“It’s not the strongest or most intelligent who will survive,” Charles Darwin once said, “but rather, those who are the most adaptable to change.” The 19th-century naturalist was no doubt talking about evolution, but the notion that adapting is the key to survival resonates particularly well in today’s retail business climate. Customers are going through a major transformation in how they search and shop for products. Within this overall shift, however, a more specific change is taking place that provides a powerful opportunity for brands to position themselves for unlimited growth potential throughout the 2020s.

Over the past few years, DTC brands have increasingly found Amazon to be a powerful channel for additional sales. Despite this, many are still hesitant to join the world’s largest online shopping platform due to a misunderstanding about how Amazon can benefit businesses that sell direct-to-consumer. Today, Amazon is much more than an e-commerce marketplace. It has become the most popular platform for customers to discover new brands. According to reports, 66% of consumers begin their online shopping search on Amazon. With COVID-19 boosting e-commerce to record levels, Amazon has become an effective way for DTC brands to reach new customers.

Driving traffic to your Amazon product pages is essential to converting sales. Customers need to find your products before they can add them to their cart. One of the most effective means to generate traffic is through Amazon’s various advertising solutions, but this isn’t the only way. Amazon Posts is a relatively new program designed to help drive brand and product discovery with curated posts that mimic the social media experience.

The year that changed retail – that’s likely how 2020 will be remembered in the business world. A lot happened, both good and bad. All are in one way or another tied to the most important event of the year: COVID-19. The pandemic impacted just about every aspect of daily life. Healthcare, education, entertainment, and social engagement all look very different today than they did just 12 months ago. Fortunately, each of these is likely to return to at least somewhat normal conditions once COVID-19 is officially behind us. One thing that has changed for good, however, is retail.