From demand to discovery, D2C brands put AI to work

Direct-to-consumer (D2C) brands are deploying artificial intelligence (AI) across the festive-season sales funnel, moving beyond chatbots and automated advertising to predict hyperlocal demand, manage inventory, improve product discovery and drive higher basket sizes.

With festive demand concentrated in a six-week window, brands are using AI to identify changing consumer preferences and respond faster rather than relying on fixed seasonal plans. Feminine hygiene brand Sirona Hygiene, for instance, is tracking how women search for period-care products during Navratri and Diwali, when travel-related searches such as ‘period kit for travel’ and ‘leak-proof panty’ tend to rise.