The retail market has taken a massive hit during 2020. With many countries closing shops and businesses to stem the spread of covid-19, high streets have been empty. The same cannot be said for online retail, which has undergone something of a boom during the past few months. Many top brands have seen the benefits of Direct to Customer (D2C) retailing. During the crisis they have had to resort to online, direct selling to stay afloat. The question is, will they continue to sell in this manner when things eventually return to normal?
The benefits of D2C retailing are plentiful. For businesses that sell only using this method the lack of a shop and other necessary premises means lower overheads. This should lead to savings passed on to the customer. What are the main areas of commerce that are using the D2C model? Health and fitness are one, and that’s what we’re to talk about today. What products can you buy using D2C, and what’s in it for you?
Consumer Benefits of D2C
During the ongoing crisis, the major benefit of D2C has been being able to purchase items you would normally buy in the shop. Many consumers who had not been exposed to online retail found that it is a convenient and also time-saving way of shopping. Why is it that the health and fitness industry popularly uses online D2C selling?
Firstly, the customer knows that by shopping online they save money, and they also save time. You might want to go physically shopping for clothes or shoes, for example, but do you really want to go to a shop to buy health supplements and similar products that you can buy easily online? These products are generally similar in terms of ingredients and intention, so you may have particular brand you enjoy.
Shopping online can also be done from just about anywhere via a hand-held device. Using a Wi-Fi or a 4G connection (5G if you are lucky) you can make a purchase while you’re on the move, and that’s another benefit. But with such a busy market – there are many Direct to Customer brands offering a wide variety of products in the health market – how do you know you’re choosing the right one? Here are some tips about choosing a D2C company for your health products.
Compare Brands and Products
The prevalence of many brands in the market is to the consumer’s advantage. You can browse many different products using a web search or there’s a great resource on D2C Health and Fitness brand reviews that is a great place to start. So, what should you be looking for when comparing products?
First, you should ensure that the product you’re looking at is what you want. Don’t get confused by names and check that the brand is reputable. Customer reviews tell a story that you want to take notice of as they can be surprisingly informative. Look for both good and bad reviews and compare them with other brands. It’s a simple fact that a brand that has good reviews overall will be far more reputable than one that fails.
Also compare prices. Make sure that you are looking at like-for-like quantities as it can be easy to buy one that looks cheaper when you are actually buying a lesser amount. Don’t forget to factor in delivery costs also, as these can make up a major portion of the overall cost.
Research Ingredients
If you are using a product and want to find an equivalent from a D2C retailer you will find that the more established and respected retailers will be open and up-front regards the ingredients in their product. Compare these ingredients with those in the product you use. One energy supplement, for example, will contain similar ingredients to others with perhaps a unique addition to make it stand out.
Are the ingredients natural? The best health and fitness products use natural ingredients with no artificial additives such as sweeteners, flavors and colours. These are the preferred products for most people and, where health is concerned, natural is certainly the best way to go.
Check for Deals
Often you will find that D2C retailers have a choice of deals. For example, it saves them money to sell in bulk so they may offer you a 3 for 2 option. Prices may reduce on a sliding scale when you buy more. Or you may get free postage over a set amount. All of these are deals worth considering if you want to save money, and there may be many more to consider.
Returns Policy
To be on the safe side, make sure the D2C retailer you choose has a sensible returns policy. It’s always good to have this to fall back on as you never know when things may go wrong in transit. Also, what sort of warranty do they offer? Is there a guarantee that the product will last a set time, or are there any provisos attached to using it? These are important factors when choosing the right retailer to work with.
After Sales Service
What is the D2C retailers after sales service like? Do They have a hotline you can call or perhaps an online chat feature? You need to be certain that someone can answer questions beyond the FAQ section on the website, so check this out when you are comparing brands. You’ll find that trusted D2C retailers will have this sort of function for consumers to use, as with no physical office or shop it becomes necessary.
Conclusion
D2C is a form of retailing that is growing in popularity, especially now that more customers have discovered the benefits while forced to shop online. To get the best D2C health and fitness brands you should follow the above tips and take a little time before committing. If there are samples on offer make use of them, as sometimes this can be the clincher. Meanwhile, enjoy saving time and money shopping for your products online.