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Inspirational traditional business owners lift up their communities
Micro, small and medium enterprises (MSMEs) are the backbone of Indonesia’s economy, accounting for over 61 percent of Indonesia’s total gross domestic product (GDP).
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(Courtesy of Tokopedia)
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icro, small and medium enterprises (MSMEs) are the backbone of Indonesia’s economy, accounting for over 61 percent of Indonesia’s total gross domestic product (GDP) and absorbing around 97 percent of domestic employment, according to data published by the Investment Ministry.
Moreover, the e-Conomy SEA 2022 report by Google, Temasek and Bain & Company shows that more than 50 percent of businesses in urban communities have started their digital adoption, especially stores that are expanding their business via e-commerce platforms. Indonesia's digital economy is expected to reach a gross merchandise value (GMV) of around Rp 1,198.3 trillion (US$76.6 billion) in 2022, a 22 percent increase from last year. The same research shows that the e-commerce sector holds the highest adoption of digital users at 89 percent.
Tokopedia is arguably the biggest Indonesian e-commerce platform and has supported MSMEs before, during and after the pandemic. The Mitra Tokopedia seller application has entered its fourth year, and the company has organized the #SemangatKu4t campaign in order to further support its traditional business partners.
“The #SemangatKu4t campaign is aimed at appreciating traditional business partners, who have been using the Mitra Tokopedia application to start and develop their businesses. Through this campaign, Tokopedia has held the Cerita Kampung Mitra Tokopedia competition and has chosen the winners with the most inspiring stories," explained Karina Susilo, Head of New Retail at Tokopedia.
The e-commerce business will renovate the stalls or shops of the winners so that they are more enthusiastic in running their business. The winners were picked based on their inspiring stories and the impact they have had on their communities.
One of the winners was Marfour Syma, the proud owner of Toko Si Kembar in Bogor, West Java. She has been using the Tokopedia Mitra application since 2018 to find additional income because her husband was forced to retire.
Without starting capital, she was able to start selling digital products, such as telephone credit, data packages, game vouchers and electricity tokens. Regarded as an inspiration in her community, she usually spends any profit she can spare to contribute to Jumat berkah (Friday blessings), a weekly charity event in her neighborhood.
“Thanks to Mitra Tokopedia, I didn't need to spend capital to start selling digital products such as credit or data packages. It was also very helpful for me to manage books and record customer debts with the Record Debt feature on the Tokopedia application. If there is extra profit, I always share my sustenance with others in need," said Marfour.
Similar to Marfour’s story, Titin Lestari uses the Tokopedia platform to earn a living alongside her physical store, Toko Gibran. A member since 2019, the local business owner from Medan, North Sumatra, sells basic necessities and digital products using the wholesale and digital products feature on the platform, respectively.
She opened her store in 2017 and has seen the huge difference Tokopedia has made to her daily turnover. She revealed that her profits now reached millions of rupiah, and she is making twice what she earned before using the platform. Titin often helps other residents to earn a living by opening up her store as a consignment, reselling products for other small business owners in the area.
“The stalls are also getting busier, so I can help people who don't have a place to sell their wares,” said Titin, who said her store was usually filled with customers.
