Sold on D2C

In today’s breakneck world, the adage ‘customer is king’ has evolved into something far more powerful. Consumers now enjoy a level of convenience and service that even the mightiest monarchs could only dream of. Whether it’s electronics, fashion, or household essentials, nearly anything can be delivered right to their doorsteps—often within minutes. In this fiercely competitive landscape, where customers are spoilt for choice, brands must ensure their presence across every possible touchpoint, both online and offline. As we navigate this phygital era, one channel has witnessed a remarkable surge in recent years, direct sales through brand.coms, which is expected to grow further.
According to industry experts, direct e-commerce, where brands sold directly to consumers through their own websites, apps, and social media platforms, made up around 15% of India’s $70-75 billion online retail market in 2024, a significant rise from just 2-3% five years ago.
While we have seen gradual and constant growth in E-commerce and quick commerce spaces, the avenue of selling directly at this scale is relatively newer and is recently witnessing fast-paced growth. From data collection, to personalisation, to increasing profit margins, there are numerous reasons why brands are taking the direct commerce route now.
Bold Care, which already generates about 25% of its sales through its website, has experienced a significant increase in online sales over the past few quarters. The rise in demand on brand websites for healthcare and nutrition products is attributed to the emphasis on personalisation and authenticity.
Talking about his brand’s association with direct commerce, Rajat Jadhav, CEO & Co-Founder, Bold Care, shares, “We chose direct commerce to connect directly with the users and shape their experiences. With Bold Care, this allows us to provide essential resources for managing sexual health - from free expert consultations to personalised WhatsApp support. As direct commerce grows in popularity, we’ve ensured a seamless experience for our consumers.”
It is being said that Google’s decision to rescind third-party cookies exacerbated the focus on the direct commerce model, which again is a gold mine for customer data. While cookies might not leave the picture immediately, several brands are already way too deep into the direct commerce model. The Man Company, which sees around 40% of its revenues coming from their own channels (exclusive business outlets plus brand.com), has collected a lot of data because of direct commerce.
Giving insights into the brand’s workings, Jatin Luthra, former Head of Marketing, The Man Company, voices, “The Man Company has built a strong D2C foundation with a database of nearly 10 million online shoppers, enabling regular engagement through tailored communications, new product launches, and offers. Additionally, 2 to 3 million customers shop at its exclusive brand outlets (EBOs), further strengthening its active consumer base and driving consistent engagement and sales.”
D2C brands like Damensch and The Sleep Company are now seeing majority of their sales coming from own channels. What is also common among many D2C brands of today, is that they are formulating an omnichannel presence. Speaking about his brand’s revenue from brand.com, Anurag Saboo, Co-founder and Director, DaMENSCH, shares, “The largest portion of our business comes from our own website, thanks to our high product standards and supporting technology. While our website remains the biggest channel, other E-commerce platforms like Amazon, Flipkart, Myntra, and the emerging quick commerce platforms are also experiencing rapid growth.”
Brands such as The Sleep Company, because of the nature of their category, are using the omnichannel approach in a unique way. Since theirs is a touch and feel product category, they are using their digital channel for discovery, and offline stores for highlighting the feel of the products. Shedding light on the whole experience, Ripal Chopda, Chief Marketing Officer, The Sleep Company notes, “Expanding our retail presence in major metro cities and integrating online channels has greatly enhanced our brand’s credibility. Around 75% of sales comes from our omnichannel presence, including offline retail stores and online through our website.”
Different brands have different models and approaches to tackle larger distribution process. Additionally, the approach of the brand is also based on its category and placement. Which is why the shares of revenues from brand.com varies heavily from brand to brand. Deepti Bhadauria, Chief Strategy Officer, HiveMinds Innovative Market Solutions, breaks down that channel mix in sales largely depends on a brand’s presence and focus on different channels. “For instance, many digital-first startups in the Fashion (clothes/shoes etc.) category get over 60% of their revenue from own websites and the rest from e-commerce platforms (like Myntra, Meesho etc.). However, for a brand that has a strong onsite presence, i.e., an extensive distribution network in brick-and-mortar stores, the majority of online revenue comes from E-commerce platforms only,” she adds.
The rise of direct commerce is driven by advancements in data analytics, digital marketing, personalisation technologies, and seamless omnichannel strategies, aligning with consumers’ growing preference for convenience and personalised service. Which is why the avenue of direct sales is seeing a huge jump. But in the larger scheme of things, industry experts note that sales through brand.coms will not surpass E-commerce sales in the near future.
Ashish Dhir, Senior Director, Intelligence and Insights, 1 Lattice, brings to our attention, “The overall online retail market in India stood at nearly $17 billion in FY 23, and it is expected to grow at 38% CAGR to reach nearly $62 billion by 2027. Furthermore, marketplaces, which make up 64% of online retail’s market share, might see a dip in share to touch around 55% in the next 3-5 years, but still, they will dominate the market share.”
Along similar lines, Anshul Garg, Managing Partner & Head - Publicis Commerce, Publicis Groupe India, states, “While direct commerce is expanding, it is unlikely to overtake e-commerce soon due to its extensive reach and infrastructure. Instead, it will complement e-commerce by providing brands with greater control and a more integrated retail experience.”
While e-commerce is expected to hold the reign in the next few years, the pace at which D2C is growing is much quicker. According to the data gathered from Kantar, the Indian e-commerce market is anticipated to grow at a CAGR of 19% between the years 2022–2030, compared to the D2C share of the Indian e-commerce market which is approximated to be around 49% for the years 2022–2030.

Experts note that there are few reasons behind E-commerce dominating the online retail scene. The lower cost of acquisition and logistical stronghold is why it shines brighter. On top of that, industry professionals also find that E-commerce works as a great agent for discovery and aggregation. Many of the brands have started seeing a big jump in sales through brand.coms in the last year, but they continue to leverage the E-commerce channel at the same time.

Lenskart sees around 30% of its sales coming through brand.com and apps, and it has even built a strong offline presence in the last few years. Despite this, the brand has not chosen to neglect E-Commerce platforms. Now, the eyecare brand has even started tying up with quick commerce partners like Zepto and Swiggy Instamart for faster deliveries.
Madhur Acharya, Chief Business Officer, Aqualens, and Vice President, E-Commerce, Lenskart, believes that while it is very important to build your brand.com, E-commerce should be looked at as an extension of the wider channel and not as a competition. “Marketplaces and quick commerce platforms should be seen as aggregators that can enhance your D2C channel. These platforms offer a cost-effective way to reach new consumers who are already there—it’s just about converting them. Investing in these channels is crucial for any brand’s growth. They provide valuable insights into marketing, consumer behaviour, and customer journeys, which can then be applied to improve your own channel,” he adds.
While the growth of the direct commerce and E-commerce channels has been nothing short of a surprise, the fact remains that their larger contribution to the overall retail sales remains low. As per the Coming of Age of D2C in India report, E-commerce and brand.coms combined made up 8% of the retail sales, and the remaining lion’s share was taken up by offline channels in FY23. Similarly, the numbers are different for traditional brands. But with digitisation growing further, the numbers will shift in favour of direct commerce. Explaining this, Kosal Malladi, Vice President, Madison Loop, shares, “If we are to look at typical traditional first FMCG brands, depending on when they started their online commerce journey, between direct commerce and e-commerce/quick commerce, brands are driving about 15% revenue. The typical split between D2C and e-commerce/quick commerce would be about 20:80.”
Brands such as Lenskart and Bold Care are said to be improving their logistical support, warehousing abilities and technological setup to match the level of big E-commerce players such as Amazon and Flipkart. The improvement in payment gateways and customer experience are also notably turning the wheels in favour of direct commerce. However, there are things like cost of acquisition and cost of visibility which is why direct commerce is not yet everyone’s favourite pick. Then there are brands like Parle that have embraced E-commerce and quick commerce, but they have not started directly selling to customers through their brand.coms.
“Everyone orders the industry best. A large conglomerate might dominate in a few categories but not in all categories. Therefore, consumers may find it challenging to order the entire range. Further, delivery charges turn out to be prohibitive, considering the small price points. In my view, directly selling via websites works the best for unique and innovative product offerings and brands which may not have a robust conventional distribution. While I don’t see large conglomerates toying with the idea of selling through the website/app soon, they will continue their focus on aggregator platforms like e-commerce and q-commerce to meet the ever-increasing consumer demand,” says Krishnarao Buddha, Marketing Specialist, who previously worked with Parle Products.
While direct sales through brand.coms in India are rapidly gaining traction, they are unlikely to surpass E-commerce in the near future. E-commerce’s extensive reach, cost-effectiveness, and discovery potential make it indispensable. However, the growth of direct commerce is undeniable, with brands increasingly leveraging both channels to create a more integrated and personalised consumer experience. As the retail landscape evolves, a balanced approach that combines direct commerce and e-commerce with offline outlets will likely be the key to sustained growth.