A business model where a company sells its products or services directly to the end consumer without relying on third-party retailers, wholesalers, or marketplaces.
What is D2C (Direct-to-Consumer)?
Direct-to-Consumer (D2C) refers to selling goods or services straight to the final customer, bypassing intermediaries such as distributors, wholesalers, or traditional retail stores. In a D2C model, the business maintains full control over branding, pricing, marketing, and customer relationships, usually by selling through its own website or branded sales channels. This allows for greater profit margins, direct customer feedback, and more flexibility in product offerings.
For non-U.S. founders with U.S.-registered companies, D2C can be particularly advantageous because it enables them to establish a strong brand presence in the U.S. market without relying on retailers. It also allows for better customer data collection, which can be used to refine marketing strategies and product development. However, D2C requires investment in e-commerce infrastructure, marketing, logistics, and compliance with U.S. sales tax rules.
Many Clemta clients operate in a hybrid model—selling directly via their own e-commerce sites (true D2C) while also listing products on marketplaces like Amazon or Etsy. While marketplace sales are technically B2C, they differ from D2C because the platform controls certain aspects of the transaction, customer relationship, and sometimes branding.
