Phase 1:
Set Your Course
(Weeks 1–2)
Phase 2:
Build Fast & Smart
(Weeks 3–6)
Phase 3:
Test Like It’s Black Friday
(Weeks 7–8)
Phase 4:
Launch & Learn
(Weeks 9–12)

Launch and Scale
DTC Revenue in 60 Days

Your ecommerce launch doesn’t need to take six months—or cost a fortune. If you're struggling to stand up a Direct-to-Consumer (DTC) channel quickly, this playbook is your fast-track roadmap.

At Bolt Today, we help brands launch DTC storefronts in as little as 60 days using Salesforce Commerce Cloud. With pre-built features, native integrations, and a mobile-first foundation, this platform is purpose-built for rapid time-to-value.

Here’s your 4-phase journey—from defining your goals to scaling after go-live.

Phase 1:

Set Your Course

(Weeks 1–2)

Align on Strategic Objectives:

  • Define DTC Revenue Goals: What does success look like for your owned-channel revenue in 6–12 months?
  • Clarify the System of Record: Decide how Salesforce Commerce Cloud will centralize DTC data and integrate with marketplaces like Amazon, Etsy, or eBay.
  • Design Customer 360 Visibility: Define how you’ll track customers across marketing, engagement, and service.
  • Minimum Viable Service Plan: Determine your must-have support tools (e.g., email, chat, returns flow).

Why it matters:

Clear alignment reduces false starts and ensures every stakeholder—IT, Marketing, Ops—is rowing in the same direction from Day 1.

Align goals and teams from day one.

Phase 2:

Build Fast & Smart

(Weeks 3–6)

You don’t need to code from scratch. Salesforce Commerce Cloud brings the parts—you assemble.

Key Accelerators:

  • Composable Storefront: Drag-and-drop templates with PWA Kit for fast mobile performance.
  • Pre-Configured Templates: Retail-ready flows (catalog, cart, checkout).
  • Pre-Integrated Ecosystem: Native connections to Marketing Cloud, OMS, Service Cloud, and Data Cloud.
  • Full Commerce Stack: Products, pricing, promos, tax, payments (Apple Pay, BNPL, PayPal), and curbside fulfillment.
  • Einstein AI: Product recommendations, predictive sort/search, personalized content.
  • Multi-Channel Ready: Extend DTC into marketplaces or new regions with ease.
  • Low-Code Tools: Empower business users via Page Designer and Business Manager.

Build Principles:

  • Configure Instead of Code: Customize flows and logic using pre-built components.
  • Mobile-First Everything: Templates auto-adjust for flawless mobile experience.
  • Personalization at Scale: Surface dynamic content based on real shopper behavior.
  • Reusable Elements: Use one component across homepage, category, and email placements.
  • Minimize Tech Debt: Follow Salesforce best practices to avoid costly rework later.

Outcome:

By Week 6, you’ll have a mobile-optimized, conversion-ready storefront—live in staging, branded, and fully functional.

Build fast with pre-built tools.

Phase 3:

Test Like It’s
Black Friday

(Weeks 7–8)

Don’t launch without battle-testing every flow.

Testing Focus Areas:

  • QA/UAT: Simulate real behavior and stress-test all pages, buttons, carts
  • Catalog Accuracy: Ensure images, pricing, and inventory display correctly
  • Promotions & Coupons: Confirm all discounts, BOGOs, and thresholds function
  • Payments & Tax: Validate across methods and regions
  • Fulfillment Logic: Ensure orders flow to OMS and confirmations are triggered
  • Omnichannel Sync: Confirm cart state, login data, and product views sync across devices

Pro Tip:

Test edge cases—expired coupons, out-of-stock SKUs, late address changes—to catch failures early.

Outcome:

Confidence that every shopper touchpoint works flawlessly—from browse to “Thank you for your order.”

Test every touchpoint before launch.

Phase 4:

Launch & Learn

(Weeks 9–12)

It’s not just go-live. It’s go-smart.

Best Practices for Go-Live:

  • Soft Launch First: Invite internal users or VIP customers to find last-mile issues.
  • Real-Time Monitoring: Watch traffic, checkout flow, and load times using GA, Hotjar, and Salesforce tools.
  • A/B Testing: Test homepage banners, CTAs, copy, and promotions.
  • Support Prep: Live chat + FAQ = faster issue resolution on launch day.
  • Quick Wins: Use Week 1 data to fix UX issues, filter bugs, and missing guides.
  • Customer Feedback Loop: Run post-launch surveys or polls to gather input.

Outcome:

A live store that’s already evolving based on real customer behavior. You’re not just live—you’re optimized.

Go live, track, and optimize fast.

Ready to Move?

You don’t need to reinvent the wheel. With the right team and the right platform, 60 days is all you need to launch a modern DTC experience.

Bolt Today brings deep Salesforce Commerce Cloud experience to help you:

  • Stand up fast with out-of-the-box functionality
  • Align business and IT from the start
  • Avoid tech debt while building scalable foundations

Let’s build your launch roadmap together.