« Back to Solutions

De-Risk Your D2C Brand: Build a Resilient Supply Chain with a No-Code MVP

Does your entire D2C business hinge on one supplier? This common strategy simplifies operations but creates a massive risk. A single factory lockdown, quality issue, or price hike can halt production, cause stockouts, and devastate your sales and customer trust. You're one disruption away from a complete standstill.

This playbook shows you how to build a 'No-Code Operations MVP' to break free from single-supplier dependency. We'll guide you through setting up an Airtable base to manage multiple manufacturers and track orders. You'll then launch a simple Softr portal for your internal team to view supplier details and manually route new orders. This approach lets you test and validate a multi-supplier strategy with almost zero initial cost and a setup time measured in days, not months.

Expected Outcomes

  • A functional operational hub to manage multiple suppliers and orders.
  • The ability to quickly route orders to backup suppliers during a disruption.
  • Significantly reduced risk of stockouts and lost revenue from supplier failure.
  • A validated, low-cost system for supplier diversification before investing in expensive software.
  • Increased operational resilience and a more robust and future-proof supply chain.

Core Tools in This Stack

Airtable

Visit website

Airtable is a powerful no-code platform that combines the flexibility of a spreadsheet with the power of a database. It enables teams to build custom applications and workflows to manage data, projects, and processes without writing any code.

Key Features
  • Relational Database Structure
  • Multiple Data Views (Grid, Kanban, Calendar, Gallery, Gantt)
  • Built-in Automations
  • Customizable Interfaces
  • App Marketplace and Integrations
  • Real-time Collaboration
  • API and Scripting
Ideal For

Company Size: Micro, Small, Medium, Large

Industries: Technology & Software, Business & Professional Services, Retail & E-commerce, Creative & Media, Education & Non-Profit, Health & Wellness, Other

Pricing

Model: Free Tier, Subscription

Tier: Mid-range

Ease of Use

Easy to Moderate

Softr

Visit website

Softr is a no-code platform that enables users to build professional web apps, client portals, internal tools, and marketplaces from their existing data in Airtable or Google Sheets, without writing any code.

Key Features
  • Data-driven app building (Airtable, Google Sheets)
  • 100+ pre-built customizable blocks
  • Pre-built templates for various use cases
  • User authentication and role-based permissions
  • Accept payments with Stripe and Gumroad
  • Custom domain and SEO settings
  • Embed custom code and third-party integrations (Zapier, Make, etc.)
Ideal For

Company Size: Micro, Small, Medium, Large

Industries: Technology & Software, Business & Professional Services, Retail & E-commerce, Creative & Media, Education & Non-Profit, Health & Wellness, Other

Pricing

Model: Free, Freemium, Subscription

Tier: Mid-Range

Ease of Use

Beginner-Friendly

Make

Visit website

Make is a powerful visual platform that allows users to design, build, and automate workflows, apps, and systems without needing to code. It connects thousands of apps and services to automate tasks and complex processes.

Key Features
  • Visual Drag-and-Drop Workflow Editor
  • Extensive App & Service Integration (1,700+)
  • Instant Triggers (Webhooks)
  • Advanced Data Handling & Manipulation (Routers, Iterators, Aggregators)
  • Customizable Error Handling
  • Pre-built Scenario Templates
  • Flexible Scheduling Options
Ideal For

Company Size: Micro, Small, Medium, Large

Industries: Technology & Software, Business & Professional Services, Retail & E-commerce, Creative & Media, Education & Non-Profit, Health & Wellness, Other

Pricing

Model: Free, Subscription

Tier: Low

Ease of Use

Medium

The Workflow

graph TD subgraph "No-Code Operations MVP" direction LR N0["Airtable"] N1["Softr"] N2["Make"] N2 -- "Creates new record" --> N0 N0 -- "Acts as database" --> N1 end classDef blue fill:#3498db,stroke:#2980b9,stroke-width:2px,color:#fff; classDef green fill:#2ecc71,stroke:#27ae60,stroke-width:2px,color:#fff; classDef orange fill:#f39c12,stroke:#d35400,stroke-width:2px,color:#fff; class N0 blue; class N1 blue; class N2 blue;

Integration Logic

  • Google Drive Spec Sync

    This integration uses Make as the central automation engine. The workflow is triggered when a new file is added to a specific folder in Google Drive. Make then retrieves the file's metadata (such as name, shareable link, and last modified date) and creates a new record in a designated Airtable base. This Airtable base acts as the dynamic database for a Softr application. The Softr app is configured to display the records from Airtable, effectively creating a self-updating portal where users can view and access the latest spec documents without any manual intervention.

Future-Proof Your Supply Chain

Learn how to build a resilient D2C brand that can withstand any supplier disruption.