D2C strategies become central competitive factor for consumer goods manufacturers

A new study titled ‘D2C: Growth Driver in the Consumer Goods Industry’, conducted by techconsult on behalf of SYBIT, reveals that Direct-to-Consumer (D2C) strategies have become a central competitive factor. Based on a survey of 200 companies across Germany, Austria, and Switzerland, the research shows that 79 percent of respondents view direct customer access as increasingly strategically relevant.

While D2C allows companies to build proprietary customer data and strengthen relationships, it creates tension with established retail partners. Key challenges identified include price and margin conflicts (34 percent), inconsistent pricing and promotion strategies (32 percent), and disputes over customer data and ownership (31 percent).

Currently, the industry is in a state of transition. While 35 percent of companies have fully integrated D2C into their sales models, 39 percent are working on pilot projects, and 19 percent are still analyzing the potential of the model.