Access the 2022 Gartner® Report, “Adapting B2B Supply Chains to Profitably Grow Direct-to-Consumer Operations” Report

Gartner explains: “Direct-to-consumer (D2C) channels present a major commercial opportunity for manufacturers of consumer product brands. To grow their D2C business, supply chain leaders must adapt their B2B operations by optimizing warehouse operations, targeting fulfillment offerings and reducing last-mile costs.” Further identifying the following Key Findings:

• “A variety of delivery options, wide assortment of available products and shopping experience are the key customer requirements influencing direct-to-consumer (D2C) supply chains. These cause D2C supply chain operations to become more complex in the areas of order fulfillment, warehousing operations and returns management.”

• “Consumer expectations indicate a clear preference for free shipping when shopping online, with Gartner analyst insights showing that approximately 70% of shoppers take action to access free shipping.”

• “Last-mile transportation represents more than half of the total cost of shipping in a D2C business, with packaging optimization being the most common cost reduction opportunity cited by supply chain leaders.”