efficient post-sales follow-up process in place for returns, e-commerce businesses can ensure that customers can easily initiate and process returns.

Watch how Order Management System (OMS) helps in timely order fulfillment –

Wrapping Up!

Optimizing order management process flow is important for every e-commerce business. Only a fully integrated OMS can automate processes and provide real-time updates on inventory and order status.

When choosing your order management system, it’s essential to check if it provides ready integrations with your shipping providers and marketplaces, as this will help you focus on growing your business rather than worrying about order processing and fulfillment.

Choose wisely and use technology to keep your e-commerce business moving forward!

Explore our platforms:

1. Integrated logistics management system
2. Automated payment reconciliation system

Related read:

• Top 6 Multichannel Order Management System Trends
• How to Pick the Best Order Management System (OMS) for Your E-commerce Business?
• Why is an Order Management System Important For Your E-commerce Business?
• Top 10 Key Benefits of an E-commerce Order Management System
• Top 7 Challenges of Order Management System in E-commerce

The post What is Order Management and Processing? A Step-by-Step Guide appeared first on unicommerce.com.

Adding to the series of 2 exclusive webinars on 24th & 25th August, Unicommerce presents the 2nd webinar theme “Demystifying D2C Best Practices” happening on 25th August, from 3 PM to 4 PM. This webinar will enlighten businesses about this new and highly effective medium of selling directly to the consumers without the dependency of any external channels. The complete plan for the webinar includes:

Webinar Agenda

• Topic: Demystifying D2C Best Practices
• 25th August- 3 PM to 4 PM
• Brands- Sugar Cosmetics, Faballey, and MCaffeine
• Speakers : 
• ​Kaushik Mukherjee,Co-founder & COO, SUGAR Cosmetics
• Shivani Poddar, Co-Founder, Indya and FabAlley
• Tarun Sharma, Co-Founder, mCaffeine

With the pandemic in place and a more aware audience shopping online, the supply chain of eCommerce has changed immensely and to cope well with the situation, eCommerce businesses have shifted towards the workings of selling Direct to Consumers.

Importance of the Webinar

The webinar will allow a single panel for eCommerce businesses to enhance their understanding of the D2C space and execute key strategies to increase profitability and productivity of their services.

Direct-to-Consumer (D2C) E-commerce is a new-age strategy that enables eCommerce sellers, retailers and brands to provide services to the consumers directly and formulates a chance to experience:

• Higher Profit Margins
• Complete control of supply chain operations 
• Quicker & more accurate Feedback from Customers 

Taking the D2C route not only gives a business complete visibility of the customer journey but also ensures bigger savings in operational processes.

But there are still a lot of questions in the minds of eCommerce businesses that need answering before one adapts this rapidly growing solution and that is the sole purpose of this webinar.

With experts from the biggest homegrown brands SUGAR Cosmetics, FabAlley and mCaffeine sharing the panel and giving out deep insights and knowledge about the usage and mechanism of building a D2 C brand, the webinar will allow businesses to engage directly with the panellists to get all their queries answered LIVE.

Read how Businesses are growing with Unicommerce – How Honasa Consumer, the parent company of Mamaearth, attained a 99.99%+ Order Fulfillment rate for its D2C operations?

Benefits of the Webinar for you

With an elaborated understanding of the D2C space, you can plan the best possible ways to uplift your business, provide great services to your consumers and increase your overall growth. 

By being a part of the webinar, attendees will get answers to questions like-

–  Top D2C practices/tips that helped these prominent brand build trust & scale up business growth and

– Strategy/insights on how & why one should take their business direct to consumer in 2020

These and more such crucial points will be answered and you will get a once in a lifetime opportunity to learn from the best LIVE, and a forever access to complete recording of the webinar to rerun at your own time in the future 

Not just that, this time the participants will get a unique opportunity to share their own journey and understanding about the new norms of doing online business and how adapting D2C selling has changed things for them. 

This campaign will require people to submit their stories via social media comments and the best among them all will be invited to share the screen with the panellists LIVE during the discussion. 

So, Do not miss the chance to join us LIVE on 25th August from 3 PM to 4 PM IST and simplify your eCommerce selling! 

Read how Businesses are growing with Unicommerce – The Man Company achieved a 99.99% Order Fulfillment Rate across 11 Warehouses while demonstrating a 4X Order Volume Growth

Interested in building an advanced, feature-rich ecommerce dashboard tailored to your business needs? Give our solutions expert a call today!

The post Decoding Direct to Consumer: Exponentiate Growth for your business with the Best D2C Selling Strategies appeared first on unicommerce.com.

To enable businesses have a complete understanding of all the best possible solutions that can help them grow and scale-up profitability to larger extents, Unicommerce brings yet another unique virtual discussion for demystifying e-commerce with 2 back to back webinars getting experts to talk about best practices of Omnichannel and Direct to Consumer (D2C) E-commerce Platform.

The first webinar focuses on discussing best practices around technology, organization design, execution, metrics etc. when it comes to implementing omnichannel while the second webinar focuses on discussing best practices around product market fit, marketing, culture, marketplaces and many more such topics for building a large Direct to Consumer brand.

Happening on 24th and 25th August with the first day dedicated to Demystifying Omnichannel Best Practices and the complete order of it includes:

Webinar Agenda 

Topic:    Demystifying Omnichannel Best Practices

Timings: 24th August- 3 PM to 4 PM

Brands- Bestseller India, TCNS Clothing, and House of Anita Dongre

Speakers : 

Ranjan Sharma, CIO and Head of SCM, Bestseller

Saurabh Bansal, Head-Omni & Ecommerce, TCNS Clothing

Dipankar Sikdar, Head of E-commerce, HOAD

Why the Need for an Omnichannel Webinar?

As eCommerce businesses are adjusting to the new normal of things, the surge in demands and the increasing need to meet up to customer expectations have given way to new-age technologies shaping the industry. 

Omnichannel Retailing is one such technology solution that is changing the way eCommerce has been operating so far. The seamless management of eCommerce sales across multiple sales channels (marketplaces, own websites, exclusive store outlets, multi-brand store outlets etc.) and the associated positive impact it has on customer experience is making it one of the most sought-after solutions in the current times.

The webinar: Demystifying Omnichannel will help eCommerce businesses understand the best practices to constantly be present at every single platform where your customers exist. 

Being wherever your consumers are, gives you the opportunity to sell across channels and provide a centralized experience to your customers and that is what our esteemed speakers will educate you upon. 

What will the Omnichannel Webinar include?

As Omnichannel Retailing has become a top prerequisite for a sustainable business, our Webinar Demystifying Omnichannel Best Practices is designed to share growth levers and strategies LIVE from a single platform by the biggest Industry Leaders that sellers, retailers and brands can incorporate in order to cope with the shifting methods of doing eCommerce business. 

Apart from this, these webinars will outplay a little differently this time as we are encouraging eCommerce sellers to share their success stories of implementing and working with Omnichannel and or D2C Selling mechanisms.

The best entries done via social media channels in the form of comments will be picked up and the sellers will get a chance to share the screen with leading brands such as Bestseller India, TCNS Clothing, and House of Anita Dongre.

Why be a part of this Omnichannel Webinar?

With the chance for you to feature LIVE in the discussion, the webinar will be focusing on answering some of the major questions by the biggest names in the eCommerce industry such as:

• What are the top Omnichannel practices that worked for these leading brands in India?
• What are the key results/outcomes of implementing Omnichannel Strategy that triggered business growth post COVID-19

Attending the webinar will not only allow you to lead by example of these brands but also help you grab highly insightful knowledge about the intricacies of adapting  Omnichannel for your business, ask businesses specific questions from the experts, LIVE in session and have the complete recording of the webinar to rerun at your own time in the future.

So don’t miss out, join us LIVE on 24th August and intensify your business growth with the best Omnichannel practices and strategies at your disposal.

The post Demystifying Omnichannel: Learn Best Practices to Upscale your eCommerce Business appeared first on unicommerce.com.

Electronic commerce or internet commerce is the term used to describe the sale and purchase of services, goods, etc., on the internet, in virtual reality and this term is popularly known as e-commerce.

E-commerce is a collection of physical as well as commercial transactions made via the internet which includes buying of products, transfer of money and data.

Online shopping is of the biggest asset of e-commerce and it began only about a decade ago in 1994, in the United States of America when a budding online seller, through his website, sold a popular band’s compact drive or CD as it was known at that time to a friend. 

Starting from such a small scale, the e-commerce industry evolved beyond imagination and with rapid technological support to enable ‘Shopping at your fingertips’ as we know it today.

Customers sitting at any corner of the world can now easily discover and purchase whatever they want through online retailers and marketplaces, without stepping out of their homes. 

And this is a major factor that has given rise to the eCommerce industry and allows it to expand even further with upcoming and cutting edge technology being added to the industry every day to make the purchasing experience of customers better and smoother.

What are the Different Models of e-Commerce Business in India?

The e-commerce industry operates in several modes and based on the audience and services provided by a business, there are various types of eCommerce models, categorised as:

1. Business to Consumer (B2C):

The B2C eCommerce model works around the model of businesses selling goods and services to consumers directly. 

Businesses provide their customers with various services via their websites or marketplaces and the transaction of services take place directly between the two. 

Example of this type of business model includes – ebay, Zalando, Amazon.in, Flipkart.com, Myntra.com, Snapdeal.com etc.

2. Business to Business (B2B):

The B2B eCommerce model is based on the services provided by one business to another or transactions between the two. This kind of model may work for businesses such as a retailer and wholesaler.

In this model, a business can provide supply chain solutions to other businesses and not to the consumers directly. Companies can purchase products like raw materials for use in the manufacturing processes from another business.

Udaan, Alibaba,Trade Key, Quill.com, AmazonBusiness.in, Power2SME.com are some of the most known names of this model.

3. Consumer to Consumer (C2C):

The C2C eCommerce model is when a consumer sells goods to another consumer, without the involvement of an organization.  

This mode of business is basically used to sell refurbished products or services and requires direct contact between two individuals. Consumers can go on multiple online websites to buy and sell items, grow their small to medium business or simply resale products that they own.

Quite popular among people, some of the best-known business models include Etsy, Craigslist, Quikr and OLX.

4. Consumer to Business (C2B):

The C2B eCommerce model is defined as a service provided by a consumer to a business. When a consumer expresses their views about a product or service that they have been using, they directly promote this model of selling. Selling refurbished goods is also a part of the C2B model.

This mode is quite popular these days as eCommerce businesses encourage consumers to share their experience with the product they bought and give it a rating to help other buyers make the right choice. 

Businesses such as Trip Advisor, Cashify, Naukri.com, Fiverr, etc are the most common examples of this mode of business.

5. Direct to Consumer (D2C):

In the direct-to-consumer (D2C) model, businesses sell their products directly to end customers, bypassing intermediaries like wholesalers or online retailers. Unlike the B2B2C model, there are no middlemen between the business and the consumer.

What are the Different Components of the e-commerce ecosystem?

While a business model defines who you want to sell to, business components define what you want to sell to.

Your services not only require your audience but also well defined and categorized services you want to sell in order to actually gain profits. With tens of different choices, the eCommerce industry operates in several domains that define the services of each business and enables the categorization of systems.

The different components of the e-commerce ecosystem include: 

• Demand Channels (Marketplaces, Website, social media etc.)
• Online Marketing
• Inventory Management 
• Shipping/ Logistics
• Payment Gateway
• Accounting 
• Customer Relationship Management (CRM)
• Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP)
• Channel Management Software

Your eCommerce business can work on all or some of these components, depending upon your company requirements and the services you offer.

Mainly for businesses, the biggest aim is to generate sales, acquire new customers, and maintain a smooth relationship with them by enabling faster, more efficient, and highly accurate services.

In order to enable this, your business needs to have a thorough understanding of what works best for the customers and what more can be done to increase overall profitability.

How to Start Your E-commerce Business in India? 

Building up an eCommerce business requires more than just a product, it requires a complete grasp of the growing online market and what is in demand. To turn a business into a successful enterprise, follow these simple steps:

– Make Sure of Your E-commerce Business Model

Among the 4 major business models mentioned above, you need to first understand which model does your business fall into. Your business can fall into one of the many categories and based on that you can move ahead to the next steps of facilitating the official steps involved. 

– Decide whether to go for a marketplace or build an own website

A very important aspect to clear out before you kickstart your eCommerce journey is to choose between a marketplace or a website to sell from. This key decision helps you further plan your requirements. 

If you decide to go for a marketplace directly, you will be taking on the services of a third party such as Amazon, Flipkart, Udaan, Noon, etc. A marketplace will ensure thousands of visitors but at the same time, you will find yourself competing with several other sellers as well.

If you wish to go for your own website, the first things to keep in mind is to focus on cataloguing insightful content that can be easily absorbed by the users along with quick step navigational features to place an order, as you will be building your own audience from scratch.

For this, you can easily utilize the plug and play feature of brands such as Shopify, Magento, etc that not only help you build your online store with the best outlook but also puts your name out with many useful features.

– Get your business registered, facilitated and ready to roll

Once you have determined the model, domain and from which platform you would be selling, the next step is to get the nod of official rules and regulations from your government to be able to successfully run 

Based on the government norms being followed, get your business an official name and register it with a logo that will represent your brand. Once the registration is done, make sure to get all the additional documents required for you to run your business legally in the country as well as overseas.  In addition to registration, you may be required to get a Business License,  Employer Identification Number, Permit Rights, etc

– Create an Attractive Product Line

Your products are your sales so make sure to showcase each and every product in the most attractive way possible.

You may require to hunt for product lines and what exactly your brand speaks out about as it will help you with narrowing down what areas to work on to connect your product to the customers.

– Educate your Customers First

You may know your target audience but the same audience needs to know all about your business from all means possible. Social media, especially Facebook, Instagram and Whatsapp have become the new marketplace for budding businesses as the margin of reach is very high and the cost to do so is very low.

Promote your brand on all social platforms, connect with your customers and allow them the chance to advertise your business by encouraging them with more sales and sharing their valuable testimonials on a regular basis.

– Ensure a Hassle-Free Checkout Processes

Making sure that the buying process is as easy as possible and restricting the clicks to a minimum is what will ensure you make more sales and leave your customers fairly satisfied.

Nothing spoils an experience more than interrupted or unsmooth checkout processes so focus on consumer experience first, right from Checkout to payments.

You will have to make sure your prices are competitive, the entire process of making a purchase is less time taking and your payments gateway is a trusted partner as it is a highly crucial aspect of eCommerce sales. 

Collaborate with a partner that allows payments from all methods including credit, debit cards, net banking, UPI, COD, etc.

– Figure out the Perfect Logistics Partner 

Logistics is the backbone of any eCommerce business, and so it requires to be the strongest facet. 

Once your customer has made a purchase, you need to keep a close check on the delivery process and the quality of the goods to be delivered.

Onboard a partner for complete management of order processing to shipping and delivery, while giving you as well as your customer, real-time updates on all developments.

How to Start, Maintain, and Scale Up Your E-commerce Business?

Starting off a store may have been the first choice, but as we adjust to the new normal of things post the Coronavirus outbreak, not only offline businesses, but many online businesses have understood the need to focus majorly on eCommerce more than ever.

To turn sales into profits you need to follow specific guidelines and gradually onboard highly technological solutions to help you handle your business better. These 3 key methods can help you run a successful eCommerce business.

– Capture the interests of your Consumers 

To make sure your customers get the most out of your services, track their interests and purchases. This will help in suggesting relevant products that the consumer may want. 

Saving login details and keeping a log of purchase history to provide quick ideas for purchases can prove beneficial.

– Provide Seamless Customer Support 

No matter how quick or easy your interface is, or how closely you capture the interest of a shopper, if the customer support is not easy to access, you may end up losing more clients than you gain.

So, as soon as you have data that suggests the interests of your consumers and maintains the history of purchases made, you need to strengthen your customer support team with tools and technologies to enable quick and effective resolutions to any of your customer troubles. 

You also need to create a detailed guide to your customers that helps them navigate through the process to contact support and get their issues taken care of as soon as possible. 

Chatbots and live chat tools have made the process much easier and customers are able to find resolutions to their issues faster even if they contact your business with inquiries outside of regular business hours.

– Emphasize on Marketing Your Products 

Paid Marketing is a big part of enlightening your customers and ensures that a buzz is created around your business which continues to grow from various sources.

With the presence of tons of competition, your business needs support to stand out among others. To be able to achieve that, you need to focus on your marketing strategies that help customers pay attention to your services.

By utilizing Search Engine Marketing, Social Media Advertising, Influencer and Affiliate Marketing, you can drive traffic to your online store, convert that traffic into paying customers by building brand awareness, retain those customers post-purchase, drive customer loyalty, and ultimately increase online sales.

– Find the right software for your business

For an eCommerce business to provide the best possible services, it is important to ensure all operations run smoothly. 

Building the right strategic partnerships is one of the biggest factors of running a profitable and productive eCommerce business

Right from Inventory management to order processing warehouse management, customer support, logistics and much more, the key to growth is by having a swift and efficient supply chain management.

In this day and age, the most suitable way to achieve highly productive operations is by onboarding a technologically driven solution that can provide complete support to your e-commerce business needs.

The best way to kick start your e-commerce business is to integrate with a platform with 360-degree solutions to cater to all their requirements to launch the business and ensure growth.

Unicommerce is one such leading middleware solutions provider that ensures the best possible solutions for your business right from maintaining multichannel order and inventory management to providing best warehouse management solutions, handling returns, providing collective e-commerce integrations with 200+ global marketplaces, carts, logistics providers, ERP & POS and much more. 

Looking for the best solutions for your business? Want to scale up to the next level? Request a Demo now! 

Related read –

• FMCG Industry challenges in India
• How does Warehouse Management System Works?
• Logistics vs Supply Chain Management
• E-commerce Apparel Industry: Trends, Challenges, Opportunities & Solutions

Uncover Leading Brands Success with Unicommerce! –

• Mamaearth Attained 99.99% Order Fulfillment Rate
• Upscalio Achieved a 99%+ Order Fulfillment Rate with 100%+ Order Growth
• Dhani Healthcare Streamlined Operations Across 166 Facilities
• Urban Company Achieved 8X Growth in Sales Volume
• Plum Goodness Streamlined Inventory Operations with 69% Growth Rate in Sales
• Marico Achieved 100% Growth in Sales
• Bulbul Simplified Selling Across 200+ Vendors
• Chumbak Lifestyle Boost Sales Across 58+ Retail Stores
• TCNS Achieved 9X Growth in Sales
• Hamilton Housewares Attained 96%+ Pick Accuracy Rate

The post Types of E-commerce Business Models in Insia appeared first on unicommerce.com.