The Essence of D2C Success: Customer Satisfaction and Not Chic Strategies

In the era of digitalization, e-commerce has become a booming industry in India. The market is flooded with new-gen e-commerce companies that strive to capture consumers' attention (especially millennials) by investing substantial amounts of money in trendy and creative initiatives.

While these efforts may seem enticing, businesses must remember that customer satisfaction and happiness should remain their core focus.

The Indian D2C Landscape

The Indian e-commerce industry has started impressing Millenials and Gen-Z in the last few years, driven by factors such as the increasing use of smartphones among the 15 to 21 years of youngsters and rising disposable income in families.

According to the Indian Brand Equity Foundation (IBEF) report, the industry is projected to reach a valuation of USD 99 billion by 2024, presenting immense opportunities for established players and emerging startups.

But are these young and trendy D2C brands hitting the right chords?

Several new-gen e-commerce companies in India have taken a rather unconventional approach by investing heavily in trendy and creative initiatives.

Funky packaging, placards with creative captions along with the original product, additional packaging materials and many more crazy things attracts a particular age group of youngsters the most.

While these efforts may initially grab attention, it is crucial to evaluate their impact on the ultimate goal of any business - satisfying the customer.

The Power of Customer Satisfaction

Customer satisfaction plays a critical role in the survival and growth of D2C businesses. Satisfied customers of D2C brands are more likely to become repeat buyers, provide positive reviews and referrals, and ultimately contribute to the company's bottom line.

A research study conducted on the consumer satisfaction level of e-commerce, with special reference to Flipkart in Bhubaneswar, revealed that customer satisfaction positively influences repurchase intention, loyalty, and positive word-of-mouth.

To prioritize customer satisfaction truly, D2C brands must focus on understanding the customer journey and optimizing each touchpoint accordingly. This involves catering to customers' needs, preferences, and expectations at every stage, from initial browsing to post-purchase support. Neglecting the customer experience in favour of flashy branding initiatives can result in losing trust and loyalty.

I am sharing my personal experience with an online t-shirt store dudeme. I ordered a T-shirt from this very new D2C brand a few months back. I ordered XXL size T-shirt, and as I always do, I paid online for it.

After a few days, I received a T-shirt, but alas, it was size S! Small size T-shirt is useless in my family. I tried to see how to return on its website but there was no option to return. I found an Email ID of their customer care. I mailed them about the issue.

I thought I would get the correct product now, but I was wrong! I had to do a lot of work for it. Could you take a look at the series of emails? I did not get the correct product, though.

Customer care did not reply to my email then after. They did not mention the phone number on the website when this happened on December 22. I also complained about their Facebook Ads, but they were not ready to accept my request.

Since then, in the last 6 months, I have not ordered anything from this website. They didn't care to retain a new customer, and I doubt I will ever buy anything from this website. Trust is missing.

Building Trust and Credibility

Customer satisfaction stems from building trust and credibility. E-commerce companies must invest in establishing a reliable and transparent relationship with their customers.

This can be achieved through various means, such as ensuring secure payment gateways, offering hassle-free returns and exchanges, providing accurate product descriptions, delivering what was shown while ordering, and delivering orders on time.

These fundamental aspects contribute significantly to customer satisfaction and long-term loyalty.

Sharing my other personal experience with a trendy undergarment brand XYXX. I ordered a set of vets for my son a few weeks back. Just because I saw an offer in an ad on Twitter, I bought it for the very first time from this website.

The website offered a FREE cap with my order. The cap was not the reason for me to order from this brand. I ordered because this startup's founder is from my city, Surat. I thought to support them y becoming their first-time customer.

After a few days, I received a call from the company that due to their software glitch, the free cap was added to the order, and they could not give this free gift to me. I asked them to give a customer delight. Why miss this opportunity to save 50 Rs of the cap? I also asked the Customer care person to pass my message to the highest authority.

Till the last moment, the XYXX brand keeps showing that the cap will be delivered.

To my surprise, I didn't get a cap! Although the packaging and other things were fancy to attract millennial buyers.

Fancy packaging and quirky caption are what such brands focus on but not on customer delight.

It was XYXX's fault. The glitch was in their system. They added a free cap to my order. They kept sending emails saying the cap would be delivered along with the original ordered product.

After receiving the order, they asked for feedback through email. I raised my concern. After that, I got 2 phone calls asking me about my experience with the original product (vest). But they did not ask me any questions about my actual concern. Where is the cap??

To save 50 Rs on the cap, they lost one customer. I doubt I would ever buy anything from this online store now. I buy international brands of undergarments so I have no reason to go to XYXX.

Responsive Customer Support:?Prompt and effective customer support is critical for customer satisfaction. E-commerce companies should prioritize establishing a robust customer support system that is accessible through various channels, such as live chat, email, and phone. Quick resolution of customer queries and concerns leads to higher satisfaction levels and fosters a positive brand image.

Striking the Right Balance:?While creative branding initiatives are not inherently detrimental, e-commerce companies must balance innovative branding strategies and customer satisfaction. Extravagant advertising campaigns and quirky branding may grab attention, but if they do not align with the core principles of the business and fail to resonate with the target audience, they may fall short of delivering long-term success.

In India's rapidly evolving e-commerce landscape, companies must recognize the significance of customer satisfaction as the core principle of their business. While investing in trendy and creative initiatives may seem appealing, it should never come at the cost of compromising the customer experience. Happy and satisfied customers are the driving force behind the