{"id":7627,"date":"2020-11-19T14:15:44","date_gmt":"2020-11-19T19:15:44","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-us\/blog\/?p=7627"},"modified":"2026-02-12T04:57:45","modified_gmt":"2026-02-12T09:57:45","slug":"direct-to-consumer-how-distributors-can-innovate-and-win","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-us\/blog\/direct-to-consumer-how-distributors-can-innovate-and-win\/","title":{"rendered":"Direct to Consumer: How distributors can innovate and win"},"content":{"rendered":"<header class=\"entry-header has-dark-background-color entry-header--has-illustration entry-header--has-illustration--generic\">\n\t<div class=\"container\">\n\t\t<div class=\"entry-header__row row align-center\">\n\t\t\t<div class=\"col col-lg-7 col-xlg-6 entry-header__content\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"component component-single-header\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"entry-header__misc text--subtitle text--uppercase text--small\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<a href=\"https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-us\/blog\/category\/technology-innovation\/\" class=\"entry-header__link\">Technology &amp; Innovation<\/a>\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"entry-title-wrapper\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<h1 class=\"entry-title\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\tDirect to Consumer: How distributors can innovate and win\t\t\t\t\t<\/h1>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<p class=\"entry-header__description\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t<\/div>\n\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t<\/div>\n\t<div class=\"single-post-details container\">\n\t\t<div class=\"col\">\n\t\t\t<span class=\"posted-on \"><time class=\"entry-date published\" datetime=\"2020-11-19T14:15:44-05:00\">November 19, 2020<\/time><\/span><span class=\"reading-time\"> min read<\/span>\n\t\t<button\n\t\t\ttype=\"button\"\n\t\t\tclass=\"social-share-button button button--icon button--secondary js-social-share-button\"\n\t\t\tdata-share-title=\"Direct to Consumer: How distributors can innovate and win\"\n\t\t\tdata-share-url=\"https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-us\/blog\/direct-to-consumer-how-distributors-can-innovate-and-win\/\"\n\t\t\tdata-share-text=\"Please read this interesting article\"\n\t\t>\n\t\t\t<span class=\"social-share-button__share-label\">Share<\/span>\n\t\t\t<span class=\"social-share-button__copy-label\" hidden>Copy Link<\/span>\n\t\t\t<span class=\"social-share-button__copy-tooltip\" aria-hidden=\"true\" hidden>Copied<\/span>\n\t\t<\/button>\n\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t<\/div>\n<\/header>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-post-author has-dark-background-color alignfull\">\n\t<div class=\"container\">\n\t\t<div class=\"col\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"co-authors\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t<div class=\"entry-author-wrapper\">\n\t\t\t<a class=\"entry-author\" href=\"https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-us\/blog\/author\/ashleyhindsman\/\">\n\t\t\t\t<img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"40\" height=\"40\" src=\"https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-us\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2025\/02\/Ashley-Thompson-350x350.jpg\" class=\"entry-author__image\" alt=\"Ashley Thompson\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-us\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2025\/02\/Ashley-Thompson-350x350.jpg 350w, https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-us\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2025\/02\/Ashley-Thompson.jpg 600w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 40px) 100vw, 40px\" \/>\t\t\t\t<span class=\"entry-author__name\">Ashley Thompson<\/span>\n\t\t\t<\/a>\n\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"h-the-direct-to-consumer-disruption\">The direct-to-consumer disruption<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>As disintermediation of supply chains and direct-to-consumer (DTC) selling appears to close in on distributor territory, we argue that it&#8217;s possible for distributors to thrive in a direct-to-consumer landscape by re-imagining their services and business model.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"h-direct-to-consumer-strategizing-for-distributors\">Direct-to-consumer strategizing for distributors<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-us\/blog\/how-to-create-better-supply-chains-and-achieve-global-success\/\">Technology is the answer<\/a> for responding to rapid changes in demand. But with painfully tight margins, distributors need to be strategic with where they invest resources. It&#8217;s necessary to make sure that investments made in hardware and software show return on investment.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>A successful DTC strategy requires distributors achieve improvement in the customer experience across all departments. Technology isn&#8217;t one size fits all\u2014each business needs to find a way to make sure digital transformation results in positive customer outcomes, which the key metric at stake.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"h-choose-the-right-tools-for-the-job\">Choose the right tools for the job<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>A direct to consumer strategy relies on key metrics like customer satisfaction and value delivery. There needs to be measurement where every part of the business can see its role reflected in the value chain.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Distributors must find ways to plot organizational maturity, which highlight where to elevate digital capabilities. This means finding ways to drive a digital culture, organizing the resources to do so, and discovering how to invest and leverage customer-driven insights to steer into the future.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Distributors should build new, digital transformation systems in parallel with legacy systems, taking advantage of historic data that could be extremely valuable going forward.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"h-demystifying-dtc\">Demystifying DTC<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>Our guide takes the guesswork out of a successful DTC strategy, and sets out the tools needed for execution. Inside, we share:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>The areas of focus and <a href=\"https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-us\/blog\/the-new-reality-sage-crm\/\">opportunity<\/a> for distributors<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>The many advantages distributors have over encroaching competitors<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Technology requirements for scale, operations, and measurement<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Perspective from industry experts and DTC strategy consultants<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Best practices for continuous optimization<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p>Improving the sophistication of data and analytics will result in the intelligence necessary to differentiate products and services and strengthen customer pull.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Download the guide to start mapping your journey today.<\/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n\n<div class=\"single-cta gated-content\">\n\t<div class=\"single-cta__positioner\">\n\t\t<div class=\"single-cta__wrapper has-dark-background-color\">\n\t\t\t<div class=\"single-cta__content\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<h2 class=\"single-cta__title h3\">Innovation in Distribution<\/h2>\n\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"single-cta__description\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<p>Download this guide to map out a bold direct-to-consumer strategy to transform your distribution business.<\/p>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<a\n\t\t\t\t\t\thref=\"#gate-1dc01e50-40b8-438e-ba08-6aae4105b653\"\n\t\t\t\t\t\tclass=\"single-cta__button button button--primary\"\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t>Download now<\/a>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\n\t\t\t\t\t<img decoding=\"async\" width=\"1064\" height=\"810\" src=\"https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-us\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2018\/07\/1675w-x-1275h_0017_Layer-4-1064x810.jpg\" class=\"single-cta__image\" alt=\"\" loading=\"lazy\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-us\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2018\/07\/1675w-x-1275h_0017_Layer-4-1064x810.jpg 1064w\" sizes=\"auto, (min-width: 48em) 33vw, 100vw\" \/>\t\t\t<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n<div class=\"single-cta\">\n\t<div class=\"single-cta__positioner\">\n\t\t<div class=\"single-cta__wrapper has-dark-background-color\">\n\t\t\t<div class=\"single-cta__content\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<h2 class=\"single-cta__title h3\">Subscribe to our Sage Advice Newsletter<\/h2>\n\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"single-cta__description\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<p>Get our latest business advice delivered directly to your inbox.<\/p>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<a\n\t\t\t\t\t\thref=\"#gate-ab515c6e-7e90-4c2f-a67e-113872516e8b\"\n\t\t\t\t\t\tclass=\"single-cta__button button button--primary\"\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t>Subscribe<\/a>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\n\t\t\t\t\t<img decoding=\"async\" width=\"1440\" height=\"810\" src=\"https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-us\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2022\/04\/GettyImages-1073797282-1440x810.jpg\" class=\"single-cta__image\" alt=\"Working from home with tea in hand\" loading=\"lazy\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-us\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2022\/04\/GettyImages-1073797282-1440x810.jpg 1440w\" sizes=\"auto, (min-width: 48em) 33vw, 100vw\" \/>\t\t\t<\/div>\n<\/div>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>As direct-to-consumer selling appears to close in on distributor territory, our guide takes you through the opportunity in going direct to consumer.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":103,"featured_media":6413,"menu_order":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_sage_video":false,"post_featured_image_hide":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[348,46,44,48],"tags":[128,300,19],"business_type":[41],"lilypad":[],"context":[],"industry":[94],"persona":[],"imagine_tag":[],"coauthors":[642],"class_list":["post-7627","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-free-guides-templates","category-growth-customers","category-strategy-legal-operations","category-technology-innovation","tag-customer-acquisition","tag-distribution","tag-inventory-management","business_type-growing-business","industry-distribution"],"sage_meta":{"region":"en-us","author_name":"Ashley 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