A regular dose of D2C-centric resources & tools for Growing Brands, Startups & Entrepreneurs.

Welcome to the Age of “Always-On Shopping”

Gone are the days when shopping was an activity you planned. Today, it’s happening all the time. From scrolling through Instagram to watching Netflix, consumers are discovering products passively, making impulse purchases, and integrating shopping into their daily routines.

That’s ECOMMERCE. That’s what D2C brands focus on facilitating - ease.

Let’s take a look at an in-depth 2024 D2C India report, to understand the shift needed for 2025…

Indian Consumers...

1. They’re Cutting Back, But Not on Everything

With rising inflation, Indian shoppers are becoming more selective about their spending. They’re not necessarily spending less, but they’re being smarter about where their money goes.

• 66% of shoppers are cutting back on non-essential purchases

• 52% are switching to cheaper brands

• 27% have taken on a side hustle just to maintain their spending habits!

💡 What This Means for Your Brand:

• Offer budget-friendly bundles (e.g., Buy 2 Get 1 Free)

• Create loyalty programs that offer value beyond discounts

• Focus on “affordable luxury”—premium quality at accessible pricing

2. Online Spending is Shifting Across Categories

Shoppers are now comfortable buying almost everything online, including traditionally offline categories like groceries and healthcare.

💡 What This Means for Your Brand:

• If you’re in health, beauty, or food, NOW is the time to double down on ecommerce!

• Even for fashion & electronics brands, UGC (User-Generated Content), 360° images, and AI-powered try-ons can improve conversion rates.

Shopping is No Longer a “Moment”—It’s an “Experience”

3. The Rise of “Ambient Shopping”

Shopping is no longer something we do—it’s something that happens while we’re doing other things.

• 69% of shoppers make purchases while doing something else (watching TV, scrolling social media, etc.)

• 76% of Millennials and 75% of men engage in ambient shopping

• WhatsApp, Instagram, and YouTube are now major shopping platforms

💡 What This Means for Your Brand:

• Be present on WhatsApp, Instagram Reels, and YouTube Shorts

• Invest in Live Commerce—the modern-day version of Home Shopping TV

• Use AI chatbots to engage with potential buyers while they’re still in discovery mode

4. The Power of Social Shopping & Influencers

Social media isn’t just for engagement—it’s a direct sales channel now.

• 39% of shoppers have purchased a product based on an influencer recommendation

• 48% of men & millennials are highly influenced by social media

• Micro-influencers (under 100k followers) are driving the highest engagement rates

💡 What This Means for Your Brand:

• Invest in influencer partnerships, especially with micro & nano influencers

• Use AI-powered product recommendations on WhatsApp & Instagram DM shopping

• Explore Live Shopping events on Instagram

📦 Returns, Refunds & The Cost of “Wrong” Purchases

Returns aren’t just a logistics problem—they’re a profitability problem. In 2025, consumers are returning more than ever, and the reason is simple: they don’t trust what they see online.

5. Why Are Shoppers Returning So Many Products?

A massive 71% of shoppers returned an item in 2024 because the product content misled them—wrong images, vague descriptions, missing details, etc.

This is costing D2C brands crores in reverse logistics.

💡 What This Means for You:

✅ Fix your product pages. Update descriptions, sizes, specs, and high-quality images.
✅ Use 360° images & AI try-ons. Reduce size/fit issues for fashion & beauty brands.
✅ Add user reviews & UGC. Nothing builds trust like real customer photos.

6. Turn Returns Into Retention Opportunities

Instead of treating returns as lost sales, use them to increase loyalty.

📌 35% of shoppers would prefer an exchange over a refund if given the option.
📌 28% would keep the product if offered a discount instead of returning it.

💡 What This Means for You:

✅ Offer instant exchanges. Customers are more likely to swap than refund.
✅ Provide return incentives. Discounts on future purchases can turn a return into a repeat order.
✅ Let customers keep low-value returns. It’s often cheaper than reverse logistics!

🛒 Cart Abandonment: The ₹10,000 Crore Problem

Cart abandonment is the silent killer of D2C brands. In India, brands lose ₹10,000+ crore in potential revenue each year because shoppers add to cart… but never complete the purchase.

7. Why Do Shoppers Abandon Their Carts?

💀 54% of shoppers abandon carts because of inconsistent product details—size confusion, missing specs, or unclear descriptions.
💀 53% abandon due to poor product titles or descriptions—if they have to guess, they’ll leave.
💀 48% leave if reviews & ratings are low—trust is everything.

💡 What This Means for You:

✅ Optimise product pages. Your product titles, descriptions & images need to be clear & convincing.
✅ Add social proof. Reviews, UGC, and testimonials = trust boosters.
✅ Show real-time stock alerts. FOMO works—use “Only 3 left!” notifications.

🤖 AI-Powered Shopping:

AI isn’t just a buzzword anymore—it’s driving real sales. In 2025, brands using AI-powered shopping tools are winning customers faster than those who don’t.

8. Shoppers Trust AI Shopping Assistants More Than Ever

📌 28% of shoppers find AI-powered shopping assistants & chatbots valuable.
📌 17% have already made purchases based on AI recommendations.

💡 What This Means for You:

✅ Use AI chatbots for WhatsApp & Instagram Shopping. Indian consumers love conversational commerce.
✅ Leverage AI for personalised recommendations. More relevant suggestions = more conversions.
✅ Offer virtual try-ons & AI sizing tools. Helps reduce returns & increase confidence.

✅+ Voice assistant shopping like Alexa. Which have resulted in greater reach for D2Cs.

🔎 Search is No Longer Just Google:

9. Image & Video Search Are Taking Over

📌 40% of shoppers have used image search (Google Lens, Pinterest) to find a product.
📌 62% of Gen Z shoppers prefer product videos over written descriptions.
📌 30% of product searches on Amazon & Flipkart now include video results.
📌 Short-form video (Reels, WhatsApp) is a major product discovery channel.

💡 What This Means for You:

✅ Optimise product images for Google Lens & Pinterest search.
✅ Use short-form videos to demo products. A 30-second clip sells better than a 500-word description.
✅ Leverage UGC (user-generated content) from influencers.

🏬 Why Omnichannel Shopping is the New Normal

The gap between online and offline shopping is disappearing.

10. Webrooming & Showrooming Are Mainstream

📌 72% of shoppers research online but buy in-store (webrooming).
📌 63% check products in-store but buy online (showrooming).
📌 30% of shoppers buy online while standing inside a store!

💡 What This Means for You:

✅ Ensure online & offline pricing matches—customers compare.
✅ Use QR codes in stores to drive customers to online product pages.
✅ Offer in-store pickup for online orders.

11. Hyperlocal Delivery is a Competitive Advantage

💡 What This Means for You:

✅ Partner with hyperlocal logistics for faster fulfillment.
✅ Use store warehouses as micro-fulfillment centers.
✅ Offer same-day or 24-hour express shipping.

💡 The Power of Subscriptions & Repeat Customers

Every D2C founder knows acquiring a new customer is 5x more expensive than retaining one. Yet, most brands still chase new buyers instead of focusing on retention.

12. Repeat Customers Are More Valuable Than New Ones

💡 What This Means for You:

✅ Launch a loyalty program. Offer points, early access, & VIP perks.
✅ Create a subscription model. Perfect for consumables like beauty, wellness, & food.
✅ Send personalised reorder reminders. Use WhatsApp & email to nudge repeat purchases.

That’s the end of our talk on “The Shift: 2024 → 2025.”...

☕ See you on the next coffee date!

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