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Celebrations abound in August as Tokopedia anniversary coincides with Independence Day
Indonesia is gearing up to celebrate the country’s 78th Independence Day. Throughout the years, Indonesia has emerged as an epitome of growth in a number of sectors, with one of the biggest start-up ecosystems in the world.
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Among the best-selling product categories on Tokopedia in the past year were groceries, household, fashion and electronics, as well as sports and hobbies.
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ndonesia is gearing up to celebrate the country’s 78th Independence Day. Throughout the years, Indonesia has emerged as an epitome of growth in a number of sectors, with one of the biggest start-up ecosystems in the world. With the new innovations that are made every day, President Joko “Jokowi” Widodo advocates for the country to improve local products, made in Indonesia and for Indonesia.
As well as Independence Day, Aug. 17 also marks a momentous milestone for one of Indonesia’s biggest tech giants, as it is the 14th anniversary of Tokopedia. There are more than 1.8 billion registered products on Tokopedia that can be accessed by people in 99 percent of subdistricts in Indonesia.
"To appreciate Tokopedia's loyal users, we are presenting the 'Tokopedia Traktir Ultah’ campaign throughout August 2023. As part of the campaign, Tokopedia is discounting platform fees to Rp 1,000 and offering various promos that can make people's online shopping more efficient," said director of corporate affairs Tokopedia, Nuraini Razak.
Various ways to celebrate
Introducing the first part of Tokopedia Traktir Ultah; users can use more than one promo every time they check out groceries at Tokopedia using the Tumpuk Promo program. It started on Aug. 8 and will continue until the end of the month.
“With Tumpuk Promo, Tokopedia users can combine free shipping promos, discounts, cashback and various other benefits every time they make a transaction. So, shopping for daily needs can be more economical," explained Nuraini.
The second phase of the discount will be launched on Aug. 17, dubbed Promo Dahsyat. Every day from 2 p.m. to 3 p.m., users will get a different treat every time they shop for an added surprise.
“Starting from when you buy anything, you can get gold, pay land and building taxes, and we’ll pay for your electricity bills, buy products in the Mother and Baby product category, get diapers, and much more. This promo can also be combined with free shipping of Rp 0,” added Nuraini.
Also launched on the same day is Brand Bombas-Deals. Similar to Dahsyat, customers can enjoy various offers every day from 7 p.m. to 11 p.m. from selected brands in various product categories, ranging from beauty and personal care, electronics and gadgets, household and more.
Users can access the Tokopedia Traktir Ultah promo calendar by clicking the “Traktiran Ultah” icon on the main page of the Tokopedia application.
In addition, the promotion period will also bring the PLUS by GoTo service with a more affordable subscription fee. This month, PLUS by GoTo will offer a 50 percent discount for packages to Rp 125,000 per month. For the three-month subscription package, there is a 55 percent discount to Rp 67,500 or Rp 22,500 per month. Meanwhile, for the six-month subscription package, there is a 70 percent discount to Rp 90,000, or Rp 15,000 per month.
With PLUS by GoTo, shoppers can access hundreds of millions of products with the “PLUS” logo on Tokopedia with free shipping for same-day delivery, and faster delivery time overall. PLUS by GoTo also presents a series of other benefits, such as priority Tokopedia Care customer service, exclusive promos and discounted prices through collaboration with strategic partners.
“Tokopedia was launched for the first time on Aug. 17, 2009. For nearly 14 years Tokopedia has continued to strive to help MSMEs throughout Indonesia so that they have the same opportunity to grow and develop, without having to move to the capital. Currently, there are more than 14 million sellers on Tokopedia and almost 100 percent are MSMEs," said Nuraini.
The joyous occasion is also used by Tokopedia to reiterate its commitment to easing the lives of the Indonesian people, and to look back on the milestones and targets that it has achieved throughout the years.
"Apart from making it easier for sellers to start and build online businesses, Tokopedia also helps people meet various daily needs with a wider selection of products, more quickly and efficiently," she added.
From Indonesia, for Indonesia
Nuraini also revealed that Tokopedia will be intensifying the Hyperlocal initiative, along with the Kumpulan Toko Pilihan (KTP) activity for curated products closest to the buyer’s location, as well as Dilayani Tokopedia where sellers can deposit products at Tokopedia's smart warehouses in areas with high demand so that buyers can access these products more quickly and with cheaper shipping. Thanks to the Hyperlocal initiative and its various derivatives, Tokopedia has recorded a positive impact on Indonesian online shopping trends over the past year.
"Some of the best-selling product categories on Tokopedia in the past year have been groceries, household, fashion and electronics, as well as sports and hobbies. Tokopedia users come from various backgrounds, both women and men, young and old alike. We want to be an inclusive platform that can make everyone's life easier," said Nuraini.
The Tokopedia Hyperlocal initiatives have also spread the use of the application beyond Java, as the highest increase in the number of sellers over the past year came from other locations such as Southeast Aceh, Padang Lawas Utara in North Sumatra, Malacca in East Nusa Tenggara, Central Buton in Southeast Sulawesi and Teluk Bintuni in West Papua.
Furthermore, data show that the highest increase in the number of transactions over the past year came from Natuna in Riau Islands, North Lombok in East Nusa Tenggara, Deiyai Arfak Mountains and Nduga in Papua, with an average increase of almost 8.5 times compared with the previous year.
“On the other hand, almost three-quarters of the inter-island transactions that have occurred at Tokopedia over the past year have used the Free Shipping feature. The free shipping service is in great demand by Indonesians who shop online, especially for intra-island transactions. In other words, this initiative also helps businesses in all regions in Indonesia, including MSMEs, increase sales and advance their business, without having to move to the capital; very much in line with Tokopedia's Hyperlocal mission," said Nuraini.
Stories from the streets
Among businesses that Tokopedia has helped is THENBLANK, a company offering minimalist fashion products sourced from local ingredients and sustainable production to reduce waste. While the company was founded in 2017, it became a part of the Tokopedia ecosystem in May 2018.
"Since joining Tokopedia in May 2018, more and more opportunities have opened up. One of them, when Tokopedia bridged our collaboration with Opa Oma Bagio in launching the 'First Love' collection. The First Love THENBLANK collection on Tokopedia has significantly increased sales,” said founder Mutiara Kamila Athiyya. The brand is expected to join the celebration on Aug. 17 by launching its new collection, along with its “Meriah” campaign, short for merdeka berhadiah, on Tokopedia.
As Tokopedia empowers sellers, some companies pay it forward to the community around them, as evidenced by Bandung-based sneakers company Kanky, founded by Alvonsus Ivan Kurniadi in 2019. Its sales have increased, thanks to various campaigns on Tokopedia.
To continue the benefits it has gained over the years, the company continuously empowers more than 300 local artisans and MSMEs through its factory in Surabaya. Moreover, it will also take part in the celebration by launching the red-and-white exclusive “Kitadake” product on Tokopedia, of which only 78 pairs are available.
The empowering story of Kanky is also echoed in the programs initiated by another company in the Tokopedia ecosystem; Luxcrime. The cosmetic business was started by Achmad Nurul Fajri in 2015 and joined the Tokopedia family soon after. It credits Tokopedia with its increase in sales, as the application has open it to a wider market.
“Those who understand the skin types of Indonesians are definitely Indonesians themselves. This is what encouraged me to set up a local makeup brand, Luxcrime. I want to invite more people to be proud and use local beauty products," explained Fajri.
Like many, an increased exposure is one of the benefits most-sought after for brands in Tokopedia. SAFF & Co., founded by Santi Tan in 2020, offers locally made perfumes and joined the platform for exactly that reason.
“Starting from a hobby of collecting perfumes, I founded SAFF & Co. to present a fragrance experience that was not yet familiar to the noses of the Indonesian people. In presenting the product, we source materials from local farmers in Sulawesi and Garut," said Santi. “Tokopedia campaigns such as Waktu Indonesia Belanja [WIB] and Cantik Fest have also been proven to increase our sales compared with normal days."
A similar success story also came from Pisang Goreng Madu Bu Nanik, which was founded in 2007 and launched on Tokopedia a decade later in 2017. Nanik Soelistiowati said that when she started, her fried bananas were rejected by the market because they looked overdone. Her determination eventually found Tokopedia, and she was able to grow her business.
“At Tokopedia, we add more products. Not only fried foods, but also souvenir products typical of the archipelago. Thanks to Tokopedia and its logistics partners, Pisang Goreng Madu Bu Nanik can expand its delivery range throughout Indonesia and of course increase sales," said Nanik.
Among the more well-known brands on the platform is Tuku, regarded as one of the most beloved coffee shops in Indonesia since it was founded by Andanu Prasetyo in 2015. Shifting its business online because of the pandemic, Tuku credited Tokopedia as its savior in keeping afloat.
“Tokopedia and the government created the #SatudalamKopi campaign in April 2020, and it was at that moment that TUKUCUR, TUKU 1L coffee was born and was first sold through Tokopedia," recalled Tuku chief experience officer, Astrella Siahaya. As the coffee brand reached a new height of success, it turned its focus into paying it forward.
"TUKU aspires to become a locomotive for the Indonesian coffee industry so that it can progress and develop from downstream to upstream. To make this happen, TUKU also gave birth to a subsidiary, namely 'Beragam', or Diverse, which specifically handles the processing of raw coffee beans directly from farmers or roasteries. Through Beragam, TUKU explores local coffee and empowers and encourages the regeneration of coffee farmers in Indonesia," said Astrella.
