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'bobobobo.com': Making e-commerce holistic and luxurious
Jimmy Akili appears confident when he says that bobobobo
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Jimmy Akili appears confident when he says that bobobobo.com is the first and the best-looking lifestyle e-commerce platform in Southeast Asia.
'If amazon.com focuses on books and electronics, our site offers an alternative for those who want to go shopping, travel or just attend events or courses, all in one platform.'
As you enter the site, the clean layout stands out, with a subtle pastel color palette. The home page focuses on three themes: shopping, holidays and treats. Instantly, you can tell that the site is an indulgence in luxurious goods and services.
As the founder, Akili is optimistic that he can promote the site as a platform for quality local business, designers and to promote various destinations within Indonesia through a well-thought presentation and variety of products.
'I see that Indonesia still lacks a talent pool. So one of our jobs is to promote not only products but also the story behind them.'
After running for a year and a half, more than 70 percent of bobobobo.com's partners are local.
However, the 36 year-old realized that online shopping is still new for Indonesians.
'Creating an e-commerce platform in Indonesia is not as easy as establishing one in Singapore or Australia. Here, it is very challenging and risky. Our infrastructure is one of the biggest issues,' he says ' which made the site a hard sell to his relatives.
Growing up in a family with experts in the hospitality industry, Akili is the second generation of a leading travel agency, Smailing Tour Group.
Meanwhile, his older brother is the mastermind behind the Potato Head Family, a consortium of dapper restaurants, bars and hotel, which has smoothed Akili's way in collaborating with other premium players, such as the Ismaya Group, Aman Resorts and Alila Hotel & Resorts.
'My family asked me, why not into the property business? Online shopping is a high-risk business because our biggest investment is actually our human resources, the team.'
However, Akili has a sound knowledge of the tourism industry from Smailing Tour, where his job was to introduce Indonesia to world travels. He studied business marketing and did his minor in psychology tourism in Hawaii and he knows who he should aim for.
'We targeted the middle-to-high income earners because we know what our potential customers expect. We have the data. So why don't we go for it?'
Akili admits that his passion in design led him to synchronize business marketing and e-commerce, which inspired his team to create inspired presentations.
While the prices are out of reach for many Indonesians, the products are now more accessible, as they can reach a broader customer base via the Internet.
'The thing is people usually didn't know that these things exist. For example, most people have no idea about Bono Tidal Bore surfing in Kampar River in Kalimantan,' Akili said.
Akili said he took a test visit to Menjangan Resort in North Bali from the site, where he went diving, horse riding and watched wild deer bathe in the sea. 'An amazing experience. I woke up in the morning because I heard some noise in front of my villa. When I checked, a few deer were bathing and I watched them live, playing by the water.'
Akili says that the difference between bobobobo.com and other tour operators is the holistic approach his website offers users. The site specializes in weekend getaways, both in Indonesia and abroad, ranging from Rp. 1.3 million to 8 million.
The shopping platform presents fashion and arts and crafts. Prices range from Rp. 50,000 (US$ 0,86) to 10 million Famous local couturiers such as Oscar Lawalata, Peggy Hartanto and Sapto Djojokartiko are just a few of the popular designers exhibited.
The site also offers exclusive 'City Jaunts' for things that the members can't find anywhere else such, as cooking classes or horse riding.
Despite its focus on the deep pocketed, Akili considers that the platform an alternative to show that Indonesia has good quality brands and smart consumers.
His life experience and study inspired him to see three values for his company: enablement, innovation, and passion. While the first two he holds dearly for his partners and customers, the third value contrast's the webiste with other platforms, he says.
'This online industry is young and we always canvass our partner's passions and skill sets. Without being passionate about it, quality would be hard to maintain.'
