How D2C brands can offer an omnichannel experience to millennials

Millennials are the driving force behind trends in the consumer markets today. It is the 18-32-year-olds redefining the Indian consumer story, especially online with the generation growing more and more brand conscious and associating more closely with brands.

During the pandemic, consumer demographics have shown that D2C (direct-to-consumer) purchases have been led by millennials, as access to stores was hampered due to various restrictions. One important factor that has made this possible is that millennials have grown with the internet that powers both D2C and ecommerce.  

The internet generation 

Being a generation that is ‘native to the internet’; millennials also make up for a large percentage of internet users and consequently, online shoppers as well. This digitally-connected generation of shoppers is not only clear and specific about their requirements and expectations from products or services but also displays a willingness to explore and vibe with differentiated brands. 

Their demographic strength can be seen in a 2021 report titled ‘Trend-setting millennials: Redefining the consumer story,’ by Deloitte India and Retailers Association of India.

Excerpts of this report published in the media mention that globally, millennials account for 27 percent of the world’s 7.4 billion population. In India, it says millennials are 34 percent (at 440 million) of the country’s total population.

As things stand today, it is this generation that stands to be greatly influenced by a brand's identity and marketing efforts. They consider several factors beyond the brand’s offerings while making purchases and aspects like a brand’s positioning and values hold great value for millennials.

Communicating their connection with brands has become easier through the medium of advertising.

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Focusing on millennials 

With their focus on catering to this new generation, brands are increasingly going the D2C way. These websites provide them with the ability to analyse visitor data and expose customers to highly personalised marketing campaigns. Since it is the millennials who make up for the majority audience online, brands make use of aggressive online marketing, mostly targeting these age groups. 

These youngsters are highly influenced by the ever-expanding global consumerism trends that ensure the millennials reserve a higher percentage of their income on spending.

A higher amount of spending is only possible with higher disposable incomes.

Offering the best experience 

Spending several hours in a day on the internet, millennials are gradually driving the market towards an omnichannel approach. In our experience too, such an omnichannel or multichannel approach to sales lets brands provide customers with seamless shopping experiences whether they're shopping online from a desktop or mobile device, by telephone, or in a brick-and-mortar store.

With D2C websites, brands ensure that customers are better connected with the product which helps them rely on their purchases better. The millennial consumer is also assured about the authenticity of purchases and also of benefits like memberships and offers.

The newer generation is all for the enhanced experience and added perks that are offered on these D2C sites. features like reviews, ratings, and more accessible customer service help users feel more valued and appreciated. D2C websites also provide easier access to more information, something that millennials want to be sure is a part of their consumer experience. 

The rapidly growing millennial customer base also means that the demand for instant gratification and instant delivery is largely growing. The D2C model being a dynamic one can serve as the perfect solution to such customer demands when digital-first brands adopt the omnichannel approach.