Shifting Your Brand From DTC to Retail: Building an Omnichannel Brand

By: 

Ashley Alden & Sarah Sitz, The Squeeze

“In the world of omnichannel, the transition from Direct-to-Consumer to Retail is a strategic dance where every step is a move towards a timeless brand narrative.” – Brian Solis

One of the biggest questions on our clients’ minds is how to shift from a DTC (Direct-to-Consumer) brand to retail. We will walk you through five core strategies to effectively adapt your brand to a new environment.

1. Leverage Your DTC Data

Start by analyzing your DTC data to figure out who your customers are. The profile of your current customer should define the type of retailer you approach. Determine what’s working and why by finding trends in your sales data to guide your wholesale offerings. Identify gaps via your audience and ask your DTC customers what else they want to see from you.

2. Choose the Right Wholesale Partner

Not every retailer is right for your brand. While many aspire to be in stores like Target or Erewhon, it’s crucial to determine where YOUR customer shops. Consider the retail channel (natural, conventional, convenience) and size (national, local) when moving from DTC. Setting achievable goals is key to defining what success looks like in year 1 versus year 5 in retail. Align your marketing strategy and appearance with your desired customer base.

3. Adapt Your Packaging

Consider the differences between DTC and retail:

  • In DTC, the priority is to capture attention through design. Customers land on your website with some context, and product education happens through various touchpoints including social media, emails, product descriptions, and reviews. There are no direct competitors on your site, and customers are often willing to spend more online versus in retail.
  • In retail, the priority is to communicate your “what” and your “why” at a glance. Most customers will not know who you are, so all product information lives on the packaging. You’re directly competing with the products next to yours on the shelf, and packaging size communicates value as retail customers have a lower barrier for entry.

4. Nurture Your DTC Site

Do not adopt a set-and-forget approach with your DTC website; it needs continuous nurturing. Test and learn, use small orders to find further opportunities within your category, and create buzz by launching DTC exclusive products and highlighting collaborations and partnerships.

5. Reinforce and Optimize Your Messaging

Create unified communications to ensure what your audience sees is personalized to them but also consistent with your brand. A/B test your website homepages, newsletters, etc., and optimize based on performance. Know when to flex; not all channels are created equal, and some require more context and explanation than others for effective sell-through.

In the world of omnichannel, the transition from Direct-to-Consumer to Retail is indeed a strategic dance. To find success, remember to:

  • Leverage your DTC data
  • Choose the right wholesale partners
  • Adapt your packaging
  • Continue to nurture your DTC site
  • Reinforce and optimize messaging

Feeling lost on where to start? Reach out to us, and we can help you build and implement an effective omnichannel business strategy.

 

Article be written by Ashley Alden & Sarah Sitz – The Squeeze Co-Founders

*The Squeeze is a strategic brand and marketing firm dedicated to helping consumer businesses scale. They are a cross between your next head of marketing and a highly scrappy agency – acting as true extension of their clients’ teams. The Squeeze offers a comprehensive range of services including brand development, positioning and messaging refinement, retail strategy optimization, and the creation and execution of strategic marketing plans and partnerships. With deep operational experience and a clear strategic viewpoint, they provide invaluable guidance to growing brands. Notably, The Squeeze played a pivotal role in the development and successful exit of the Foxtrot brand, overseeing its growth from early stages to Series C funding and the launch of over 100 private label brands.*

Website: www.the-squeeze.co

Follow on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/the_squeezeco/

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