Month: September 2015

Instagram Ecommerse

 

The introduction of social media has; without a doubt; dramatically altered the way in which we think, dress and conduct ourselves. In this new era, superficiality is celebrated and quiet rivalry simmers as individuals dress, act and talk – snap photos, and catalogue edited videos and post life experiences – all in a bid to out-do one another, attempting to captivate their silent audiences.

As we become more aware of others around us, we invariably tune into how they perceive us. The desire to make a good first impression becomes a silent competition betwinx one another as individuals race to purchase anything from the latest fashion trends to the brightest hair extensions all in an effort to stand out of the crowd.

Instagram is an example of such behavior, wherein the little galleries owned by individuals become mini-timelines of success, achievement and beauty. A quest to constantly out-do one another.

Thailand and Indonesia have capitalized on this growing trend! “Thailand arguably boasts the most engaged user base on Instagram in the world.” Their business models capitalize on the popularity of instagram, and as such cleverly intertwine ecommerce transactions with the popular app.

Over recent years Thailand’s and Indonesia’s hordes of self-proclaimed entrepreneurs have flooded the app, filling their galleries with beautiful commodities at highly competitive prices, leaving contact information in the picture’s description along with the asking price of the good. Their business model puts them at a competitive advantage as they have lower overhead costs, paying a minimum for shipping fees (sometimes even choosing to deliver it themselves), not having to pay for rent etc. They also eliminate the need for an intermediary seller, and can sell directly to customers. Thus cementing a more stable customer-seller relationship, which in turn may allude to a more loyal customer base, as it is more intimate. It also provides their customers with the benefit of having items delivered right up to their doorstep, at a cheaper price!

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“The popularity of the social network has created a new transaction model very specific to the country” Because both Indonesia and Thailand have very affordable mailing and shipping costs (within the country) it makes it very easy for transactions to flow smoothly without having to worry about any heavy potential added costs from shipping. Mutual trust is needed for transactions to take place as there is no direct repercussion for a bad business deal, and theft does occur. However, with that being said, most instagram businesses in Indonesia and Thailand have a brand image to maintain in order to keep and grow their customer base and build on customer loyalty through trust and generally do not engage in such practices. Transactions are made more commonly with the buyer transferring the amount agreed upon to the bank account of the seller, after which the seller sends the commodity Swift, easy – and often at times – worth the risk. Especially when buying smaller commodities such as cosmetics, wig extensions and accessories.

I have been an avid ‘instagram-shopper’ for close to two years now, with very little to almost no complaints with transactions resulting in fraud and theft. I miss the convenient variety of goods Indonesian sellers have to provide. Not being able to satisfy my insta-shopping-cravings here in Canada is proving to be rather trying at times! Hahah! I guess I’ll just have to make do till I go back for Christmas!

 

if anyone is interested, open up your instagram now and type in #JualBaju (sellingclothes) #JualImport (sellingImport) #Jualwig (sellingwig)

VIOLA! LE SECRET INDONESIAN INSTAGRAM BAZAAR is now accessible to you too! happy window shopping! ♥

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bib:

♥”How Line Is Turning Instagram into an Ecommerce App in Thailand.” Tech in Asia RSS. N.p., 20 Feb. 2015. Web. 28 Oct. 2015.

♥”How LINE Is Turning Instagram into an Ecommerce App in Thailand.” Rude VC. N.p., 17 Feb. 2015. Web. 29 Sept. 2015.

♥ Pictures are screenshots of 2 Indonesian shops I have purchased items from!

CANADA’S ROOTS

Canada.

I saw it on post cards and television shows (and featured in a good many cartoons) and commercials throughout my life. However, never would I ever believe I’d be continuing my education so far away from home. This was my first time setting foot outside of Asia. Having said that, upon arrival my parents and I made it a point to scour Vancouver for any local brands unique to the city.

 

It was not long before we stumbled on one of ROOTS’ beautifully furnished outlets. It surprised me how concerned and well informed ROOTS was regarding it’s corporate social responsibilities, and how invested it was in instilling staunch business ethics in its employees and staff members.

RootsCanada

ROOTS is closely affiliated with Canada and supports “various charities”. ROOTS’ core values center around producing “environmentally friendly” products every year, utilizing materials such as “organic cotton” and “recycled cotton” to manufacture quality products. ROOTS strong core values resonate in everything from their end products to the stores they are being sold in. “non-toxic water based glue”, “organic paints”, and “salvaged reclaimed wood” are a few of the many materials ROOTS incorporates into it’s store outlet interiors.

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I remember walking into the store to be greeted by a friendly employee. She was eager to tell me all that the company stood for, adding in “We are a local brand based in Canada” she chirped, going on to say “We give a lot of importance to being as environmentally friendly as possible”. The pridewith which ROOTS’ employees reflects how deeply embedded the core values of the company are. Displaying both strong CSR and stoic business ethics and practices, (evident in their eco-friendly demeanor and motivated employees) ROOTS has it’s roots firmly planted at the heart of it’s cause, cultivating the respect it rightly deserves from it’s customer base!
roots hoodieSnapchat--1386382852869979379

 

(Was coaxed into buying some adorable sweaters) 

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Bib:

  • “Roots and Canada.” Roots and Canada. N.p., n.d. Web. 16 Sept. 2015.
  • “Our Commitment To The Environment|The Environment|Roots.” Our Commitment To The Environment|The Environment|Roots. N.p., n.d. Web. 17 Sept. 2015.
  • “Business Ethics Definition | Investopedia.” Investopedia. N.p., 08 Dec. 2009. Web. 17 Sept. 2015.

COMM 101 – a series of “oh nos’!”

Hello dear readers, my name’s Grace Ng, congratulations on finding my COMM 101 Blog!
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“OH NO!”              that’s right.. that’s how my day went.

It was a bright sunny day cold windy afternoon as I made my way up the prestigious, worn stone steps toward the beautiful glass doors leading into the Henry Angus Building.

Engaging and sleek, the lecture hall was already half full with eager ‘Sauderites’ hastily taking up the front row seats. I scurried along the fringes of the room to find an ideal place to sit (second row! yay) . I let my eyes wander the large lecture hall and the diversity it held. “I’m prepared” I chanted in my head, “I won’t be timid anymore!”

THE CLICKER

That was…of course.. until everyone whipped out their iclickers and I realized I had forgotten mine back at the dorm. OH NO.

Coming from an educational background that used minimal multimedia tools to engage students in learning, I was both intrigued and fascinated by how a simple remote could be so effective in both engaging and promoting learning, as well as breaking the barrier between students and teachers such that active exchanges of thoughts and ideas could take place smoothly.

THE DIFFERENCE IN TEACHING STYLES

I was also taken aback by the way in which learning took place and how we as students were actively being engaged by motivated lecturers to answer, and even prompted to challenge what was being taught in class. My twelve years of schooling had done nothing to prepare me for this.

In a school where students were expected to be silent and listen attentively in every class, we developed the habit of being silent unless spoken to. (Even then I wasn’t very good. It wasn’t that I couldn’t. I was just painfully shy) 

“Should I answer!? Should I not? OH NO someone already did..”

THE CAMERA 

I had an opinion to almost every question asked by the lecturers, yet found myself unable to answer. I was so deterred by the camera looming behind them, waiting to pounce on the student who hit the mic button to answer. Brave souls jammed their fingers on their mic buttons, appearing on three wide screens being the lecturers for all to see. Brimming with confidence they were quick to answer questions and reasons to validate their points. My self-consciousness got the better of me and I fell silent, listening instead to the opinions of others and learning from them.

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OH NO the camera zoomed into someone in front of me, and I’m in the background!!

THE EXERCISE

To further break down the rigidity that comes with new students in a new environment, the lecturers had us form groups to assess a problem of cigarettes and alcohol consumption.

The results from this exercise took me by surprise. In Indonesia, the taxation on alcohol currently stands at a figure of 150% sin tax (as of july 9rd 2015) [1] . Yet a Canadian peer revealed that Canada’s taxation on alcohol was a mere 10% [2] . It was so surprising and refreshing to observe the difference in cultures and the severity of bands, taxation and other government measures and how they differed between countries. I never really thought about how different countries tackled similar persisting problems of demerit goods in the country until that class. it was an eye opener.

Reflection

The openness of the lecture setting came as a huge surprise to me, hopefully it’s something I can warm up to quickly as we’re moving fast! It is indeed a paradigm shift from my last 12 years of learning back home. Though unsettling, I’m extremely excited (internally) to try to immerse myself in this new way of learning.

Not being able to overcome my shyness and press the button to answer the questions posed will forever nag at my conscience. I’ll try again next time!

bib:

[1] “Import Tax on Alcohol Jumps to 150%.” Import Tax on Alcohol Jumps to 150%. N.p., n.d. Web. 11 Sept. 2015.

[2] “Provincial Sales Tax.” – Province of British Columbia. N.p., n.d. Web. 11 Sept. 2015.

pictures drawn within this blog entry by Grace Ng.

 

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