Is Checkout the Secret Sauce to D2C Success? It’s not an easy question to answer. However, one thing D2C founders can all agree on is that sales are the lifeblood of any brand. To boost those sales, making checkout as smooth and frictionless as possible is a critical factor. But, is mastering the checkout really that simple?
At the Razorpay D2C & Retail Summit ’24, we tackled this question with an expert panel featuring Taniya Biswas, Founder of Suta, Ganesh Sonawane, Founder of Frido, Mohit Sadaani, Co-founder of The Moms Co., and Aakash Anand, Founder of Bellavita.
In this insightful session, the panel shared practical strategies and candid advice on overcoming payment hurdles D2C brands face. The panel discussed how perfecting your secret sauce for checkout involves much more than just optimising the payment process—it requires laying the groundwork across multiple areas. They emphasised that while a frictionless checkout is key, true D2C success is about much more—it’s about mastering every part of the customer journey and going beyond the final step!
Here are 3 key takeaways from the session that will get you thinking: is your secret checkout sauce really just about the checkout, or is there more to it?
1. The Customer is Always King
What are the real problems your customers face? What exactly are you solving for? As a D2C founder, the first step is to deeply understand these issues. Keeping your customers at the heart of your strategy sets the foundation for meaningful success.
The session emphasized the importance of owning the problems your customers face and showcasing them in your campaigns. Highlighting how your product’s features can address these challenges builds a strong connection. For instance, show how your solution can simplify a process or make life easier, rather than getting caught up in technical details. Every part of your funnel should illustrate how your product alleviates their pain points.
Don’t stop there—engage with your customers to gain deeper insights. For example, Suta discovered from conversations with younger customers that they wanted to wear sarees but struggled with draping them. This kind of direct feedback provides invaluable insights that data alone can’t offer. By understanding these nuances, you can better anticipate their needs and remove any barriers to purchase.
“Showcase the problems you’re solving in your creatives. When your audience sees how you tackle their challenges, they’ll start to forge a genuine connection with your brand.” Ganesh Sonawane, Founder of Frido
2. Content is Still King!
Before a customer even reaches the checkout stage, they must first discover your brand in a crowded marketplace. They need to learn about you, explore your catalog, and feel compelled to make a purchase. So, how do you capture their attention and guide them through this journey?
Once you’ve identified the problem you’re solving, the next crucial step is to define your brand identity. What does your brand stand for? What values does it uphold? What is your brand’s language and, most importantly, what’s your story?
Take Suta, for example. They’ve made sure their products stand out for their quality while also highlighting their support for Indian artisans and weavers. This connection makes customers proud to wear Suta and be part of a larger narrative. Similarly, The Moms Co. emphasizes rigorous questioning at every stage of their process to ensure they deliver the best for their users.
“If you’re authentic, people will remember you. They come back for your products because they trust your quality.” Taniya Biswas, Founder of Suta
In essence, building a great product is crucial, but crafting a compelling brand story is equally important. Content has always been king! It’s through your story and the value you communicate that you build trust, engage your audience, and drive repeat business.
“Own your content. Own your brand language. Own your story. Make sure people believe in why you’re doing what you’re doing.” Aakash Anand, Founder of Bellavita
3. Mastering the Checkout Experience
Once the first two steps are in place, it’s time to refine your checkout experience. You’ve already laid the groundwork —now it’s about optimizing sales, growing your D2C presence, improving conversion rates, reducing COD orders and RTOs, incentivizing prepaid sales, and ensuring a solid logistics system.
Many customers may add items to their carts without completing the purchase. The easier your checkout, the higher your conversions. Create a touchpoint with your customers after they add to their cart, guiding them through the process.
One challenge that arises in this phase is managing COD orders, which often account for a large share (around 60-70%) in the early stages as customers build trust. However, a significant portion of RTOs typically stems from COD orders. Adding a small COD fee can create some friction and help reduce these returns, while ensuring faster delivery times can also make a difference.
Additionally, selling across both your D2C site and marketplaces can complement your growth, as long as it doesn’t negatively impact your margins. Offering a 10-15% discount on prepaid orders can incentivize quicker sales, and in marketplaces, converting traffic into actual purchases is crucial to maintaining strong listings and overall profitability.
“Making a mom’s life as easy as possible is our goal. If she can buy more easily from a marketplace, why force her to visit our website? It’s all about solving for the customer.” Mohit Sadaani, Co-founder of The Moms Co.
To Sum Up…
A frictionless checkout experience, backed by a strong brand identity and deep customer understanding, is key to D2C success. It’s about optimising every touchpoint in the customer journey, ensuring they connect with your story and trust your process. When everything aligns, your secret sauce becomes a recipe for growth.
