A friend who runs a retail business once shared a frustration: “Customers love our product and keep coming back. But they don’t know us as a brand. One of our loyal buyers even recommended us to their network—but instead of sharing our brand name, they just gave out my phone number.”
It’s a common story: The product works, customers repeat, but the brand itself gets lost in the noise.
And in today’s retail ecosystem—dominated by quick commerce platforms and ecommerce marketplaces—it’s easy to see why.
These channels deliver reach and scale, but they also come with the hidden cost of becoming just another unbranded vendor on a crowded digital shelf. Your brand becomes invisible behind the wall of product-market disconnect.
The truth is, people buy products for different reasons—and those reasons don’t always align with what the brand wants to stand for. That disconnect is where invisibility begins.
Why Brands Shouldn’t Only Rely on Distribution Channels
Quick commerce and ecommerce platforms, like Blinkit and Zepto, are undeniably powerful. They offer reach, speed, and scalability that few brands could achieve on their own. With just a few taps, your product can land on a customer’s doorstep in under an hour. For many businesses, that visibility feels like the ultimate win.
But there’s a hidden cost: commoditization. On these platforms, your product often sits side by side with dozens of lookalikes. The platform owns the customer relationship, not you. Customers may remember the convenience of ordering from Swiggy Instamart or Amazon, but they rarely remember the brand they purchased. In their minds, the platform becomes the hero, and your brand becomes invisible.
Over time, this creates an insidious dependency. If tomorrow the platform changes its algorithms, increases fees, or promotes competitors more aggressively, your brand takes the hit. Worse, if a cheaper alternative appears, customers may switch instantly—because their loyalty was always with the channel and worse, their biggest consideration was price and not your brand or product.
A product without a brand is just inventory.
This is why relying solely on distribution channels is like building a house on rented land. You may get traffic and sales in the short term, but you’re handing over the most valuable currency in business—mindshare—to someone else.
At first, it may feel easier to let channels do all the heavy lifting. You save on marketing spend and logistics headaches. But over time, this dependency erodes your ability to differentiate. Margins shrink, loyalty shifts to the channel, and your product risks irrelevance when a cheaper alternative shows up.
The real profitability lies in building recall.
The brands that endure are those that build their own touchpoints. They create direct connections, whether through packaging, storytelling, loyalty programs, or community engagement. These are the moments where recall is formed, trust is built, and advocacy takes root. Without them, you risk being remembered as “that product I ordered on Blinkit,” rather than the brand customers ask for by name.
Why Memorable Branding Matters
A memorable brand does more than sell products—it creates an emotional anchor in the customer’s mind. It turns casual buyers into loyalists, and loyalists into advocates. Here’s why it matters:
1. Competitive Immunity
In markets where alternatives are everywhere, the cost of switching for customers is neglidgible. A strong brand acts like insurance against that churn. It turns your product into more than just a commodity—because customers aren’t only buying what you sell, they’re buying who you are. That’s why even in a sea of cheaper knock-offs, iconic brands retain their place.
2. First-Choice Advantage
The most powerful position in a customer’s mind is not second or third—it’s first. Memorable brands secure that slot. Think of Apple for innovation, Nike for performance, or Starbucks for a “third place” between work and home. Even at the local level—your go-to café or bakery—brands that stand out earn the right to be chosen instinctively, without comparison. That “default choice” advantage drives repeat purchases effortlessly.
3. Trust Through Consistency
Branding isn’t just about logos or colors—it’s about delivering a consistent experience every time. That reliability builds trust. Customers know what to expect when they walk into a Starbucks anywhere in the world, or when they unbox an Apple product. That trust translates to loyalty, because people gravitate to what feels familiar and dependable.
4. Bragworthiness and Advocacy
A brand that resonates emotionally becomes part of a customer’s identity. People don’t just use it—they talk about it, post about it, and recommend it. From sharing an unboxing video to insisting friends try a favorite local dish, “bragworthiness” turns customers into your best marketing engine. Word-of-mouth is no longer casual chatter—it’s advocacy powered by pride in association.
5 Ways Brands Can Stay Top of Mind
1. QR Codes on Packaging
Smart packaging bridges offline to online. A QR code on your product packaging can connect customers directly to recipes, videos, brand stories, or exclusive offers. It transforms a simple box or bottle into a digital touchpoint. For inspiration, check out this guide on how brands use QR codes on packaging.
2. Brand Storytelling via Product Inserts
Most unboxing moments are transactional. Inserts transform them into storytelling opportunities. Whether it’s a short note about your brand’s mission, or a quirky card with a QR code to your Instagram, inserts leave customers with more than just the product—they leave them with a memory. Because, your brand deserves to be found!
3. Promotional & Loyalty Programs
Platforms reward convenience. Brands should reward loyalty. A well-designed program—discounts, referral bonuses, early access—makes customers feel part of an inner circle. You can even pair loyalty perks with QR codes that let customers leave reviews on Google with a single scan, turning happy customers into powerful advocates.
4. Link-in-Bio as a Brand Hub
Consumers live on social platforms. Instead of scattering links, consolidate them into a smart link-in-bio destination. From there, direct people to shop, read your story, follow your socials, or leave feedback. Think of it as the digital equivalent of always having your business card ready. If you don’t have one yet, here’s why
5. Product Feedback and Surveys
Asking for feedback does two things: it gives you insights to improve, and it signals that you care. Customers who feel heard are more likely to remember you and stick with you. Make collecting feedback a whole lot quick...QR with QR codes on packaging or inserts to make participation seamless and rewarding.
Final Thoughts
Staying top of mind isn’t about being everywhere—it’s about being memorable where it counts. Quick commerce and ecommerce are great distribution partners, but they shouldn’t own your customer relationship. By weaving in smart brand-building practices—QR codes, storytelling, loyalty, digital hubs, and feedback loops—you create recall that outlasts any channel.