Directly or indirectly, the DTC model is already remaking retail and ecommerce. From customer experience to pricing to service, DTC brands have raised the bar for brand performance, and traditional brands cannot ignore the transformation. GfK’s study found that over one-third (37%) of consumers say they will buy more DTC products and services after the pandemic – including 44% of men and 46% of those earning $75K to $149K a year.
One channel that is already central to direct commerce is social media, where consumer recommendations, influencer storytelling, and proliferating “Buy” buttons create a perfect growing space for DTC brands large and small. In GfK’s study, 32% of Americans said they had bought a direct product via social media, and 40% reported they had shared their feelings about a DTC brand on social channels–with Facebook by far the dominant platform. (See Chart 5.)
