MAM
Third-party logistics (3PL) providers – indispensable partners to accelerate growth for early-stage D2C brands
Mumbai: In a recent report on the logistics landscape of new-age D2C brands, Redseer Strategy Consultants shared insights into India’s direct-to-customer (D2C) market, logistics requirements of early-stage D2C brands, and how third-party logistics (3PL) players are effectively catering to them.
The report highlights the remarkable growth of D2C brands in India, surpassing the traditional retail markets. While the annual D2C shipments have skyrocketed from 0.1 billion in 2019 to 0.6 billion in 2023, estimates indicate that the market could reach $2.2-2.7 billion by 2028, growing at 35-40 per cent year-on-year from 2023 to 2028.
A significant portion of these shipments is attributed to the services of the 3PL providers, who play a major role in delivering superior customer service. 3PL providers offer tailored and comprehensive end-to-end logistics services, including warehousing, inventory management, shipment intelligence, and transportation. These services have become crucial for young brands that now have access to advanced logistics infrastructure without the need for significant capital investment.
To gain insights into the needs of early-stage D2C brands, Redseer Strategy Consultants conducted over 60 interviews with emerging brands in India. The survey revealed a growing trend of these brands partnering directly with 3PL service providers, recognizing their customized solutions approach. This strategy allows young brands to leverage 3PL expertise, adapt to their evolving logistical requirements, and concentrate on core business activities while solidifying their presence in today’s competitive brandverse.
The report further underscores how 3PL logistics players are innovating to meet the increasing demands of new-age D2C brands. Some of the proactive measures undertaken include:
● 3PL providers are investing heavily in technology and infrastructure, offering accelerated delivery times, real-time tracking, non-delivery reports, and predictive analytics for returns.
● They provide seamless cash-on-delivery (COD) solutions with swift remittance, typically within 48 hours, which is vital for the working capital of smaller brands.
● They support new-age brands through offline market expansions, offering integrated logistics and supply chain solutions, including warehousing, express part-truckload and full-truckload freight and streamlined distribution to brick-and-mortar stores.
● They ensure consistent service levels, prompt issue resolution, and personalized account management, making the logistics process hassle-free.
“Third-party logistics (3PL) providers are integral to the value-chain of the new age D2C brands. They are continuously innovating to address the unique needs of these brands, fostering partnerships from the early stages of brand journey,” said Redseer Strategy Consultants partner Kanishka Mohan.
Within the 3PL logistics landscape, Redseer has highlighted factors like brand and customer experience and operational efficiencies that are important for new-age brands when choosing their preferred partners. While both Delhivery and Bluedart stand out on overall metrics, Delhivery has outperformed in providing superior customer experience and features, as it provides a full stack solution.
MAM
Brands push beyond compliance as trust takes centre stage
ASCI AdTrust Summit 2026 spotlights shift from legal checks to credibility.
MUMBAI: In a world where a disclaimer can be legally sound yet socially suspect, brands are learning that compliance may tick boxes but trust wins markets. At the inaugural ASCI AdTrust Summit 2026, a panel on “Beyond Compliance: The New Currency of Trust” unpacked a growing industry reality: the gap between what the law permits and what consumers accept is widening and fast.
Moderated by Meenakshi Ramkumar of National Law School of India University, the discussion brought together leaders across law, marketing and academia to examine how brands must evolve in a digital ecosystem increasingly shaped by scrutiny, scepticism and speed.
Ramkumar set the tone by highlighting a critical shift, advertising today operates in the same digital space that fuels misinformation, scams and fake news, making credibility harder to establish. “The challenge is not just about what brands do, but the broader context of low institutional trust,” she noted, adding that when violations go unchecked, trust erodes not just in brands but in the regulatory system itself.
This vacuum, she said, has given rise to consumer activism from boycotts to social media backlash as a parallel accountability mechanism.
For Amit Bhasin, Chief Legal Officer at Marico, the distinction was clear, legal compliance is non negotiable, but insufficient. “Compliance is the minimum threshold. The real challenge is staying aligned with changing consumer expectations,” he said.
He pointed to how advertising narratives have evolved from traditional depictions of gender roles to more shared responsibilities reflecting a broader societal shift. “Earlier, it was fine to show one person doing the household work. Today, that may not land well. Consumers expect brands to reflect reality,” Bhasin observed.
He also highlighted internal debates where campaigns that may be legally permissible are still rejected for being culturally insensitive, noting that responsible advertising often requires asking uncomfortable questions before the public does.
If compliance is the baseline, reputation is the battlefield.
Bhasin noted that reputational risk has become a far greater concern than legal exposure, particularly in an era where campaigns can be dissected within hours online. “Earlier, a controversial ad might invite a newspaper editorial. Today, within hours, you’re at the centre of a storm,” he said.
Brands, he added, now evaluate campaigns through a dual lens legal viability and reputational vulnerability with the latter often proving more decisive.
From a healthcare perspective, Satish Sahoo of Cipla Health underscored the complexity of operating within fragmented yet stringent regulatory frameworks, spanning drugs, food, cosmetics and Ayush. “Anything under a drug licence is the most tightly regulated,” he said, adding that this necessitates proactive, not reactive, compliance.
He shared an example from the oral rehydration salts (ORS) category, where Cipla resisted the temptation to position products aggressively despite competitive pressure. “Our product is WHO compliant, and our communication reflects that. We chose not to blur the lines, even if others did,” he noted.
The long term payoff, he suggested, lies in credibility built over consistency, not quick wins.
Yet, as Harsha N of National Law School of India University pointed out, even perfect compliance does not guarantee trust. Drawing from historical and modern examples from exaggerated product claims in the 1800s to contemporary environmental and health advertising, he argued that legal frameworks often lag behind consumer expectations. “A brand can be fully compliant and still be perceived as misleading,” he said, citing instances where fine print disclosures fail to reach or convince the average consumer. He added that larger companies carry a disproportionate responsibility to set ethical benchmarks, even in areas where the law remains silent.
The conversation also turned to digital advertising, where the challenge extends beyond content to how ads are experienced. From algorithmic targeting to personalised messaging, brands now operate in an environment where regulation struggles to keep pace with technology.
Sahoo noted that social media has amplified awareness, with influencers and consumers increasingly scrutinising product claims and calling out inconsistencies. “Awareness has gone up dramatically. People are questioning what goes into products and what brands are saying,” he said.
The role of self regulatory bodies such as Advertising Standards Council of India also came under the spotlight.
Harsha acknowledged that while SROs play a crucial role, they are not immune to criticism, particularly around perceived conflicts of interest and enforcement gaps. “SROs have a higher threshold of responsibility not just to interpret the law, but to anticipate societal expectations,” he said.
He added that failures in self regulation often push the burden back onto government intervention, underscoring the need for stronger, more proactive oversight.
One of the more nuanced debates centred on whether building trust comes at a cost. While Sahoo acknowledged that quality and compliance can increase costs, he argued that companies must absorb them as part of their long term strategy.
Bhasin, however, framed the challenge differently not as cost, but as competitiveness in a market where not all players play by the same rules. “The real tension is when others cut corners and you choose not to,” he said.
The panel concluded with a call to embed trust into business metrics.
Sahoo suggested that organisations must go beyond revenue targets to include consumer equity and trust based KPIs, ensuring that ethical considerations are not sidelined in the pursuit of growth. “Trust sounds abstract, but it can translate into measurable consumer equity,” he said.
As the discussion wrapped up, one message stood out: the rules of advertising are being rewritten not just by regulators, but by consumers themselves. In an ecosystem where attention is fleeting and scepticism is high, brands that merely comply may survive, but those that build trust are the ones that endure.
