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Current trends that can render popular e-commerce platforms obsolete

Existing industry leaders need to worry about the listed practices that are driving them towards a dead-end

With 1.92 Billion customers buying items online amounting to 13.7 per cent of retail sales worldwide, we can argue E-commerce is here to stay. KPMG revealed “People shop online because they can shop at all hours of the day” and “65 per cent of shoppers compare prices while in a physical store”.

These e-commerce statistics for 2019 are self-explanatory and they are hinting towards an impending e-commerce boom.

While the e-commerce industry is on the rise and it is posing a real threat to the retail sector, some facts suggest people are yet not comfortable with buying online. A Hub Spot study reveals 80 per cent of people will dump companies after just one bad experience, while another study states only 2.86  per cent of e-commerce visits converts.

Online shopping is shaping the landscape of tomorrow, where people can shop privately and explore more options without actually hopping from one store to the other. Like every good thing, e-commerce also comes with its share of pros and cons.

Let’s discuss trends followed by industry leaders that are not going to last long

 

Cashbacks to lure customers: E-commerce platforms are dolling out cashback like never before to acquire and retain customers. Amazon spends 12 per cent of its annual revenue in cashback.

On the other hand, most customers have agreed to pay extra for quality customer experience. In the times, where experience matters the most, spending heavily on cashback and less on customer experience improvement might cost e-commerce players a fortune.

Also Read: New to e-commerce? Here are 10 recommended books

Also, half of the enterprises are now diverting their investments towards customer experience innovations, which means any business that is not focusing on CX will turn obsolete.

 

Not compensating sellers well: Instead of focusing on improving seller performance, businesses are focusing on beating their competitors at the number game. All these heavy discounts, free delivery, and free returns are costing sellers a bomb and no, players like Amazon, Flipkart or eBay are not compensating them well.

E-commerce players have made slogans out of “Faster Return and Instant Refund”, “No Question Asked Refund Policy”, which is pushing a lot of small sellers out of business.

With sellers losing money fulfilling “no question asked return policy” and “instant refunds”, they are going to stop selling online. Marketplaces like Amazon manufacture no products, they earn commissions on every product sold on their platform. With increasing losses, sellers are bound to quit and bring the whole eco-system down.

 

Competing only on price-points: A good number of e-commerce players are trying to compete only on price point. These players are not bothered about post sell customer service or overall customer experience. By listing products at cheaper prices, these platforms can drive traffic and sales but they are failing big time to retain customers.

As KPMG study revealed, 86 per cent of customers are willing to pay extra for quality customer experience, it is very clear that price is no more a major decision influencer hence not focusing on other metrics and compete only on price-point is not a lasting strategy.

 

A poor search experience: Product Discovery is the metric that guarantees sales, top-notch customer experience, and re-purchases. By assisting customers to discover products they are actively looking for, e-commerce businesses can cross-sell as well. Improving search results has varied benefits but a good number of players are not worried about it.

Businesses today are relying on social media marketing to drive traffic and then converting those traffic into sell. These E-commerce platforms remain unintroduced to the power of Product Discovery.

Also Read: eCommerce potential in Southeast Asia, through the eyes of Taiwanese

Product Discovery is not only about cross-selling but also about leveraging an incomparable customer experience. When a customer finds a product he or she is looking for faster, they will come back every time they need a product.

 

Not offering personalised experience: PwC and Gartner have made it clear that CX is now a key brand differentiator. By not investing in personalized customer experience, e-commerce players will lose customers to their contemporaries.

All the successful e-commerce players have focused on personalized experience not only to retain customers but to drive referrals and re-purchases as well. Experts say “delivering personalized experience can increase customer referrals by three times”. As found by Hub Spot in a study, “81 per cent of consumers trust their friends over businesses for advice” hence offering personalized experience is more effective than running paid ads.

 

Conclusion

E-commerce is certainly the future of shopping but there’s no guarantee that all contemporary industry leaders will continue to rule. With an array of new enterprises entering the arena, the competition is getting stiff.

Also Read: eCommerce: Revitalising conventional forms of trade in Malaysia

Editor’s note: e27 publishes relevant guest contributions from the community. Share your honest opinions and expert knowledge by submitting your content here.

Join our e27 Telegram group here, or our e27 contributor Facebook page here.

Image Credit: Brooke Lark

 

 

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The Blockchain hype has slowed : where has it gone and why?

The best approach for the future of blockchain will be to build on the use cases in which it has already shown potential

The death of the hype around blockchain might be the best thing that has ever happened to the technology.

Now that companies are no longer using the term to gain some short-lived media hype, we might be able to think rationally about what blockchain can actually be useful for, and what it can’t.

First, though, it’s worth remembering just how much hype surrounded blockchain last year. A recent survey of advertising executives by MediaPost found “blockchain” to be the most overrated word of 2018. For those of us involved with the technology, that’s hardly a surprise. 

The survey, in fact, puts numbers behind the hype.

It suggests that advertisers knew that many companies abused the word “blockchain” just to get free media hype. In January, management-consulting firm McKinsey & Co. found that the vast majority of blockchain pilots and proofs of concept were still stuck in “pioneering mode” or were being shut down.

That’s far from being a negative outcome for blockchain, though. Perhaps we can now start to look at the technology more rationally. That’s what we’ll do now.

The opportunities

It can often seem like blockchain is a solution in search of a problem to solve. Though the technology has been mentioned in relation to almost every IT system and social problem out there, in order to discern the immediate future of the technology it’s worth remembering why it is valuable.

Blockchain’s primary value is creating trust. Through tokenization and encryption, systems that were previously regarded as vulnerable to hacking or abuse can be made trustworthy. It does this by making transactions open and transparent.

From that starting point, there are two primary ways in which blockchain might make an immediate impact:

1. The first is in financial services and fintech. It’s no coincidence that blockchain’s first (and to date only) major use case was in cryptocurrency. Expanding and developing cryptosystems to cover crypto microtransactions and real-world assets would seem like an easy win for blockchain tech, and it’s likely that the proof-of-concept trials undertaken by several major banks in recent years will soon come to fruition.

Also Read: Blockchain have the potential to transform dubious relationships in the music industry

2. Secondly, blockchain could help with e-governance. Estonia is already using the technology to replace outdated identification systems (like the Social Security system) with more secure solutions. Not only will this make public records more secure, but it will also allow greater transparency.

The challenges

All this said, there are still some major challenges facing blockchain as a technology.

These are likely the cause of the reduced hype in the past year: many companies started researching the technology in 2018, only to conclude that it is not yet useful for them.

Cointelegraph, for instance, has reported on a recent survey by Globant that found while 61 per cent of organizations has started researching blockchain, only 28 per cent chose a provider to help them deploy the technology.

There are several challenges facing blockchain, at least some of which will have to be overcome before the tech goes mainstream:

First, the way that existing institutions move from legacy systems to new, blockchain-based solutions is not yet clear.

A press release from a recent TD Bank survey noted that 90 per cent of treasury and finance professionals believe blockchain and distributed ledger technology will positively affect the payments industry, but that only 14 per cent said their organizations had training strategies for blockchain. Managing this change is going to be the biggest challenge for blockchain in the coming years.

Secondly, there remains a perception problem with blockchain.

Also Read:

The public still associates the technology with a shadowy underworld of (at best) crypto entrepreneurs, and (at worst) hackers. This perception is not helped by the continued reports of hacking in the crypto space, from the rise of crypto mining malware to the spike in cryptojacking. Given this bad press, it’s no wonder that large, established companies are unwilling to be associated with the tech.

Finally, there remains a huge problem with scalability.

This is the most-noted technical problem with blockchain, but we are still no closer to a solution. Blockchains can still take many seconds to process even the most basic transactions, and so scaling them up into national databases is not yet feasible. 

The future is two-speed

Responding to these opportunities and challenges can be difficult for businesses, but the falling away of the hype around blockchain allows us all an opportunity to stop and think. 

As others have noted, it is important to refrain from hyping it as-yet unproven new applications for the technology.

By showing where and how blockchain can actually help companies solve existing problems, the technology can be built into and around legacy systems.

Secondly, it will be important for companies to take a cautiously enthusiastic approach to blockchain.

One of the primary limitations on the technology at the moment is that staff lack the knowledge to work with it, understand it, or see its potential. But then, the same could be said of many new technologies.

What is therefore required is that companies put in place training schemes that will allow them to take advantage of blockchain, as and when it becomes useful for their business.

Also Read: A blockchain perspective: the irony of financial inclusion

Alongside these training schemes, companies will need to invest in the basic building blocks that will allow them to deploy blockchain. This means increasing their cloud storage and security capability, and ensuring that the systems they are already working with are highly scalable.

As with any new technology, it’s difficult to predict the future of blockchain with any degree of certainty. What is clear, though, is that it has not lived up to the hype. Or, at least, not yet.

Editor’s note: e27 publishes relevant guest contributions from the community. Share your honest opinions and expert knowledge by submitting your content here.

Join our e27 Telegram group here, or our e27 contributor Facebook page here.

Image Credit: Icons8 team

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Scooterson launches light-weight foldable smart e-scooter; to be available in Singapore from Oct

The subscription fee is US$36 per month for Elf, which weighs less than 13.6kg

Scooterson team

US-based startup Scooterson, which has its R&D office in Singapore, has unveiled a new foldable light-weight smart e-scooter, Elf.

The new model — which comes in two variants, Elf and Elf+ — will be available in Singapore from October this year. The user will have the option to either purchase or subscribe to it.

While Elf (UL 2722-certified) is priced at S$799 (US$578), Elf+ costs S$999 (US$723).

The subscription fee is S$49.9 (US$36) per month each for both models. The vehicles weigh less than 30 pounds (13.6kg) each.

“Elf, which stands for Electric, Lite, and Fun, is the world’s smartest kick-scooter designed to have the most required attributes of the daily riders,” claims Scooterson CTO Deepansh Jain.

“Based on our tests, we noticed that almost all riders are comfortable to lift a scooter that weighs between 25 and 30 pounds. Also, the statistics show that riding a scooter more than 20 miles a day is very unlikely,” he added. “We worked on making the frame lighter and adding more cells without crossing the 30-pound limits. Built from light magnesium alloys and automotive-grade aluminium and weighing only 27.5 pounds, Elf is easy to fold and lift into your car trunk.”

The Elf models come equipped with many innovative features: “Smart Ride” helps riders optimise the mileage by suggesting the most efficient riding mode for the already-known roads. On the other hand, “Charging Reminder” reminds the user to put two-wheeler at charging whenever he/she is in a charging-friendly location.

Also Read: This intelligent electric scooter could force Mobike and Ofo to shift gears in Singapore

The “Adaptive Lights” feature in the vehicle can sense the ambient light and switch on and off for better visibility and safety.

Elf

The Elf models also boast of a smart battery management feature, which gives 20-plus miles range.

The user can manage all scooter functionalities from the Scooterson app for better performance and battery life to suit the way you ride.

Elf also features ‘anti-shenanigans tech’, which enables the user to know his/her Elf location anytime using the ‘Find My Scooter’ feature on the app. The anti-tampering alarm will send the user a notification to his/her phone each time someone tries any shenanigans with the Elf+.

It also comes in vivid colours and fully programmable mood lights, which will add more visibility and safety while riding in the night.

The Remote Diagnosis feature enables Scooterson’s engineers to detect and conclude the issues faster without further ado, to shorten the service turnaround time.

Elf also stores and process all the telemetry data in the cloud. Based on this data, the app will start giving you suggestions on how to improve your riding style.

Shipping of Elf and Elf+ will be started in September in Europe and North America.

Scooterson was founded in 2016 by Romanian national Mihnea de Vries (CEO) and Jain. In January last year, Scooterson secured US$1.75 million in seed funding from Arsat Industry, a manufacturer of precision metal parts for leading automobile companies in the world.

The company’s first model Rolley, still in Beta, is available only in the US.

 

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Today’s top tech news, Sept 6: Alibaba acquires NetEase Kaola for US$2B

In addition to Alibaba and Kaola, we also have updates from Swiggy, theAsianparent, SCB, and Sea Group

Alibaba acquires NetEase Kaola for US$2B – TechCrunch

Chinese internet giant Alibaba Group has acquired NetEase Kaola for US$2 billion, TechCrunch reported.

Tmall Import and Export General Manager Alvin Liu has been named as Kaola’s new CEO, replacing Zhang Lei.

Following the acquisition, Kaola will continue to operate independently under its own brand.

Citing a press statement made by the two companies, the report said that they will integrate Kaola into Tmall, creating what is said to be the largest cross-border e-commerce platform in the country.

Reports of the acquisition have circulated since weeks ago; it is said to had stalled in August after the companies reportedly disagreed on transaction details.

“We are pleased to have found a strategic fit for Kaola within Alibaba’s extensive ecosystem, where Kaola will continue to provide Chinese consumers with high-quality import products and services. At the same time, the completion of this strategic transaction will allow NetEase to focus on its growth strategy, investing in markets that allow us to best leverage our competitive advantages,” said NetEase CEO William Ding.

India’s Swiggy launches new on-demand services – SCMP

Indian online food ordering and delivery startup Swiggy has launched new on-demand services that included intracity courier service to send small packages, South China Morning Post wrote.

Called Swiggy Go, the service will operate in the company’s home base of Bangalore and expand to more than 300 cities by next year.

Swiggy also announced a “phased rollout” of its on-demand grocery delivery service Swiggy Stores in Bangalore and Hyderabad, which enables orders from both family-run stores and supermarkets.

Also Read: Meet the 5 regional finalists of Alibaba-MDEC Jumpstarter 2020 competition

theAsianparent names Susana Tsui as new CEO of Media – e27

Southeast Asian platform for parents theAsianparent today announced the appointment of Susana Tsui as new CEO of Media.

This appointment comes after theAsianparent’s recent announcement of its market expansion plans and e-commerce market foray, following its Series C funding round led by Fosun and JD.com.

Tsui’s previous notable stints include as Asia Pacific CEO of PHD, and Asia Pacific COO of OgilvyOne.

Before joining theAsianparent, she was the Group CEO of Dentsu Aegis Network China (DAN), managing over 22 agency brands across five cities in the country.

Siam Commercial Bank expands to digital lending, partners with Sea Group – Reuters

Thailand’s Siam Commercial Bank Pcl (SCB) announced a partnership with e-commerce and game developer Sea Ltd’s Thai operations to provide payments and lending services, Reuters wrote.

The bank will provide lending services to small businesses on Sea’s e-commerce platforms.

Sea’s AirPay customers will also be able to pay bills via SCB’s apps.

The tie-up is in line with the bank’s strategy to secure partnerships and expand its digital capacity, including payments and lending.

Image Credit: Adi Constantin on Unsplash

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[Discussion] Indonesia is looking towards East Borneo for its new capital city. Should startups tag along?

The new, unnamed capital city has been described as a “smart metropolis”

You may have heard about the Indonesian government’s plan to move its capital city from Jakarta to East Borneo –a plan that has been in mind for decades but has only been confirmed this year by President Joko Widodo.

While Jakarta will continue to become the centre of business activities, the new capital will be the administrative and political hub of the country.

Following up the announcement, the President revealed more details about the government’s vision for the new, unnamed capital city. In this report by The Jakarta Post, the new capital is described as a “smart metropolis”, designed to be a “melting pot of technological innovations that can sustain the country for the next century and beyond.”

Personally, I always warn myself to be sceptical of any vision or plan announced by the government until it actually materialised.

Also Read: Jakarta comes out as “challenger” to global startup ecosystems: Startup Genome Report

But the topic of capital relocation has been a discussion in the e27 Telegram Group, which houses at least 400 members located anywhere from Singapore to Nairobi (!). Within this discussion, the tonality was mostly positive.

One of the most exciting points that came up was about the possibility of stronger ties with East Malaysia, with startup communities emerging in places such as Kuching and Sarawak.

There is also a possibility that local startup communities in Borneo will finally get the kind of attention usually given only to communities on the island of Java, as the country’s most populated island.

Even the prospect of building a “smart metropolis” seems to offer opportunities for startups, especially those working in the smart city field. (It reminded me of this commitment from SoftBank, though)

So what is your take on this? Is this capital relocation something you are excited about? If your company has been based in Jakarta, would you consider adding a presence in [whatever the new capital will be named]?

Let’s discuss!

Image Credit: ekoherwantoro on Unsplash

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Security, surveillance startup Oneberry raises US$22M Series A from CMIA Capital Partners, Bintang Capital Partners

CMIA Capital Partners is from Singapore while Bintang Capital Partners Berhad is from Malaysia

Oneberry Technologies Pte. Ltd. (“Oneberry”), an end-to-end security and surveillance solution provider, announced that it has received funding of S$30 million (US$22 million) from Singapore-headquartered private equity firm CMIA Capital Partners (“CMIA”) and Malaysia-based Bintang Capital Partners Berhad (“Bintang”).

With the fresh funding, Oneberry plans to expand its offerings while taking its products and services to a larger regional scale.

“The latest capital injection into Oneberry will enable us to step up our research and development initiatives, accelerate our compelling growth strategies, and allow us to explore emerging industries of growth, including cybersecurity,” said Arun Murthy, Deputy CEO of Oneberry.

Oneberry Technologies was founded in 2003. It offers to help address shortages in security manpower through technology solutions that “increase security, surveillance, and productivity”.

It claims to have clients from government agencies as well as public and private sectors, servicing the likes of the historic Trump-Kim Summit and 33rd ASEAN Summit held in Singapore in 2018.

Also Read: 5 reasons why startups should get a managed cyber security service provider

Ken Pereira, Founder and CEO of Oneberry, said: “CMIA and Bintang are ideal partners to help bring Oneberry to the next level, to help us execute our vision more rapidly into new sectors such as commercial, residential, industrial, retail, and also overseas where the opportunities are tremendous.”

Johan Rozali-Wathooth, Founder and Managing Partner of Bintang, commented: “Bintang hopes to deploy our resources and network in support of Oneberry’s expansion plans, and we are confident of a successful and productive partnership with the company.”

Oneberry said that it will also look to increase funding in its cybersecurity and robotics research and development programme, with the company looking to integrate connected Internet-of-Things (IoT) devices with traditional offline surveillance.

CMIA Capital Partners is a private equity firm headquartered in Singapore, focusses on control and growth capital investments in mid-sized businesses in Southeast Asia and China since 2003. In 2016, CMIA has pivoted to focus on Southeast Asia investments, especially in new economy, consumer, and technology sectors.

Bintang Capital Partners Berhad was established in January 2018, and has since deployed in excess of US$75 million of capital across various investments.

Image Credit: Unsplash

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How I started a US$1K/M side hustle selling slim paper wallets from rural Japan

An inspiring side hustle story of building an ecologically responsible business

Who I am

Hi, my name is Kan Yamamoto, and I am the designer of Kamino Wallet.

I started it as my side hustle, and since I opened my shop in June 2018, it has grown slowly. Though it is still a tiny business, I enjoy creating useful tools that are loved by many users around the globe.

Considering what I’m making from this project, I know it’s not that much, and it will take some more time to turn it into my full-time business.

But I’ve learned many things along the way, so I think it wouldn’t hurt to share my story.

About Kamino Wallet

Under this brand, I make minimalist, eco-friendly paper wallets out of washable paper.

Washable paper is a kind of material you would find as those labels on the back of your jeans. It is highly durable and even machine washable, which makes it an ideal alternative to leather while maintaining the paper-thin profile.

My wallets help you lighten the load on your pocket and the environment, by getting rid of the bulge and the cruelty of the conventional leather wallets.

The wrap wallet is my best selling product, and it is the best example of how my products stand out in terms of the design.

I apply the art of Origami — the traditional Japanese paper folding technique, to bring the full potential out of the material and make the most minimal wallet ever with maximum utility.

My backstory and how I came up with the idea

I am a self-employed graphic designer who also works as a woodworker/lumberjack. I was born and grew up in Kochi, Japan but moved to Europe and have spent my twenties in Switzerland and Berlin, where I practised graphic design and the fine arts.

After I graduated from the University of Art Berlin in 2011, I returned to Japan to dig deep into my cultural roots and to contribute to the local community.

Now I am living in a mountainous village in a suburban area of the city of Kochi. I love living near nature, and the quality of life here is irreplaceable, but one of the biggest problems in rural areas is that there are no jobs.

So I thought the best thing would be to learn how to create small businesses myself. And by doing it, I could be an example for the younger generation to show that it doesn’t matter where you live. You could build a global business, however small it is.

 Tosayama village, Kochi, Japan

With my background in art and design, I am a maker by nature, so I naturally looked for ideas for products that I can make myself by hand without much investment.

A wallet was my first choice because I genuinely needed it as a consumer but couldn’t find the right one that is slim, functional, and eco-friendly on the market.

 

My small workshop in the village

The process of designing, prototyping, and manufacturing my first product

I started designing wallets by prototyping with paper, looking for which form and style work best. I wanted it as minimal as possible, in its appearance as well as in environmental impact.

After trying various materials, paper, which I always had considered the material for prototypes, turned out to be the best solution for me. It also helped that I had some knowledge and experience with various kinds of papers as a graphic designer.

Soon after I finished the design of the first version, I wanted to see if there is a demand at all. So I quickly made a simple landing page to release the design as a free DIY template. And I asked visitors if they would be interested in the production version which will be made out of more durable material.

Also Read: The raging Amazon forest fires: Why businesses need to step up for climate change

I shared it on Twitter, Reddit, Medium, Instructables, etc., and to my surprise, I immediately got hundreds of downloads.

I could build a mailing list of about two hundred in a few months. Some people contacted me to give me their feedback on the usability of the design, and I kept refining the design based on that feedback.

One of the first prototypes made out of used Rhodia cover.

The process of launching the business

After I realized it could be a business by seeing the demand for the DIY version, I started to prepare for the launch. Finding the right kind of paper that is durable enough for daily use was hard, and in fact, I am still looking for the perfect material. But I eventually found a durable synthetic paper that is good enough for the first product, ordered it in bulk, and started making the actual products.

At the time of the launch, I had managed to have a mailing list of about 200 subscribers. Looking back, it is not that big at all, but I think that is enough for a start and assumed that a large number of them would place orders.

But I was wrong, dead wrong. I learned a hard lesson that subscribing to a mailing list and paying for a product is a different thing. In the end, only a few out of the list ended up buying my product.

I had zero knowledge of e-commerce at the beginning. But I have slowly learned many things by doing it, such as how to build a brand, website copywriting, and the way to optimize my site for conversions. Then I slowly started to gain customers from all around the world, and the designs have also evolved.

What worked for me to attract and retain customers since launch

What I care about the most is the personal connection with my customers. I always enclose handwritten thank you notes in the packages and respond to questions or feedback as openly as possible. One of my customers once wrote to me

“It’s great that you are so committed to customer service. These days it’s not normal anymore to get this kind of swift, effective and personal service.”

I also include one or two cards/bookmarks with a discount code printed that are made out of the same material as my wallets to encourage word of mouth. It would make it easier to refer a friend by simply giving a card so that they can touch and feel it.

After all, the digitized world we live in is sometimes rough and noisy, so this personal touch is what makes a difference in the long run. I believe being able to offer this kind of service is one of the strengths of being a small maker. And it certainly helps to build trust and retain my customers.

Thank you card that doubles as a bookmark.

What I’ve learned particularly helpful through starting the business

What surprised me the most is that many people on the internet do like to give feedback when I ask them to or when they genuinely love my idea/products. I think I made the right decision to release the DIY version as soon as possible to get feedback and brushed it up.

It is still relevant now, and listening to my customers is one of the best tactics I have learned when it comes to product development and marketing.

Another thing I am impressed by and thankful about and is how effectively the global postal network works. As I am based in a remote area, the logistics could have been a pain, but in reality, it works like a charm.

I can send my products out from a small post office in my village. Usually, within 10–14 days, they will arrive in North America and Europe, where most of my customers are.

Also Read: Can a sustainable workplace be profitable too?

By the effort of making my products and the packages as slim and lightweight as possible, I could reduce the shipping cost and ultimately afford to offer free shipping worldwide on all orders.

 The inspiration

I’m a kind of a bookworm, so I’ve read many books about starting a business, building a brand, or design/art in general, but my number one would be:

“Design for the Real World” by Victor Papanek

I always come back to this book whenever I want to make sure if I’m on the right track as a designer/maker. Let me quote one of my favourite lines.

Design, if it is to be ecologically responsible and socially responsive, must be revolutionary and radical in the truest sense. It must dedicate itself to nature’s principle of least effort, in other words, maximum diversity with minimum inventory or doing the most with the least. That means consuming less, using things longer, and being frugal about recycling materials.

Now and the future

Currently, it makes around US$1,000 in sales, of which about $600 is profit. So it is not a typical success story you usually see here. At least it is profitable as my side hustle, and I love doing it.

I get about 60–100 visits a day mainly through organic search, Instagram, and Reddit. And my current conversion rate is around 1 per cent, which would explain why it has been slow in sales.

I tried google ads for a while but couldn’t figure out how to make it work effectively, so I stopped it for now. While I would like to keep the business rather small, it could expand a bit more so acquiring new customers is the biggest struggle at the moment.

Regarding the cost and the profit, I try to keep the gross margins before ad-spend around 35–40 per cent for every product. The cost of labour is also around 40 per cent, which I am taking for now, but I would hire someone with it for making my products if it eventually scales in the future.

Based on the feedback from my customers, I have been designing new products, including notebook wallet and coin pouch. Also, I am talking with a manufacturer who produces even more eco-friendly material that has more colour variations so the products line up will undoubtedly keep growing.

It may sound optimistic, but I believe my business has the potential to turn into my full-time business eventually, or even beyond that.

It seems more and more people are interested in a simple, eco-friendly lifestyle, and my products would appeal to those audiences once I tuned in the right channels.

Advice for fellow side hustlers

All the above being said I guess I am nowhere near the position to tell anyone how to start/run business.

All I can say is that you need to take time to grow the business, so take it easy and don’t give it up too soon.

Thank you for reading, and I hope it could give you some inspirations for starting your side hustles!

Editor’s note: e27 publishes relevant guest contributions from the community. Share your honest opinions and expert knowledge by submitting your content here.

Join our e27 Telegram group here, or our e27 contributor Facebook page here.

Image Credit: Author

This article is the edited version of the interview done with Starter Story.

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