Infra-level moves, LTV mindsets, and the cheat codes modern D2C brands are scaling with.

Build Better by FarziEngineer

Your Sunday scroll of sharp takes, D2C playbooks, and commerce signals that actually matter, as well as founder POVs to infra moves shaping India’s retail future, this is where the noise gets filtered, and the real stuff gets decoded.

Let’s dive into it.

India’s Commerce Infrastructure Reset

Flipkart, Meesho, ONDC – signal a deeper shift

India’s digital commerce stack is evolving from isolated plays to system-level moves:

Meesho: Reverses Flip, Comes Home

Shifting domicile from US to India, while Meesho is prepping a ₹7,000–10,000 Cr IPO. Despite a ~$300M tax hit, the decision is strategic: aligning with Indian markets, sellers, and investors. Furthermore this signals to peers: it’s time to localize.

Flipkart: Enters Fintech for Real

With RBI approval for its NBFC, Flipkart can now directly finance consumers and merchants via Flipkart Finance. It’s not just ecommerce anymore, it’s embedded finance.

ONDC: Building the Open Layer

Amazon, Microsoft, Razorpay, and others are now onboard. ONDC is quietly replicating what UPI did for payments, turning fragmented commerce into a plug-and-play network.

What This Means for D2C Builders:

• Platform loyalty will fragment
• Credit will become native to purchase flows
• IPOs may trend domestic, not overseas

BYOB: Build Your Own Box, Build Your Margins

How Plix Turned a Gimmick into a Growth Lever

Everyone loves the idea of BYOB. The logic is simple: let customers bundle what they want, offer a smart discount, and increase order value.

So, a lot of brands try it.
And most of them shelf it.
Low engagement, clunky UX, poor conversions. Sound familiar?

But for us at Plix, BYOB didn’t just work, it became one of our most consistent, high-margin AOV drivers. Here’s how:

1. Start With Goals, Not Guesswork
Instead of a product dump, we built bundles around real goals: hair growth, digestion, better skin. It gave people a clear entry point – “I want that one” – and removed friction.

2. A Full Funnel, Not a Feature
This wasn’t a widget. BYOB had its own landing pages, campaigns, and creators showing their picks. It looked and felt like a real product.

3. Smart Discounts
Discounts kicked in only after a cart hit a certain value, and only if the items were compatible (same warehouse, easy to ship). Margins stayed healthy, and ops stayed sane.

4. Solve Problems, Not Push SKUs
The journey started with “What are you solving?” not “What do you want?” That made it more relevant — people were guided to helpful combos instead of scrolling aimlessly.

5. Nudges, Not Noise
Instead of blasting promos, we added nudges:

• “This combo helps with energy + gut health”
• “People solving X also added Y”

These felt like tips, not upsells. They kept people engaged and gently lifted AOV.

6. Built With Ops in Mind
We didn’t create chaos on the backend. Only pre-approved combos were allowed, grouped by warehouse and packing logic. Tech worked with ops, not against it.

7. Subtle but Clear Marketing
The messaging focused on outcomes, not the gimmick. We showed the “why”, not just “look, a box!”

8. It Kept Evolving
This wasn’t a one-and-done launch. The team kept watching how people used it, moved steps around, and tested changes. Even button order tweaks helped reduce drop-offs.

Order flow for BYOB

Why It Works (If You Do It Right)

Most BYOB attempts flop because they’re treated like a side project. For Plix, it became a serious growth lever, not because it was flashy, but because it was treated like a real product.

It works when:

• You have a few strong SKUs that solve real customer problems
• Buyers come with intent, not just discount-chasing
• You support it with a clear narrative and dedicated experience

It doesn’t when:

• It’s bolted on without tailoring the journey
• The flow isn’t built around user goals
• There’s no real story behind “why build a box”

The Real Difference:
BYOB wasn’t a “feature” at Plix. Rather it was a mini-product inside the product, with tech, design, marketing, and ops all rowing in sync. That’s why it worked. Not because it was flashy, but because it was thoughtful from start to finish.

LTV Is the Next Big Thing

A strategic POV from our founder

LTV is what D2C brands will chase over the next few years. ROAS? Still relevant, but no longer the golden cow.

With brands stuck in the 1.5–2.5 ROAS zone at scale, attention is shifting to lifetime value and repeat purchases.

This isn’t just a tactical move—it’s a mindset shift:
From optimizing for performance today to compounding value tomorrow.

Build Better with FarziEngineer

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