Salesforce D2C Commerce Cloud Implementation Guide

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Salesforce D2C Commerce Cloud: Your Ultimate Implementation Guide

September 5, 2023 eye-glyph 78

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    In the dynamic landscape, establishing connections directly with customers has never been a choice but is necessary! The Direct-to-Consumer (D2C) trajectory allows you to forge deep and develop meaningful relationships with your potential audience while taking control of your brand’s destiny like never before. Welcome to a world where every interaction is an opportunity, and every engagement is a step towards unparalleled success.

    According to Statista’s report, the D2C market will grow by 15 times from 2015 to 2025, and the fashion and accessories industries are leading in this field. Following the same report, the total addressable D2C (direct-to-consumer) market is anticipated to rise almost threefold and reach 100 billion U.S. dollars by 2025.

    With Salesforce D2C Commerce Cloud, you can ensure the significance of building genuine connections that resonate with your customer’s desires. By unlocking its capabilities and cutting-edge tools, you can amplify your D2C strategies. Not only this, it enables you to deliver personalized experiences, seize untapped opportunities, increase customer retention, and drive exceptional growth. This ensures you stay ahead in the competition from established retail giants and scale operations while preserving brand identity.

    That’s why you should opt for the Salesforce D2C commerce cloud to experience the transformative journey that transcends transactional relationships and opens doors to loyalty, advocacy, and uncharted heights of profitability.

    Through this guide, we let you embark on a path where every interaction is not just a sale but a lifetime connection.

    What is Salesforce D2C Commerce Cloud?

    Salesforce D2C Commerce Cloud is a platform that enables B2B (business-to-business) merchants to sell directly to consumers without any intermediaries (retailers, wholesalers). It flawlessly connects your brand with customers in an unprecedented way through website, apps, or phone sales.

    According to Statista research, projections estimate that online shopping revenue could reach over $560 billion USD by the end of 2025.

    With the SFD2C platform, you can create personalized shopping experiences that resonate with your brand. From intuitive storefronts to streamlined checkout processes, we’ve got you covered.

    It allows you to build a D2C commerce Salesforce experience with product catalog, cart, checkout, order management, customer service, and more. You can customize store templates with a pre-configured data model supporting standard and customizable business objects.

    By leveraging the Salesforce D2C commerce cloud, e-commerce businesses can experience a rapid turnaround time while gaining valuable insights. The platform also allows for collecting first-party data and integrating customer data across multiple departments such as sales, service, marketing, and commerce.

    Features of Salesforce D2C Commerce Cloud

    Features of D2C commerce cloud

    1. Automated inventory and order management

    As humans, we might make mistakes, which is why automation comes into the spotlight. So, your work gets done with negligible errors in no time. When considering inventory management in e-commerce, we must first address the convoluted tasks, such as:

    • Inventory tracking is conducted manually.
    • Insufficiently accurate inventory predictions result in both excess inventory and stock shortages.
    • Limited transparency across various channels

    Let’s understand this with an example: Before 2000, Nike (D2C athletic brand) faced challenges to manage and track its “excess inventory” and forfeited 100 million dollars in sales. Then they opt for inventory management software to understand customer buying history and interest to meet customer demands. Unfortunately, software bugs and date errors lead to imprecise forecasts and millions lost.

    Takeaways: Your inventory management solution should be feature-rich and consumed with the latest trends, just like D2C commerce Salesforce cloud, to run your e-commerce business.

    2. Personalize tactics to motivate your customers

    According to Twilio segment research 2023, 52% of buyers consent that personalization enhances brand satisfaction. As per Adobe report, 7 out of 10 retailers who invested in personalization in their campaigns have seen an ROI of at least 89%.

    This states that personalization in E-commerce can increase chances of customer satisfaction by 20% and a positive rise of 10-15% in conversion rates (source: McKinsey). Following these statistics, we can conclude how profitable personalization is in your D2C strategy.

    So, let’s understand how top brands like Amazon ace personalization and how you can offer it to your customers with Salesforce D2C Commerce Cloud:

    Amazon stands as the pioneer of personalization through its AI-driven recommendation system. This sophisticated engine analyzes customer information, including names, search queries, search duration, purchase records, browsing patterns, buying habits, average expenditure, and more. Interpreting these insights enhances the precision of personalized suggestions delivered on the website, app, and email communications.

    Takeaway: The ‘frequently bought together’ and ‘customers who bought this item also bought’ features effectively capture customer interest. These widgets have been instrumental in driving conversions, as evidenced by more than 44% of customers making purchases after engaging with these tailored suggestions.

    3. Logistics management and order fulfillment

    Choosing a shipping partner is challenging when running a direct-to-consumer business. But no worries! We covered you by listing must-have features in your logistics partner:

    • Support for hyperlocal delivery, next-day delivery, Express delivery
    • Global shipping without any transportation issues
    • Real-time consignment visibility and control
    • Large network of national and international fulfillment centers
    • Flexible payment options (credit, debit card, UPI, Paytm, COD)
    • Returns & exchange management for all orders
    • Support delivery of small to heavyweight orders
    • Customized weather-resistant packaging

    A poor delivery solution can lead to a massive downfall in customer retention, brand popularity, and revenue growth. For instance, KFC (Kentucky Fried Chicken), a top food brand forced to close 900+ branches in the UK for poor supply chain disruption. Also, around 750 KFC outlets faced delays in food delivery, leading to shutting the store doors permanently.

    However, by leveraging the power of the Salesforce D2C Commerce Cloud, you can address all the above-listed challenges and manage your supply chain effortlessly. It will maximize your revenue growth and ensure no more doors will shut in the future.

    Integration of technology (AI, AR, VR) for enhanced customer experiences
    Integrating technology is not a fashion, but necessary nowadays to access other party expertise under one roof. And guess what? You can ace this capability with Salesforce D2C Commerce Cloud.

    It will allow the integration of cutting-edge technologies like artificial intelligence, AR, and VR with the Salesforce D2C Commerce Cloud, delivering an unparalleled customer experience.

    These AI-driven personalization tailors recommendations, while AR and VR enable immersive product interactions. This seamless integration of AI tools with Salesforce CRM elevates engagement, boosts conversions, and fosters lasting brand loyalty. Also underscores the dynamic potential of technology-enhanced commerce in the D2C landscape.

    4. Chatbots and live chats

    Many communication channels are available for addressing customer queries, but the impactful ones are Live Chat and Chatbots. Why? Because the advancement in chatbots because of Generative AI ensures no leads remain unresponded. Also, it saves your time, quick automated replies, and boosts customer satisfaction in no time.

    Let’s look at what type of support customers expect from you on Chatbot or Live Chat.

    • 41% of customers refer to Live Chat support to get a quick response
    • 32% of customers would likely be answered via phone support.
    • 23% of customers prefer email support (Source: Kayako)
    • 83.1% customer satisfaction rating for live chat globally (Source: Statista)
    • 59% of customers are likely to purchase more when they get answers in a minute to their queries.
    • $8 billion cost saved by businesses per year with Chatbots (Source: Juniper)

    What would you offer to your customers: Live chat or chatbot support? No need to think more! With Salesforce D2C Commerce Cloud, you can provide services and cater to all your customer queries in less than a minute.

    By leveraging this direct-to-consumer cloud, you can manage customer queries, automate and customize greetings, and transfer chatbot leads to sales reps.

    5. Marketing automation

    Direct-to-consumer business demands for Marketing Automation services to ensure seamless customer satisfaction. It streamlines most e-commerce processes, from order and inventory management to payment processing, reminder notifications, abandoned carts, and more.

    So, let’s jump straight to the incredible ROI your e-commerce company can gain from automation. Some top brands are experiencing a staggering rise in revenue by 30% after implementing automation services.

    If taking business at the highest peak is your biggest challenge, look no further than the Salesforce D2C Commerce Cloud. It allows you third-party integration, automated email marketing tools, personalization, and much more, helping you in cross-selling and abandoned cart emails.

    6. Expansion into omnichannel strategies

    Marketers leveraging more than 3 channels experience an 18.96% engagement rate compared to those using a single one. Going omnichannel unlocks the potential of increased purchase frequency and average order value by 250% and 13%, respectively (Source: Omnisend). Hence, there is no doubt you need the features and functionalities that provide a seamless omnichannel customer experience across channels. Have something brewing in your mind? Not yet? Look no further than the Salesforce D2C Commerce Cloud.

    Steps for Implementing Salesforce D2C Commerce Cloud

    Our D2C commerce setup guide provides step-by-step instructions to streamline the implementation of your direct-to-consumer e-commerce platform with Salesforce, ensuring a smooth and efficient launch.

    Steps to implement D2C Commerce Cloud

    Step 1 – Enable digital experiences for Commerce –

    1. From Setup, in the Quick Find box, enter Digital Experiences. Select Digital Experiences, and then select Settings.
    2. Select Enable Digital Experiences.
    3. Enter a domain name, and click Check Availability
    4. Click Save.

    Enable digital experiences

    Step 2 – Enable Commerce features

    1. From Setup, in the Quick Find box, enter Commerce. Select Commerce, and then select Settings.
    2. Click the toggle so that it shows Enable Commerce.
    3. Click Save

    Enable Commerce features

    Step 3 – Confirm order settings

    1. From Setup, in the Quick Find box, enter Order Settings, and then select Order Settings.
    2. Confirm that the following settings are checked.
      • Enable Orders
      • Enable Enhanced Commerce Orders. You can’t disable this option
      • Enable Optional Price Books for Orders
    3. If any of these settings aren’t checked, check the missed settings and click Save.

    Confirm order settings

    Step 4 – Enable person accounts

    1. Create the Business Account record type.
      • From Setup, in the Quick Find box, enter Object Manager, and then select Account.
      • Click Record Types.
      • Click New.
      • For the Record Type Label, enter a name (for example, Business Account).
      • Click Next.
      • Select a page layout, and click Save.
        Create the Business Account record type
    2. Enable Person Accounts
      • From Setup, enter Person Accounts in the Quick Find box, and then select Person Accounts.
      • Go through the steps listed on the Setup page.
      • Turn on Person Accounts.
        Enable Person Accounts
    3. Verify that Person Accounts are enabled
      • From Setup, in the Quick Find box, enter Object Manager, and then select Person Account.
      • Click Record Types.
      • Verify that the Person Account record type is listed.
        Verify that Person Accounts are enabled
    4. Configure the System Administrator profile – The System Administrator profile requires access to the Business Account record type and the Person Account record type.
      • From Setup, in the Quick Find box, enter Profiles, and then select Profiles
      • Click System Administrator.
      • Scroll down to Record Type Settings, and read the text next to Accounts.
      • d. Click Edit.
      • Make sure that the Business Account and Person Account are in the Selected Record Types list on the right.
      • Under Default Record Type, select Person Account as the default.
      • Click Save.
        Configure the System Administrator profile

    Step 5 – Configure sharing settings

      1. From Setup, in the Quick Find box, enter Sharing Settings, and then select Sharing Settings.
      2. Under Organization-Wide Defaults, click Edit
      3. Configure the default external access settings for objects.
        • Buyer Group -External-Private
        • Catalog-External- Private
        • Electronic Media Group- External -Public Read Only
        • Entitlement Policy- External- Private
        • Order- External- Private
        • Order Delivery Method- External Public Read Only
        • Order Summary- External- Controlled by Parent
        • Product- External- Private

    4. Click Save

    Configure sharing settings

    Step 6 – Customize Commerce object page layouts

    1. Customize the Product Page Layout
      • From the Object Manager, enter Product in the Quick Find box.
      • Select Product > Page Layouts > Product Layout.
      • In the Product Layout section, select Fields, and drag Product SKU and Product Class to the Product Detail section.
      • In the Product Layout section, select Related Lists, and drag Categories and Commerce Entitlement Policies to the Related Lists section
      • Click Save
        Customize the Product Page LayoutProduct Page Layout
    2. Customize the Person Account Page Layout
      • From the Object Manager, enter Person Account in the Quick Find box.
      • Select Person Account > Page Layouts > Person Account Layout.
      • In the Person Account Layout section, select Related Lists, and drag Contact Point Addresses to the Related Lists section.
      • Click Save

    Customize the Person Account Page

    1. Customize the Order Page Layout
      • From the Object Manager, enter Order in the Quick Find box.
      • Select Order > Page Layouts > Order Layout.
      • In the Order Layout section, select Related Lists, and drag Order Delivery Group to the Related Lists section.
      • Click Save.
        Customize the Order Page

    Step 7 – Configure internal users

    1. Clone the Identity User profile.
      • From Setup, in the Quick Find box, enter Profiles. Next to Identity User Profile, select Clone.
      • For Profile Name, enter Commerce Business User Profile.
      • You can choose another name, but keep in mind that this profile is used for your internal users.
      • Click Save.
        Clone the Identity User profile
    2. Configure the profile that you created.
      • On the Profiles page, click Edit next to the profile you created.
      • In the Custom App Settings section, for the Commerce app, and in the Digital Experiences app, select Visible.
      • In the Tab Settings section, change these items to Default On.
        • Accounts
        • Buyer Group Price Books
        • Buyer Groups
        • Catalogs
        • Categories
        • CMS Channels
        • CMS Experiences
        • CMS Home
        • CMS Workspaces
        • Commerce Setup
        • Customer Workspace
        • Entitlement Policies
        • Guest Buyer Profile
        • Order Delivery Methods
        • Orders
        • Order Summaries
        • Price Adjustment Schedules
        • Price Books
        • Pricing Workspace
        • Promotion Workspace
        • Products
        • Product Workspace
        • Store Price Books
        • Stores
      • Click Save.
        Configure the profile settingsConfigure the profile setting

    Step 8 – Create a shopper profile

    1. Clone the External Apps Login User profile.
    a. From Setup, in the Quick Find box, enter Profiles. Next to External Apps Login User, select Clone.
    b. For Profile Name, enter Shopper Profile.
    You can choose another name, but keep in mind that this profile is used for your shoppers.
    c. Click Save.
    Clone the External Apps Login User profile

    2. Create a shopper permission set group.
    a. From Setup, in the Quick Find box, enter Permission Set Groups, and then select Permission Set Groups.
    b. Click New Permission Set Group.
    c. For Label, enter Shopper PSG.
    You can choose another name, but keep in mind that this permission-set group is used for your shoppers.
    d. Click Save.
    Create a shopper permission set group

    e. On the Permission Set Groups page, in the Permission Sets section, click Permissions Sets in Group.
    f. Select the Shopper permission set, and click Add.
    g. Click Done.
    Permission Set Groups page

    Step 9 – Customize the Commerce app

    1. Go to the app launcher, and select Commerce.
    Go to the app launcher and select Commerce

    2. Add more objects to the Commerce App navigation menu.
    a. Click the dropdown arrow, and select Edit.
    b. Click Add More Items and add any objects that your merchandisers and commerce admins manage that aren’t already included
    on the list
    c. Save your changes.
    Add more objects to the Commerce App navigationAdd objects Commerce App navigation

    3. Set additional tabs to be on by default.
    We recommend that you set the Commerce Setup and Price Book tabs to be on by default.
    a. Go to Setup > Home > Users > Profiles.
    b. Select the System Administrator profile, and click Edit.
    c. Set tabs, for example, Commerce Setup and Price Book to default on.
    d. Save your changes.

    Step 10 – Prevent Third-Party Attacks on Your Store

    1. From Setup, in the Quick Find box, enter Sessions Settings, and then select Session Settings.
    2. In the Session Settings section, enable the Require HttpOnly attribute.
    3. Click Save

    Prevent Third-Party Attacks on Your Store

    Step 11 – Install Commerce reports

    1. Set the field-level security for Orders and Sales Stores.

    a. From the Object Manager, enter Order in the Quick Find box.
    b. Select Order > Fields & Relationships > Sales Store.
    c. Click Set Field-Level Security.
    d. Make sure that Visible is selected for Commerce Business User and System Administrator
    e. Click Save.
    field level security for Orders

    2. Ensure that the Sales Store field is visible to the System Administrator and Commerce Business User and is added to the Order Layout page layout.

    a. Click View Field Accessibility, and select Sales Store from the dropdown menu.
    b. Next to System Administrator, click Hidden and verify that Visible is selected next to the System Administrator profile.
    c. Select Add the Sales Store field to the Order Layout page layout.
    d. Click Save.
    Sales Store field is visible

    e. Click View Field Accessibility, and select Sales Store from the dropdown menu.
    f. Next to Commerce Business User, click Hidden and verify that Visible is selected next to the Commerce Business User profiles.
    g. Click Save.
    3. Ensure that the Activated picklist value is available for Order Status.
    a. Select Fields & Relationships > Status.
    b. Under Order Status Picklist Values, confirm that Activated is shown. If the Activated field doesn’t exist, click New and follow the
    UI prompts to create it.
    Activated picklist value is available for Order Status

    4. If you haven’t done so already, set the Commerce Setup tab to be on by default.
    a. Go to Setup > Home > Users > Profiles.
    b. Select the System Administrator profile, and click Edit.
    c. Change the Commerce Setup tab setting to Default On.
    d. Click Save.
    set the Commerce Setup tab

    5. From the Commerce App navigation menu, select Commerce Setup from the dropdown.
    6. On the Add Reporting quick link tile, click Install Reports.
    7. Next to the reports listed on the page, click Install. The Commerce report folder is created when a Commerce report is installed.
    8. Install all Commerce reports listed on the Commerce Reports page.
    9. To view your installed reports, on the Commerce App navigation menu, select Reports.
    Commerce App  navigation menu

    Step 12 – D2C Store Creation

    1. From the Commerce App navigation menu, select stores from the dropdown.
      D2C Store Creation
    2. Select Create a store
      Select Create a store
    3. Select the B2C Commerce (LWR) Template.
      B2C Commerce (LWR) Template
    4. Select Get Started
    5. Give Store Name then Select Create.
      Give Store Name
    6. Finally, we have set up a D2C Store.
      Finally we have set up a
D2C Store

    Some interesting facts about Salesforce D2C Commerce Cloud

    The total direct-to-consumer market is expected to exceed 100 billion U.S. dollars by 2025

    The fashion industry is ahead of others in this game, with the largest direct-to-consumer market share. According to Statista 2023 report, Europe’s revenue in the Fashion market is projected to reach US$177.00bn in 2023, and users are expected to amount to 480.9m by 2027.

    D2C brands are strategically targeting the increasing demand for innovation among Indian consumers, capitalizing on a shift away from traditional players due to diminishing brand loyalty.

    Impact on Traditional Retail

    The rise of Direct-to-Consumer (D2C) commerce is causing significant disruption in the traditional retail landscape. D2C brands eliminate intermediaries and directly engage with consumers, challenging the conventional retail model. This transition is linked to evolving consumer inclinations towards convenience, personalization, and digital encounters.

    As D2C gains momentum, traditional retailers face intensified competition and are prompted to adapt by enhancing their digital presence, improving customer experiences, and reevaluating their supply chain strategies. Potential for Collaboration between D2C’s various brands and retail partners.

    1. Brands and retail partners:

    Amid the disruption, opportunities for collaboration between D2C brands and retail partners emerge. Strategic alliances can unlock the capabilities and strengths of both models. D2C brands can benefit from established retail networks, gaining physical touchpoints and expanded reach. Retailers, in turn, can access innovative products and insights from D2C brands. Collaborations involve curated in-store displays, joint promotions, or hybrid shopping experiences that combine online convenience with in-store engagement. Such partnerships reflect a dynamic response to the evolving retail landscape, bridging the gap between D2C and traditional retail for mutual growth.

    How are D2C brands different from traditional brands

    1. Identification needed

    Direct-to-consumer (D2C) enterprises exhibit a perceptive grasp of prevailing industry trends, underlying market demands, feedback-centric new product development (NPD), and intricate factors that mold the shopping voyage. For instance, Wakefit revolutionized the sleep sector in India by recognizing the necessity for cost-effective ergonomic mattresses.

    2. Innovative promotions

    Employing digital marketing and harnessing the influence of social media personalities and narrative techniques, D2C brands are forging a direct and significant bond with their clientele. For instance, The Mom’s Co. harnessed the power of social media influencer networks to effectively convey the brand’s mission, novel releases, and other pivotal messages.

    3. Content, Commerce, and Community

    Through democratizing the trio of content, commerce, and community, D2C brands are enhancing their outreach and word-of-mouth marketing. Direct insights from customers propel uninterrupted enhancement and ingenuity, while social endorsements from influencers and patrons aid in attracting and retaining novel consumers. Leading the charge in the content-driven commerce transformation is the Good Glamm Group, a conglomerate of beauty and personal care brands, which, in tandem with user communities, cultivates a resilient network of consumers spanning multiple categories.

    4. Agile value chain

    Empowered with substantial first-party data (consumer insights), D2C brands can more accurately predict demand and aptly regulate inventories and stock-keeping units (SKUs) by consumer requisites. Integration throughout the value chain facilitates operational efficiencies. For instance, FabAlley owns manufacturing facilities that expedite workflows from design to shelf.

    5. Tech-infused shopping experiences

    Numerous D2C brands are elevating the consumer journey through augmented reality (AR), and virtual reality (VR) enabled virtual trials and consultations. CaratLane introduced visual 3D imaging, allowing customers to try on jewelry remotely. Additionally, many D2C brands are steadfast in confirming product authenticity and providing transparent insights into ingredient sourcing origins. This cultivates consumer allegiance, especially among Millennials and Generation Z, who prioritize concerns such as sustainable sourcing.

    Salesforce D2C Commerce Cloud Pricing

    Salesforce D2C Commerce Cloud pricing is tailored to your specific business needs, offering scalable solutions for companies of all sizes.

    D2C Commerce Cloud Pricing

    Key components of D2C strategy

    1. Supply chain management

    Supply chain management is the biggest challenge in online stores. Choosing the wrong partner to streamline this process can lead to closing the doors for growth and revenue.

    However, efficient supply chain management ensures that the products are manufactured and delivered to the right customer on time. With Salesforce D2C Commerce Cloud, you can manage inventory levels, optimize order fulfillment processes, and partner with reliable suppliers. It’s important to ensure your supply chain is running smoothly. A well-managed supply chain can minimize delays, cut costs, and keep customers happy.

    2. Product development

    Creating a product doesn’t make sense. It addresses customer challenges or accomplishes their needs. However, to create a product that stands out in the market is crucial. Hence, it involves comprehending customer needs and preferences, conducting market research, and developing products with unparalleled capabilities.

    The primary focus is to provide a compelling value proposition that differentiates your brand from other competitors in the market. And it would be easier to choose the Salesforce D2C Commerce Cloud for product development.

    3. E-commerce platforms

    Your online store is undoubtedly the digital storefront for your unique brand. That’s why it should be user-friendly, visually appealing, and optimized for mobile and desktop users.

    Is this possible? Yes! With the Salesforce D2C Commerce Cloud, you can ensure a seamless browsing and checkout process, and features like product recommendations, wish lists, and secure payment options are essential.

    4. Customer experience

    To gain and establish brand loyalty, delivering an exceptional customer experience is the only key factor to make it happen. This enclosed every touchpoint a customer has with your product or brand. From buying any product to asking for post-purchase support, direct-to-consumers covered you. By leveraging the power of the Salesforce D2C Commerce Cloud, you can ensure responsive customer service, hassle-free returns, and personalized communication can significantly enhance customer satisfaction.

    5. Data Analytics

    Collecting and analyzing consumer data can provide insights into customer behaviors, preferences, and purchasing patterns. This data can inform product development, marketing strategies, and customer segmentation decisions. You can get the data analytics at a centralized location when using the Salesforce D2C Commerce Cloud for your e-commerce store. It will help you deliver more personalized customer experience effortlessly.

    6. Data privacy and security

    Since direct-to-consumer involves receiving customers’ credentials, hence responsible for any unauthorized activities. You need to be more careful about customer information and their purchase data. This is because protecting customer data is crucial for building trust and security of customer data behind the solid wall. Your customers’ information is safe with Salesforce’s D2C commerce cloud. It offers top-notch security measures to protect their data and comply with all necessary regulations.

    7. Sustainability and transparency

    It’s becoming increasingly important to consumers that brands consider the environment and are open about their practices. Considering Salesforce D2C Commerce Cloud for integrating sustainable practices into your operations enhances clear customer communication.

    8. Post-purchase engagement

    The relationship with customers shouldn’t end after successful product delivery but provide support post-delivery. Engaging your potential buyers and regular customers with your new products and discounts helps you expand your customer base. However, leveraging the Salesforce Commerce Cloud is no longer a wrong choice to engage customers with follow-up emails, surveys, and loyalty programs. You can automate and get your customers valuable insights in no time.

    By gathering customer feedback, you can create loyal customers who will return to your brand repeatedly and even recommend it to others. By leveraging the commerce cloud capabilities, you can automate notifications and reminders to your potential customers to encourage them to purchase more.

    Successful D2C brands that leverage the Salesforce cloud

    Strategic approach and critical factors contribute to the growth of Direct-to-Consumer (D2C) brands like Warby Parker, Dollar Shave Club, and Casper. These top brands have disrupted traditional retail models by leveraging digital channels and the Salesforce commerce cloud to connect directly with consumers, cutting out mediators and providing unique value propositions. Other brands, including Burton, L’oreal, Eyeconic, Aaron’s, Adidas, and Madwell, are already leveraging the power of the Salesforce D2C Commerce Cloud.

    Here’s an analysis of how these brands unlock the potential of Salesforce D2C Commerce Cloud for steady growth and success.

    1. Warby Parker

    This D2C brand revolutionized the eyewear market by introducing an innovative approach, presenting affordable and stylish eyeglasses online. This upheaval disrupted an industry characterized by exorbitant prices and a lack of variety.

    According to the research, Warby Parker leverages the Salesforce Commerce Cloud to create a seamless omnichannel experience for customers, delivering personalized experiences across digital, social, and mobile platforms. Also, augmented reality and data science technology help them to innovate products and optimize their supply chain management.

    2. Dollar Shave Club

    Dollar Shave Club sells razors and grooming products online. According to the search results, the brand leverages a cloud-based warehouse management system (WMS) to handle its explosive growth and global expansion to improve and scale its operations, optimize efficiency, and focus on customer acquisition and retention.

    Also, it follows a direct-to-consumer (D2C) business model that eliminates the need for mediators and simplifies its supply chain. The company runs its e-commerce platform on Amazon Web Services (AWS).

    3. Casper

    Casper is an e-commerce brand that sells mattresses and sleep products online and in stores, promoting the idea of a “bed-in-a-box” mattress. This convenience disrupted the traditional mattress retail model.

    Research indicates that Casper has opted for the Salesforce commerce cloud to enable brands to deliver seamless e-commerce experiences that drive customer engagement and conversion rates. By employing data-driven touchpoints and AI capabilities, this platform allows brands to craft a comprehensive view of their buyers and shoppers and facilitate a personalized journey for each individual.

    Common Success Factors

    1. Customer-centric approach: These D2C brands prioritize understanding customer needs and delivering products and experiences that cater to those needs using the Salesforce commerce cloud.

    2. Digital presence: They leveraged digital marketing, social media, and e-commerce platforms to connect directly with consumers, building strong online communities and engaging with customers.

    3. Disruptive value proposition: Each brand disrupted its industry with a unique value proposition, addressing pain points and providing solutions not well-served by traditional retail models.

    4. Direct relationship with customers: Cutting out go-betweens allowed these brands to communicate directly with customers, gather valuable data, and build long-term relationships.

    5. Innovative marketing: Memorable marketing campaigns, witty messaging, and relatable content helped these brands stand out and create brand loyalty.

    6. Convenience and experience: From convenient purchasing processes to personalized experiences, these brands made the customer journey smoother and more enjoyable.

    7. Transparency: D2C brands often emphasize pricing, sourcing, and product information transparency, building consumer trust.

    If you want to know more about how Cyntex helped D2C brands to streamline their inventory and supply chain management, check out the real-world examples and give yourself a chance to elevate your business with us.

    How does the Salesforce D2C Commerce Cloud stimulate business growth?

    The e-commerce industry is all about elevating sales from a strategic approach and planning. Yet, this approach consists of the utmost benefits. We’ve listed important factors you can access through the Salesforce D2C Commerce Cloud. Let’s dive in and uncover all the benefits.

    1. Control over branding and messaging

    With a Salesforce D2C Commerce Cloud platform, businesses have complete control over their branding and messaging. This ensures that the brand image and communication remain consistent across all customer touchpoints, creating a stronger and more memorable brand identity.

    Maintaining a consistent brand image is vital in building trust with customers and fostering recognition of your business. This can enhance customer loyalty and increase repeat business, benefiting your brand’s success.

    2. Enhanced customer relationships and loyalty

    The direct-to-consumer model allows businesses to engage directly with their customers, creating personalized experiences and building stronger relationships. Companies can tailor their offerings and marketing strategies by understanding individual preferences and purchase behaviors to suit customer needs better.

    By tailoring the approach to each customer, there is potential to elevate their satisfaction, foster loyalty, and encourage advocacy. Positive outcomes can ultimately support the business’s success.

    3. Data collection and insights for better targeting

    D2C commerce Salesforce platforms offer robust data collection and analytics capabilities. Businesses can gather valuable insights into customer behaviors, preferences, and buying patterns. This data enables companies to refine their targeting strategies, create more effective marketing campaigns, and introduce new products or services that align with customer interests.

    Making decisions based on data-driven insights can be highly beneficial, as it can help with more efficient allocation of resources and ultimately lead to increased revenue.

    4. Agility in responding to market trends

    The D2C commerce cloud allows businesses to quickly adapt to changing market trends and consumer preferences. Traditional retail channels often involve intermediaries and longer lead times, but the direct model will enable enterprises to pivot their strategies, update product offerings, and respond promptly to emerging trends.

    Having agility can give businesses a competitive advantage, enabling them to stay relevant in an ever-evolving market.

    5. Potential for higher profit margins

    Did you know businesses can increase their profits by selling directly to consumers without intermediaries? It’s a great way to cut unnecessary costs. D2C sales often involve fewer distribution and retail overhead costs, which can translate into increased profitability.

    Setting prices and promotions based on a direct market understanding can also contribute to optimized pricing strategies.

    Why hire a Salesforce D2C Commerce Cloud implementation partner?

    Have you ever wondered why it seems so complicated to implement the Salesforce commerce cloud? Numerous intricate tasks require skilled professionals for seamless execution. Exploring the option of a Salesforce commerce cloud Implementation Partner could be a game-changer for your business. With the right partner, your business could thrive and enjoy various benefits.

    Let’s explore some of the key advantages.

    why to hire a d2c commerce cloud implementation partner

    1. Hack their platform expertise

    As an experienced and knowledgeable implementation partner, they can understand the importance of choosing the right team for your Salesforce D2C Commerce Cloud solution. So, you can leverage their platform experience and expertise, keeping individual needs in mind. Not only this, but a partner can promise the results customers seek.

    2. Supply chain management would be more accessible

    Most e-commerce businesses shut down because of inefficiency in Supply chain management. But with the right implementation partner, you can strengthen this business aspect to ensure seamless timely delivery of your products at the customer’s doorstep. They can integrate the right tools and software to make this happen and grow your business.

    3. Evaluate current strategies to bring better solutions

    The right implementation partner will evaluate your existing processes and strategies to identify challenges, recommend solutions, and streamline workflows for increased revenue and success. They will go out of the way to bring out-of-the-box solutions to the table that address your business pain points—also helping you in optimizing product listing to engage more customers.

    4. Understand customer requirements from scratch

    Understanding customer requirements from scratch is not necessary but is needed to deliver exceptional customer experience. It allows you to provide personalized and tailored solutions to your customers.

    5. Expeditious Implementation for Growth

    Working with the right implementation partner can greatly speed up the implementation process and facilitate the deployment of your D2C commerce cloud solution. Their proficiency in the platform enables them to optimize the implementation process, which helps to save time and ensures a seamless transition.

    Get ready to transform your direct-to-consumer business!

    Salesforce D2C Commerce Cloud allows e-commerce businesses to stay tuned with the technological landscape. Also, with its ample features and AI-driven functionalities, companies can ensure their potential customers are satisfied with products and support. Not only this, but it enhances the online store experience for SEO (Search Engine Optimization) and maximizes sales.

    However, irrespective of the size and strength of your D2C business, harnessing the potential of the Salesforce D2C Commerce Cloud can elevate 2x business growth in no time.

    But to make this happen, you need to hire a Salesforce implementation company that helps you embrace this transformative platform. Cyntexa would be the go-to choice because of unlocks endless growth opportunities for your business.

    Frequently Asked Questions

    D2C refers to Direct to Consumer, where brands sell their products and services online/offline through websites, apps, stores, and direct sales—for instance, Adidas, Nike, and more.

    Gaining traction in the D2C space, brands prioritize understanding customer requirements, personalization, SEO, market research, and an omnichannel approach.

    Most D2C brands focus on customer retention strategies but still prioritize these: email marketing, special offers/discounts, loyalty programs, fast shipping, SMS campaigns, and a personalized experience.

    Direct-to-consumer models manage customer data directly with them, hence being aware of their requirements, needs, demands, and preferences, allowing them to grow 2X faster than other businesses.

    Direct to consumers brands provide a common platform to buy their products, including websites, apps, and direct sales by phone. Customers can explore products, add carts, and place orders.

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