Navigating the world of ecommerce can feel like a game of Jenga, where every move risks toppling your carefully constructed tower. For direct-to-consumer (DTC) brands, the transition into wholesaling adds a new layer of complexity—think of it as adding a second tower without knowing if it’s balanced. You see, DTC companies typically start by selling directly to consumers—narrow focus, straight to the point. But as they dip their toes into the wholesale market, they suddenly find themselves juggling the needs of occasional human buyers and businesses with entirely different demands. The good news? These ambitious brands can leverage hybrid ecommerce platforms to unite their goals and tackle this daunting challenge head-on! By serving both consumers and businesses through a single interface, they can streamline operations, reduce frustration, and make magic happen. Curious how? Well, let’s dive in! LEARN MORE.Direct-to-consumer brands that add wholesaling can benefit from a hybrid ecommerce platform, one that caters to consumers and businesses.
DTC companies manufacture their products and typically begin selling directly to individuals. The websites are rich with product information and polices and procedures. Employees receive appropriate training.
But then the company enters the wholesale market. Its customers are humans placing occasional orders and businesses with a slew of new requirements.
These DTC brands have three options for ecommerce.
- Establish separate B2C and B2B websites, supporting each with distinct data, product catalogs, and fulfillment practices.
- Develop a headless or configurable ecommerce infrastructure that supports two sites — consumer and business — from a single data source.
- Transform the current consumer platform into a hybrid, serving businesses and consumers with one dynamic interface.
Hybrid Website
Each approach has merit, but the hybrid B2C and B2B option is likely the best choice for small and midsized merchants. The approach lets a brand use its existing website to add B2B ordering.
