Tokopedia and Local Entrepreneurs Collaborate to Shift Business Operations Online
Running a business during a pandemic requires agility, perseverance, and strong partnership
In the country with over 17,000 islands and home to over 260 million people, streets are usually packed with the backbone of Indonesia’s urban economy, namely street vendors selling diverse cuisine and daily wage workers offering different products and services.
However, for the past few months, things have been different. Due to the global pandemic, people have been confined to their homes, streets have been more empty and quiet, and local businesses have experienced the challenging impacts of COVID-19.
As a technology company maneuvering through a pandemic, Tokopedia is committed to supporting our merchants to sustain their business operations, while playing an important role in ensuring that consumers can fulfill their daily needs, no matter where they are.
Since the outbreak, Tokopedia launched a pioneering campaign called #JagaEkonomiIndonesia to educate, support, and guide businesses to shift their operations to the digital world through Tokopedia. Following suit, Tokopedia worked with merchants in various industries to help them digitally transform their businesses to continue to operate and thrive in the new future of entrepreneurship.
Here is a list of offline campaigns, which have been transformed to operate online on Tokopedia for the first time, in support of local entrepreneurs during the pandemic:
- HUT DKI Jakarta Great Sale
On Monday, 22 June 2020, DKI Jakarta celebrated its 493rd Anniversary. In contrast to its usual festive and crowded celebrations in the city center, this year’s events were held virtually. For instance, the infamous Festival Jakarta Great Sale which was usually held in different shopping malls across the city became the Jakarta Great Online Sale 2020 and was held online from 22–30 June 2020 through Tokopedia.
2. Big Bad Wolf Book Sale
Big Bad Wolf is the world’s largest book sale that is regularly held in Southeast Asia and the United Arab Emirates. In Indonesia, the Big Bad Wolf Book Sale toured numerous cities, including Medan, Balikpapan, and Jakarta. This year, due to the pandemic, the Big Bad Wolf Book Sale was held online exclusively on Tokopedia for the first time on 27 April — 3 May 2020, and for the second time from 24–30 June 2020.
As the sale is currently over, its official store is closed on Tokopedia. However, you can still have a look at some of the books it offered here.
3. Festival Santapan Lezat
In the culinary industry, Tokopedia collaborated with more than 500 merchants across Indonesia to hold an online food and beverage festival at the end of each week from May to June 2020. From renowned restaurants to up-and-coming cafes, the campaign offered merchants the opportunity to boost their exposure to more consumers and increase their sales.
4. Festival Semasa
To further promote local craftsmanship, Tokopedia and Semasa have held two Semasa Festivals on 15–17 May 2020 and 2–5 July 2020. In partnership with 31 local brands, the festival showcased local food and beverage and beauty products to Tokopedia’s wide array of consumers.
5. Jakarta’s Sneakers Day (JSD)
For merchants operating in the fashion industry, Jakarta’s Sneakers Day (JSD) was also held online on Tokopedia from 28–29 March 2020. In partnership with more than 98 carefully selected brands, the JSD also allocated a separate segment to specifically promote trending local brands.
As Tokopedia has the vision to become a Super Ecosystem where anyone can start and discover anything, it is important to drive the success of every member of the ecosystem. More importantly during a pandemic, Tokopedia’s ability to sustain and grow this Super Ecosystem relies on its commitment to supporting local entrepreneurs and local products.
Living in this new reality, we can see that while many challenges exist, opportunities are arising for homegrown entrepreneurs. As such, Tokopedia intends to continue to support the local entrepreneur and inspire consumers to prioritize and purchase local products with pride.
