"For years, India's online-first brands relied heavily on marketplaces to simplify logistics, payments, and even basic brand discovery. But the convenience came at a cost: high commissions, limited customer visibility and almost no access to first-party data. As founders realised they needed a deeper understanding and more control over margins, the direct-to-customer (D2C) model began to surge-without completely abandoning marketplaces."
"According to Shiprocket and KPMG's report, the D2C market reached $80 billion in 2024 and will hit $100 billion by 2025. Shiprocket's CEO, Saahil Goel, had stated that D2C now accounts for 15% of India's e-commerce, up from just 2-3% five years ago-a dramatic shift driven by consumer behaviour and the rise of omnichannel commerce. A major catalyst in that has been the way Indians now shop: 77% use both online and offline channels interchangeably."
India's online-first brands shifted from marketplaces to direct-to-customer (D2C) models to regain margins, customer visibility, and first-party data. Retailers now run storefronts, shipping, payments, marketing, and customer support to own the full customer journey. The next D2C frontier centers on actionable customer data and AI-driven intelligence that does not require founders to become AI specialists. Aggregators like Shiprocket are building AI-led platforms that preserve brand independence while offering enterprise-grade tools. The D2C market grew to $80 billion in 2024 and is projected to reach $100 billion by 2025, supported by omnichannel shopper behavior and higher retention for integrated experiences.
Read at Analytics India Magazine
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