One salient finding from our survey is that consumers are increasingly making the decision to eschew traditional middlemen and marketplaces in favour of buying directly from brands. A majority of consumers (63%) say they have purchased products directly from a brand’s website, and we expect that number to grow. An additional 29% say that although they haven’t done so yet, they are considering the D2C option.

Firms would do well to capitalise on D2C trends; with the right marketing tools and technologies, they can connect more often with the end consumer, bypassing their retailer partners. Indeed, those who are able to maintain sophisticated e-commerce channels and optimise digital marketing technology have increased control over the customer experience, access to valuable customer data and insights, and improved profit margins and revenue opportunities.

To date, aggregators and e-commerce giants have had the advantages of scale, price and often ease of use. But it is clear that D2C brands and companies have their own advantages. Fully half of consumers say the main reason they’re drawn to D2C websites is the authenticity of products, particularly when they are shopping for clothing, electronics, and beauty and personal care items. Nearly as many (47%) cite the greater choice of products, and 43% say that competitive pricing and better availability of stock are key purchase drivers.

The two most popular D2C categories were clothing and accessories (44%) and electronics (40%; see chart below). What’s more, among those respondents who have taken the D2C plunge—70% of whom are millennials working full time—85% say they are significantly more likely to increase their spending across as many as 11 product categories over the next six months. In a finding that should be heartening to electronics brands, 82% of consumers buying directly from a brand’s website say they like to buy cutting-edge technology as soon as it’s available.