D2C (Direct to Consumer): How to Build Your Own Digital Brand Operation

The logic of retail is changing, and it’s the brands that are setting the new pace. The D2C (Direct to Consumer) model has been growing every year, transforming how companies sell and how they build relationships with consumers. In this approach, intermediaries are left behind, making way for a more direct, connected, and profitable operation.

Brands that once relied on distribution networks are now taking full control: pricing, margins, channels, and experience. The result is greater autonomy and a closer relationship with the people who truly matter. This shift challenges traditional models and opens the door to leaner, faster, and more strategic digital operations.

If your brand wants to grow with more freedom and strength, it’s essential to understand how this model works in practice. Let’s explore real paths to building your own D2C operation.

How Has the D2C Model Grown and Impacted Traditional Retail?

More and more brands are rethinking their sales channels and taking control of their own journeys. The rise of the D2C model is a practical response to the need for more control over margins, channels, and most importantly, the relationship with the end customer.

By cutting out intermediaries, brands can deliver more direct value to consumers, better understand their habits, and build more consistent experiences. This shifts the role of traditional retailers, who once centralized operations and now share the stage with manufacturers that have become sellers themselves.

Examples such as Nike, aiming to generate 60% of global revenue through D2C by 2025, or PepsiCo, which doubled its online sales by launching its own stores Snacks.com and PantryShop.com, clearly illustrate this transformation. In Brazil, although only 5% of industry sales are made through D2C (compared to 15% in the U.S.), the growth potential is significant. In the first half of 2024, Brazilian SMEs added BRL 2 billion in online sales by adopting the direct-to-consumer model.

Traditional retail has had to adapt. Relationships with suppliers are changing, brand positioning must be clearer, and competition is intensifying. Sectors such as fashion, beauty, and food are standing out through the launch of owned channels and more personalized shopping experiences.

D2C offers speed, flexibility, and a direct digital presence, destabilizing old models and requiring new strategies. For those watching the market closely, it’s clear this is just the beginning. And it’s likely to continue rewriting the rules of the game.

What Are the Main Advantages of the D2C Model?

When a brand takes control of its digital operation, everything changes. It no longer relies on third parties to set prices, promote products, or handle customer service. Instead, it builds a more direct relationship with the decision-maker: the consumer.

The D2C model creates a clear path between brand and customer, allowing the company to define its own strategy, aligned with market demands.

Key advantages of the D2C model include:

• Total control over pricing, campaigns, and sales channels, with the freedom to test, adjust, and scale quickly.
• Higher profit margins, as there are no intermediaries or commissions that eat into profitability.
• Direct relationships with consumers, offering access to behavioral and purchase data that help create more personalized campaigns.
• Stronger brand identity, since the entire experience, from the website to post-sales—is designed in-house.

What Tools Are Essential for Building a D2C Operation?

Running your own digital operation requires more than just willpower. You need a solid technological foundation that supports daily decisions and enables sustainable scaling. Brands adopting the D2C model need an ecosystem of interconnected tools that streamline processes and place the customer at the center.

Here are the essential pillars:

• E-commerce platform: the core of your operation. It must offer flexibility to customize the buying experience, be stable and scalable, and integrate with other systems. Leading platforms include VTEX, Shopify, Adobe Commerce, and Salesforce Commerce Cloud. A real example of success is Motorola, which unified its B2B and D2C channels and increased its monthly conversion rate by 25% with support from Corebiz and VTEX. Read the full case study.
• Inventory management system: essential to avoid stockouts, delays, and logistics problems. It should be integrated with your store and sales channels to ensure real-time accuracy.
• Connected sales channels: in addition to your own website, consider integrating marketplaces, social media, and physical stores. A multichannel approach enhances reach and better utilizes traffic from each platform.

How to Manage Marketing, Customer Service, and Logistics Under the D2C Model?

For a D2C operation to be solid, the backend must be as aligned as the storefront. Managing the entire customer journey means taking ownership of areas previously outsourced or distributed among intermediaries. Marketing, customer service, and logistics now take center stage in the brand’s strategy. When executed well, these pillars become major competitive advantages.

In marketing, the focus extends beyond acquiring new customers. It’s about retention, recurrence, and building direct relationships with your audience. This requires personalized campaigns, intelligent use of data, and communication aimed at existing customers—not just potential ones. Loyalty programs and exclusive content help keep customers engaged between purchases.

In the D2C model, each repeat customer holds much more value. On average, loyal customers spend 31% more than new ones. Investing in community, active social media, brand storytelling, and other engagement tactics is essential to deepen the connection with existing customers. Personalized experiences also matter—60% of consumers become repeat buyers after a purchase journey they find personalized. In other words, D2C marketing must be continuous, segmented, and relevant—not a generic message broadcast to the masses.

Customer service, meanwhile, must be close, fast, and empathetic. Addressing questions, tracking orders, handling returns these are now key parts of the brand experience. Every interaction matters. Great service can win lifelong customers, while a single failure could drive them away. Studies show 32% of consumers abandon a brand after one bad experience. Conversely, 93% say they would return if the company offers excellent service. So, support should be seen not as a cost, but as an investment in loyalty.

To meet demand, many D2C brands combine 24/7 chatbots for simple queries with proactive human support for more complex cases. What matters most is ensuring customers feel well cared for across every touchpoint, website, WhatsApp, social media, or phone. It’s also key to empower your support team to solve problems independently, rather than following rigid scripts. This improves satisfaction and helps differentiate the brand.

Logistics is the final link between a promise made and a promise kept. In the D2C model, the brand is fully responsible for storage, shipping, and returns. Efficient and predictable logistics processes are critical. Partner with reliable providers, use tracking systems, and structure effective picking, packing, and shipping workflows. The experience should remain positive post-purchase, meaning on-time delivery, pristine packaging, and an easy return policy.

Top D2C brands often turn delivery into a memorable moment—through custom packaging, a surprise gift, or fast delivery. These experiences delight customers, generate word-of-mouth buzz, and drive new sales. Keep in mind that e-commerce giants have raised the bar: same- or next-day delivery with real-time tracking is now expected. D2C brands must match this standard to stay competitive.

When logistics are well-organized, trust built at the sale is preserved through the entire journey. In short, by internalizing areas like marketing, support, and logistics, the brand gains power to delight at every stage, while also assuming full accountability for outcomes.

The secret lies in integrated, data-driven coordination. For example, if a delivery is delayed, your support team should be alerted and act before the customer reaches out. When everything works in sync, D2C becomes a virtuous cycle: marketing attracts and retains, support builds loyalty, and logistics deliver satisfaction. The result is a complete, consistent, and memorable experience, hard to replicate with intermediaries.

How to Start (or Transition to) a D2C Model?

Shifting from a traditional model to D2C doesn’t happen overnight. Whether starting from scratch or moving away from distributor-based sales, the key is to build the transition on data, structure, and strategy. D2C requires clarity on what will be handled in-house and where external support will be needed.

Here’s a step-by-step plan to guide your transition:

1. Assess your current operation: Map existing sales channels, profit margins, customer touchpoints, and logistics flow. Identify bottlenecks and opportunities. Are there underserved regions you could cover directly? Are distributors cutting too deeply into margins? This diagnosis shapes your action plan.
2. Design your D2C strategy and involve every department: Launching a direct channel impacts multiple teams. Align leadership with the new strategy. Define whether D2C will complement existing channels or become the primary focus. Set clear goals, like revenue targets or digital sales percentages—and share them across departments. According to McKinsey, leadership commitment and well-defined KPIs are critical success factors.
3. Choose a suitable e-commerce platform: Select a platform that offers customization, system integration, and scalability. Options include VTEX, Shopify Plus, Salesforce Commerce Cloud, and Adobe Commerce. Make sure your team can manage it autonomously. If possible, test it and plan the rollout carefully.
4. Set up inventory and logistics in advance: Before launch, define operational workflows. Ensure real-time inventory visibility to avoid stockouts. Plan how deliveries will work, will you run your own distribution center or outsource? Choose carriers, define timelines and costs, and create clear procedures for packaging, shipping, and returns. From day one, the delivery experience must align with your brand promise.
5. Prepare marketing and support with a customer-first mindset: Build a digital-focused marketing plan. Identify your online audience and where they spend time. Create launch campaigns, invest in SEO, social media, and if it makes sense, marketplaces to boost initial traction. Train your support team to deeply understand the new operation, policies, and products. If retailers previously managed this relationship, your brand now owns it. Be ready to make a strong first impression. Consider launching live chat, a FAQ page, and set clear response times for every channel.
6. Start small, monitor results, and adapt quickly: A pilot project with a limited product range or region can help you test and learn with less risk. Track key metrics: sales volume, CAC, conversion rate, customer feedback, average delivery times, and more. Be ready to make quick changes. One of the biggest advantages of D2C is the ability to pivot fast based on real-time learning.

It’s important to remember that moving to D2C is a continuous journey, not a one-time project. Many companies maintain a hybrid model during the transition, selling through traditional channels while developing their direct operation. This helps avoid abrupt disruptions and maintains key partnerships. The goal isn’t to end old channels overnight but to gain the freedom to test, adjust, and grow at your own pace.

McKinsey also emphasizes reducing tension with retailers by adopting a collaborative mindset. One smart approach is launching exclusive products on your D2C channel, then offering them to retailers later. This strategy eases friction and ensures all stakeholders have their place in the new model.

Selling directly to consumers is more than a change in channel, it’s a new business structure, putting autonomy, customer intimacy, and strategy at the core. The D2C model enables innovation, removes communication barriers, and lets brands capture the full value of each sale.

Those who understand the model’s true potential stop being just suppliers and start owning their story. With that comes more margin, more data, and deeper connections with customers.

In industries like fashion, beauty, and food, where brand experience and consumer knowledge are critical, D2C has delivered especially strong results. Fashion brands are boosting margins and building loyal communities.

BAW, a D2C fashion brand from São Paulo, increased revenue by 537% after shifting to an agile digital operation, a strong example of the power of data-driven, frequent collections. Read the full case.

Beauty brands are building true ecosystems around their own channels and exclusive product drops. Food manufacturers are exploring subscription and personalization models that wouldn’t be feasible in traditional retail.

If your company wants to lead the market, not just follow it, now is the time to act. The D2C wave is already in motion and is only gaining strength. Being prepared today could define your brand’s future.

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