The product as a relational channel

For decades, the product has been seen as an endpoint: something that is designed, sold, and then used by the customer. Once the purchase is made, the relationship between the brand and the customer often stops abruptly, or is reduced to a few occasional touchpoints. The product is then limited to its functional role, with no real relational continuity.

At the same time, traditional marketing channels are becoming increasingly saturated. Emails go unread, ads are ignored, and messages get lost in the noise. Brands struggle to maintain a lasting, high-quality, and truly distinctive relationship with their customers.

But what if the true core of the relationship didn’t lie in these external channels, but directly in the product itself?

Traditional canals are no longer enough

The era of traditional marketing is reaching its limits. Emails, digital advertising, and social media have long been at the heart of brand strategies, but their effectiveness is eroding. According to one study, 43% of recipients delete marketing emails without opening them, and up to 96% of subscribers do not see content published by brands on social media. Capturing customer attention has therefore become a major challenge, and generic communications are no longer sufficient to build a lasting relationship (“Understanding Customer Experience Throughout the Customer Journey,” Lemon & Verhoef, 2016).

The post-purchase experience becomes the primary differentiating factor—through the product itself (Bain & Company). Already in the customer’s hands, whether a direct or indirect buyer, the product no longer represents merely a functional object. It becomes a fully-fledged relational channel, capable of materializing a relationship through targeted communications and personalized experiences.

The product as a legitimate touchpoint

Purchasing a product does not mark the end of the relationship between the brand and the customer, but rather the beginning of an ongoing dialogue. As soon as the customer owns the product, they can scan it or activate its embedded chip, instantly unlocking a brand-dedicated interface. This step transforms the product into a direct and legitimate relational channel, initiated through actual use.

Concretely, every customer action on this interface (viewing the digital certificate, requesting a service, choosing a resale or customization option) triggers personalized communications between the customer and the brand. By collecting data on customer user behavior (clicks, services used, expressed preferences), Trust-Place enables the delivery of ultra-personalized content and services: contextual push notifications, product-related service recommendations, invitations to exclusive experiences, maintenance or repair tracking, and more.

In this way, the product creates an active relational bridge: it is no longer a simple object, but a living brand medium that engages customers voluntarily and in a targeted manner. Whether reporting an issue, requesting a repair, reselling, or customizing the product, every interaction enriches the relationship, strengthens loyalty, and fuels a continuous, contextualized post-purchase dialogue.

In short: purchasing the product triggers a unique relational channel, driven by the customer’s real behavior, transforming every interaction into a personalized and lasting brand experience.

From product to dialogue: measuring relational impact

Trust-Place shows that turning the product into a relational channel has a tangible impact on engagement and loyalty. Thanks to activation of the product-linked interface, brands see a +17% increase in already registered customers. Interface activation rates reach +55%, demonstrating that customers actively explore the services and experiences linked to the product.

In addition, +35% of new customers are integrated into the CRM, enabling brands to build a richer database and deliver more relevant, targeted communications. When the product becomes a living relational channel, it re-engages customers by strengthening the brand–customer relationship through the product itself, opening up concrete opportunities for long-term retention and loyalty.

The product as new experiential medium

Ultimately, the product is no longer a passive, everyday object: it embodies the brand over time. Brands that understand this transformation no longer simply sell products: they build stronger, longer-lasting, and more engaging relationships. The post-purchase phase is no longer just a support stage; it becomes a key territory for value creation. By establishing a controlled post-purchase system, the brand regains access to precise customer data and continuous feedback, enabling it to anticipate customer needs.

The product thus becomes a proprietary medium, capable of telling its own story and that of the brand, strengthening emotional attachment, creating experiential value around it, and fostering lasting loyalty.

Sources:

• Bain & Company

• Lemon & Verhoef - Understanding Customer Experience Throughout the Customer Journey

• Trust-Place - Annual Review 2024

• Social.plus - Why Organic Reach Is No Longer a Growth Strategy