{"id":1677,"date":"2021-07-19T20:47:00","date_gmt":"2023-09-04T20:47:38","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.salesforce.com\/?p=1677"},"modified":"2023-10-31T10:41:26","modified_gmt":"2023-10-31T10:41:26","slug":"d2c-ecommerce-driving-growth","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.salesforce.com\/eu\/blog\/d2c-ecommerce-driving-growth\/","title":{"rendered":"D2C Ecommerce Is Driving Growth in the Age of the Customer"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

The \u2018age of the customer\u2019 has found businesses scrambling to keep up with the new needs and expectations of their customers, as personalised service, highly relevant communications, and seamless customer journeys have become standard. Today\u2019s B2B customers now expect the same exceptional e-commerce experience that they receive from B2C businesses, and B2B and B2C organisations are accelerating their digital transformation roadmaps to stay ahead. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Offering a D2C e-commerce channel that complements selling via channel partners and traditional retail may have once been looked at as an add-on for B2B organisations, but it\u2019s increasingly becoming an imperative. After all, new strategies are emerging in the battle for consumer loyalty, and the winners will be the ones who leverage data and new digital technologies, respond quickly to market shifts, and build the best direct relationships with their customers.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

To find out how organisations can get ahead in this new environment, Salesforce commissioned Forrester Consulting to conduct a study examining the ROI that could potentially be realised by deploying Commerce Cloud<\/a> to go direct-to-consumer. The findings are detailed in the new Forrester Report, the Total Economic Impact of Salesforce Commerce Cloud Direct to Consumer.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Let\u2019s have a look at some of the key findings of the report to see how businesses can best use D2C to grow revenue, introduce new selling models like subscriptions, rapidly enter new markets, optimise channel performance, and tap into long-term growth by building close, direct relationships with their customers.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Control the customer experience with D2C e-commerce<\/b><\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Prior to adopting Commerce Cloud, the organisations interviewed in the Forrester report used other vendors to maintain their e-commerce platform or conducted D2C e-commerce through third-party online marketplaces. This meant that they had little control over the quality of the customer experience, could not reach out with tailored promotions, and were unable to match the right customer with the right offer at the right time.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Fragmented data also meant that they were not getting a complete view of their audience. Without this 360-degree view, companies struggled to meet their customers\u2019 needs and expectations for timely and personalised service. This presents a huge problem in a competitive climate where expectations are higher than ever.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

After using Salesforce to improve checkout processes, make minor website adjustments and optimise their ecommerce channels, companies saw a notable uptick in the revenue generated by their ecommerce website. Conversion rates increased by 1.5%, leading to $1.1 million in additional revenue. Additionally, thanks to the increased availability of the ecommerce platform during periods of high demand, they saw $1.2 million in savings. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

The templates provided in Commerce Cloud also empowered promotions teams to move faster and more efficiently, saving an average of 160 hours per promotion \u2013 or $810,000 when converted. This time can be better used for strategic planning and tackling more complex business objectives.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Create New Streams of revenue <\/b><\/h2>\n\n\n\n

The new landscape is driven by having extensive knowledge of the customer, and without having access to accurate data about customer preferences, many organisations will not be able to segment their audience to provide relevant communications and recommendations. It also means that they\u2019ll be slower to respond to shifts in the market and identify emerging new opportunities. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Commerce Cloud provides organisations with an in-depth understanding of the browsing and buying behaviours of consumers who visit their ecommerce sites, allowing them to make changes to create better customer experiences. The Forrester Total Economic Impact report reveals just how important these changes have been for the interviewed companies:<\/p>\n\n\n\n