India, April 23 -- Cracking the direct-to-consumer (D2C) market in India is challenging, as many founders are bound to vouch. Experts indicate two major pitfalls in this space: Low gross margin and high customer acquisition cost. However, a recent PYMNTS report has delved deeper and said that the success of D2C brands hinges on customer trust. As soon as an order is placed, D2C shoppers expect the entire fulfilment process - from checkout to order processing, packaging, careful handling of goods and timely delivery - to run like clockwork.

Clearly, it takes more than a great product to win the race. With more than 60K live stores (just on Shopify) in India vying for attention, customers are spoilt for choice and the competition is intens...