Launch Operations
DTC launch operations
Coordinate stock, product information, checkout, dispatch and support before opening a DTC store to Australian customers.
A DTC store is ready to accept orders when the items offered match sellable stock, the page and checkout state terms the business can meet, dispatch is arranged, and someone can resolve exceptions. Record those conditions in a single go-or-hold decision. Check any product-specific Australian safety requirements before approving an offer.
Set the launch promise
List what customers can order on day one: variants, contents, prices, destinations, delivery options and expected timing. Assign an owner to each statement. A dispatch target concerns when a parcel leaves the business; an arrival estimate also depends on the service and destination.
Check the exact goods against Australian product safety requirements before offering them. Mandatory standards apply to certain products and can cover packaging, labelling or information as well as the item itself. Hold an affected item while a relevant requirement remains unresolved.
Check the applicable product standard
Mandatory standards apply only to certain products. Do not assume every product sold in Australia must meet a mandatory safety standard. Check whether the exact product is covered before approving it for sale.
A relevant standard may set requirements for performance, composition, contents, manufacturing or processing methods, design, construction, finish, packaging or labelling. Information standards can also require consumer information, such as ingredient labelling for cosmetics or care labelling for clothing and textiles.
Industry standards are different: following them is voluntary. If a mandatory standard applies, it must be met before the product is supplied. Supplying non-compliant goods is an offence under the Australian Consumer Law.
Supplier responsibility can apply to retailers as well as manufacturers, importers, distributors and hirers. This makes product-rule checks relevant to a DTC business even when it did not manufacture the item.
Mandatory vs Industry Standards in Australia
- Mandatory StandardsLegally required; must be met before supply. Applies to specific products including packaging, labelling and performance. Non-compliance is an offence under the Australian Consumer Law.
- Industry StandardsVoluntary; not legally binding. Following them is recommended but not mandatory.
Use one readiness record
| Area | Evidence to check | Reason to hold the affected offer |
|---|---|---|
| Product and stock | Received goods checked against the approved item and available quantity | The advertised variant cannot be identified or supplied |
| Customer information | Current page, price, contents and delivery terms compared with checkout | A material statement or charge conflicts |
| Dispatch | Packing instruction, carrier arrangement and exception owner | The stated dispatch terms cannot be met |
| Support | Contact route, case owner and remedy process | Customers have no dependable route to help |
| Order path | Results of planned end-to-end checks | An eligible buyer cannot complete or understand an order |
Record the version checked, its owner, the evidence and any open issue. A supplier's promised delivery date is not received stock. A shipping label is not evidence of carrier handover.
DTC Launch Readiness Checklist
- Product and stockReceived goods checked against approved item and available quantity
- Customer informationCurrent page, price, contents and delivery terms compared with checkout
- DispatchPacking instruction, carrier arrangement and exception owner confirmed
- SupportContact route, case owner and remedy process documented
- Order pathEnd-to-end checks completed for eligible buyers
Sequence the handovers
Confirm the physical item and available quantity before listing it as ready to dispatch. Use the same variant identifiers in the store, stock record and packing instruction. Exclude damaged, reserved and incoming units from stock offered for immediate sale. Account for shared components across individual items and bundles.
Compare each product page with the item and package. Buyers should be able to tell what arrives, which version suits them and what they will pay before placing an order.
Confirm who picks, checks and packs each typical order, which package they use, and how carrier handover and failed handovers are investigated. Measure the finished parcel before relying on a postage quote.
Sequence of Handovers for DTC Orders in Australia
- Confirm physical item and available quantityBefore listing as ready to dispatch
- Use consistent variant identifiersAcross store, stock record and packing instruction
- Exclude damaged, reserved or incoming unitsFrom immediate sale inventory
- Verify packaging and dimensionsMeasure finished parcel before relying on postage quote
Confirm the postage basis
For Australia Post prepaid satchels and mailing boxes, postage is based on size rather than weight. Australia Post offers five sizes, and prepaid satchels are for parcels of 5kg and under; confirm the selected packaging suits the finished parcel before relying on that postage arrangement.
Australia Post Prepaid Satchel Guidelines
- Maximum Weight
- 5kg
- Postage Basis
- Size, not weight
- Number of Sizes Available
- Five
Rehearse and decide
Check a standard order and relevant exceptions, such as a variant choice, combined order, costly destination or unavailable item. Follow each case from page and checkout through the order record, packing instruction and customer message. Choose a payment test method appropriate to the store and its live-order state.
Correct discrepancies before accepting orders. If the displayed price and checkout price differ, pause the affected offer until they are consistent. If stock is still incoming, change availability or the dispatch promise before accepting an order on immediate-dispatch terms.
Have the owners confirm the current product, page, stock and dispatch versions before public traffic arrives. Hold an affected offer if its safety requirements, payment path, available quantity or material customer promise remain unresolved.
During early trading, monitor accepted orders against available stock, packing capacity and unresolved enquiries. If a paid order cannot be fulfilled as expected, contact the customer promptly with a clear update and next steps.
Rehearsing the Order Journey Before Launch
- Test a standard orderFrom product page through checkout and packing
- Check exceptionsVariant choice, combined order, costly destination, unavailable item
- Validate payment methodAppropriate to live-order state
- Correct discrepanciesEnsure price consistency and accurate dispatch promise
- Confirm readiness with ownersProduct, page, stock and dispatch versions verified
Make payment intent a launch gate
Include intention to supply in the go-or-hold decision for paid orders. The ACCC says it can investigate where a business accepts payment without intending to supply, so unresolved readiness should not be treated as merely an internal operational issue.
Pros and Cons of Accepting Payment Without Intention to Supply
- Pro: Faster revenue capture
- Early orders can generate cash flow
- Con: Risk of ACCC investigation
- Accepting payment without intent to supply breaches Australian Consumer Law
- Pro: Better customer trust
- Only accepting payments when supply is certain builds credibility
- Con: Delayed launch timing
- Requires full operational readiness before going live
In this guide
- Planning launch stock around a cautious demand estimateBuild cautious launch demand cases, then compare the first stock order with supplier constraints, cash needs and available-to-sell quantity.
- Coordinating packaging, product pages and dispatch readinessKeep each launch SKU's page, package and dispatch instruction aligned before Australian customers can order it.
- Testing the customer experience before public launchUse realistic purchase cases to check product choice, checkout, confirmation and support before opening a DTC store to public traffic.
- Preparing a support plan for the first order surgeEstimate launch enquiries, assign support and escalation owners, and give paid customers accurate updates when orders need attention.
