Clicks to bricks: Why D2C brands are going offline

Direct-to-consumer (D2C) brands, which were born on the internet and made a mark there, are now rapidly launching exclusive retail stores and selling through modern trade and neighbourhood stores. Names such as Mamaearth, Nykaa, Sugar Cosmetics, Bombay Shaving Company, Boat and Boult are only a few examples of digital-first brands that have migrated offline.

The trend, say experts, has only grown over the last few quarters. While the Covid-19 period between 2020 and 2022 saw many D2C brands grow on the back of a spurt in online sales, the post-Covid period has been about making the big leap offline, which experts describe as a “mainstreaming ” of digital-first brands.