From 3% to 15%: How we built a D2C engine that scaled, without cannibalising marketplace sales

When Marketplaces Are Booming for You, How Do You Make D2C Matter?

Intro Summary

What do you do when 97% of your online customers never visit your brand’s own D2C website?This is the challenge I faced while working with a fast-growing brand that had strong marketplace momentum but very little D2C traction.

The goal wasn’t to steal customers from Amazon or Flipkart. It was to earn our place in the customer journey and make the website matter. Over two years, we built a D2C ecosystem that grew from just 3% to 15% of total online sales, brought in 2M+ registered members, and shifted the perception of the D2C website from “support channel” to “brand hub.”

This case study breaks down exactly what we did and, more importantly, why we did it this way .If you’re trying to build a stronger D2C presence without burning your marketplace bridges, this might help.

1. Context/Background

The brand had built strong traction on Amazon. Its online channel contribution was healthy, with over 70% of total sales coming from online. But here’s what stood out: Only 3% of that online revenue came from the brand’s own D2C website. The rest was almost entirely Amazon-driven.

This was a common scenario: D2C sites exist, but aren't central to growth. Yet from a business standpoint, the D2C channel is critical. It offers:

• Better margins

• First-party customer data

• Control over brand experience

• Long-term retention potential

The leadership knew they wanted to unlock D2C growth without cannibalising what was already working well on marketplaces like Amazon and Flipkart.

2. The Problem

While marketplace performance was strong, the D2C website struggled to grow beyond a supporting role. The core issue wasn’t technical, it was behavioural. Customers were discovering, buying, and repeating, but only through Amazon. They didn’t see the website as relevant to their journey. Why would they?

There were a few specific friction points:

• No real incentive to shop on the brand’s website

• Limited awareness of the D2C platform or its benefits

• Repeat behaviour anchored to marketplaces, not to the brand

• Strict Amazon policies, which meant we couldn’t explicitly redirect users to our D2C site

So we weren’t just trying to increase traffic or improve conversion rate. We were trying to shift existing customer behaviour from repeat buying on marketplaces to repeat buying on the D2C website. And most importantly, without hurting marketplace performance or relationships with the Amazon sales and finance team.

3. What We Did

To shift behaviour and drive repeat purchases on our D2C website without disrupting marketplace success, we implemented a 3-part strategy.

a. We launched a membership program with zero friction to join

We created a brand membership program that required nothing more than creating an account on the D2C website. No payment, no complicated onboarding, just a login.

Once customers were “members,” they received:

• Early access to new products

• Access to exclusive products

• Rewards on every purchase

• Always-on discounts exclusive to the website

• Additional engagement touchpoints via brand events and campaigns

The program created a reason to come and to come back, even if the customer first bought on Amazon or Flipkart.We weren’t just building loyalty, we were building a long-term reason for them to engage directly with the brand's eCommerce platform.

b. We used marketplace orders to promote D2C without breaking platform rules

Direct promotions in marketplaces like Amazon are not allowed, neither on the product page nor inside your order or product packaging. But we didn’t promote a sale or redirect to our website.

Instead, we included a simple membership card in every box: "Join our for early access, drops and exclusive perks. Just sign up here .”

It was subtle. Clean. And within policy. No discount codes. No call-to-action to stop using Amazon. Just a value-add that drove organic curiosity and repeated visits to the D2C website from customers who had never even considered buying direct.

c. We promoted the membership program everywhere to create omnichannel awareness

To make the membership feel real, we took it beyond digital.

It became a part of:

• Product launch communication (had to convince global leaders to get included)

• Print ads and hoardings

• Email flows

• Packaging design

• Event activations and even PR mentions

We made it a brand asset, not just a growth hack.

The message was clear: this brand has a strong D2C website, and it’s worth being part of.

4. Why We Did It This Way

We weren’t just looking for a quick traffic spike. We wanted to create a long-term shift in how existing customers saw the brand.From a transactional product on Amazon to a brand worth coming back to on the D2C website.

Here’s what guided our decisions:

a. Friction kills repeat behaviour. So we removed it.

Asking customers to download an app or jump through hoops doesn’t work, especially when you're trying to change a habit. That’s why the membership program was built on something as simple as “create an account.” Low barrier. Easy win. And it gave us the foundation for CRM and retention without asking for anything upfront.

b. We didn’t want to break what was already working

Marketplace policies are strict and rightfully so. The goal wasn’t to pull customers away aggressively, but to plant the seed: “Hey, there’s more waiting for you on our D2C platform.” By promoting the membership, not a sale or redirect, we stayed compliant and still brought attention back to our eCommerce website.

c. We treated the D2C membership like a brand product

A lot of D2C brands launch loyalty programs and bury them in the footer. We knew this had to be different. That’s why we made it part of ATL campaigns, product launches, and physical touchpoints. This wasn’t a feature, it was part of our brand story. And when your own website becomes part of the brand story, customers remember it and come back.

5. What Changed/Results

a. 2M+ customers became members

In under 12 months, over 2 million customers created accounts to access membership benefits. This included existing customers as well, as we reached out to them to join the membership. This gave us not only a repeat audience but a qualified CRM base to build from.

b. D2C’s contribution to overall online sales grew 5x

• Year 1: Online sales from the brand website grew from 3% to 6%

• Year 2: D2C contribution reached 15% of total online revenue

This shift happened without taking away from marketplace performance. It expanded the overall pie.

c. Improved website recall and retention behaviour

The brand’s D2C website was no longer an after thought. It became a destination not just for shopping, but for product launches, content, and membership-led experiences. Customers now associate the brand’s identity with the dot in.

d. Increased CRM engagement and funnel strength

With millions of account holders, the CRM strategy became more efficient. We could run targeted flows around product drops, wishlist nudges, birthday benefits, and more with higher open and conversion rates.

e. Reduced dependency on media spend for repeat purchases

By driving customers to the D2C website and plugging them into a benefit-led ecosystem, we reduced our reliance on Facebook Ads and Google Ads for remarketing. This had downstream benefits on ROAS and margin sustainability.

6. What Others Can Learn

If your brand is doing well on Amazon or Flipkart, D2C might feel like a distraction, but long-term brand value lies in owning the customer relationship. You don’t need to fight marketplaces. But you do need to build something that makes customers care about your website too.

This case taught us a few key things:

a. Start with a reason, not a discount

Most D2C loyalty programs start with codes and end with abandonment.We focused on creating value, early access, brand experience, and member status before pushing offers.

b. Keep it simple to join

Friction kills adoption. If someone needs to download, scan, or commit upfront, they won’t.“Create an account” was enough to start shifting behaviour.

c. Stay compliant, but smart

You can’t directly push marketplace buyers to your website, but you can build brand recall and seed curiosity in ways that follow the rules. We used packaging inserts, messaging, and branding to make customers aware without making a hard sell.

d. Treat D2C like a product, not a channel

We didn't treat the website as just a sales platform. We made it part of the brand story and promoted it like we would any new product. When that shift happens internally, it shows up externally too.

Happy learning.

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About Faihai

Faihai is an eCommerce & growth agency built by ex-brand folks, focused on profitability from day one. We work with startups and SMEs in the 0–1 and 1–10 journey, helping them scale across marketplaces like Amazon, Flipkart, Myntra, and Ajio, grow on quick commerce platforms like Blinkit, Zepto, Instamart, and BigBasket, build high-converting D2C websites with performance marketing, and drive brand reach through content creation and social media growth.