The good news for online direct sellers is that direct sales are increasing. According to the Direct Sales Association Association’s Growth and Outlook report, in 2017, 18.6 million people were involved in direct selling in the United States, the world’s largest direct selling market. The data from the most recent United States Direct Selling provides insight on the various motivations for involvement in the direct selling channel.
While wellness products are the most popular items in direct sales, any product can be sold directly to your customer. The choices include joining direct selling companies to building a business on a part-time as well as full-time basis. You can share and sell the products at in-home or host online parties, or you can opt for a face-to-face approach.
What is a Distribution Channel?
A distribution channel is the route a product takes, in its journey from the original producer to the final consumer. Typically, when a customer buys a product, it will be routed through a certain number of hands before they get it. Should the product pass through several intermediaries before it reaches your customer, it is an indirect channel of distribution. Most often, products are delivered this way. But that is changing. But if it comes directly from the ecommerce sellers to the consumer’s hands, then that is a direct distribution channel.
Due to the growth of ecommerce, direct channels of distribution have become much more common in business. Direct chains may involve many types of sales online. Basically, the only thing you need to define that method as a direct distribution channel is that no middlemen are involved.
One of the most popular ways to become a direct seller is to sell online. Direct sales have never been easier with the help of the internet. As a direct seller, you can directly market to many consumers, right from your home office. You can advertise:
- Online across various platforms (omnichanneling)
- Google Ads
- On your website
- Social media ads (FB, Twitter, Instagram, Pinterest, etc.)
Your customers can place a direct order on your site or via email, and then you ship the goods directly to them or to them via post or a 3PL provider.
Fulfillment of Products
The post office method of sales is one of the oldest distribution channels out there. It is still relevant today, as many companies use a combination of the post office and other couriers to ship their products directly to the consumer. Another great option used by direct sellers are third-party logistics providers. They deliver items quickly and accurately while keeping you and your customer notified of the delivery progress.
Direct selling is pretty much the shortest channel of distribution, and it is also the simplest. It helps you get avoid the middlemen and the markups that come along with them. Your goods will arrive at the consumers’ doorsteps at much cheaper prices. And of course, you get to interact with consumers directly and build a relationship and trust in your brand.
