12 Guidelines for Successful Online Business in Indonesia Adapted to its Characteristics Local Market

Illustrated: Official Store / Photo by: JPTG.com

JPTG.com-- Online business requires trust from consumers and credibility from sellers. The Integrity proven by consumer trust and the credibility of the seller is important so that your product or service from any part of the world continues to be sought after by consumers. Especially consumers in Indonesia.

The internet can indeed be used as a means of promotion or selling products or services. However, several points need to be considered when running an online business in Indonesia. Just like advancing to the battlefield, jumping into the world of online business in Indonesia also requires a strategy to achieve success.

For that, those of you who want to do business online in Indonesia need to know the characteristics of the online market here.
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​To make this happen, we, as one of the consumers and business people here, will reveal 12 Guidelines for Online Business Success that you need to know in Indonesia according to the characteristics of the local market.

Maybe, it can be material for your consideration.
 

1. Product Validity

Any product sold online should be a product for the general public’s needs and not a defective product. We as local consumers here really hate products that didn’t match what’s displayed on the web. If you want to do food business online, make sure the product can be delivered fast in just a few hours. If you want to do a service business, make sure consumer problems are resolved quickly (fast problem solving) and put yourself in their shoes. In addition, recognize the value of your product or services. So the validity here is fast delivery, fast troubleshooting, and your product has to value.
 

2. Promotion Techniques

Online businesses also know competitors. Competitors are rivals in terms of creativity in producing new products. Promote politely without dropping competitors' products here. This is the era of content marketing and copywriting. Master and use these digital marketing promotion techniques. Perfect for attracting consumers here.
 

3. Respect Social Norms

Sell products that do not conflict with social norms. Do not hurt harm society. Eastern culture that maintains politeness was very strong in Indonesia. Selling toys in the form of fun dolls may not cause poisoning but can have a psychological impact on children's minds.
 
 
4. “Original Is the Best”

Never sell counterfeit or plagiarized products. Local consumers will take note of online sellers who are considered to be selling counterfeit goods or simply imitating. Maintain credibility and be better by selling original or self-produced goods with unique value.
 

5. Maximize Website and Social Media

According to the data, Indonesia has the fourth largest country in the world as an internet user. Internet penetration has reached 202 million people or 73 percent of the total 274 million population in 2020. Doing business or selling something today in Indonesia if you don't use a website or social media is like a vegetable without salt. Everything tasted bland even stale. Millions of your potential customers are connected to the internet and social media here and love the eye-catching visuals.
 

6. Dare to Budget Advertising Costs

If a business doesn't make a profit, it's a loss. Also vice versa. But the problem is how we can reduce the risk of loss to a minimum and maximize profit as high as possible. All that requires the courage to budget the cost of advertising or promotion. Target potential customers and advertising costs as carefully as possible, but don't be stingy. Dare to take risks here so that it is fast but still measurable. See the results and re-evaluate. Use your budget to advertise on Google Ads, Facebook Ads, or Instagram Ads. Users in Indonesia are world-famous as the biggest and most loyal connoisseurs of these applications.
 

7. Use Attractive Promos

Consumers in Indonesia are known to be very consumptive and usually eager to find promos for cheap goods with additional benefits. To attract consumers like that, make it a habit to use cheap promos at first. Such as: "Buy 1 get 2", "Pay for the main product and get 2 additional products", "Travel tour packages after buying" or "Free webinars for a year", and many other interesting examples. Don't be afraid to lose. Adjust the Cost of Your Product or Services. That is indeed the characteristics of the consumers here.
 

8. Capture Prospective Customer Database

After your business is widely known to like to give cheap price promos, surely many more potential customers are willing to try. Capture their database by filling out a newsletter form or the latest product field and use email marketing to do repeated automatic promotions. Promotions can continue with a reduced budget.
 
 
9. Networking

Doing business online requires not only trust and credibility from customers, but it also requires good relationships or networking with local governments and associations to share, protect and work together. Just as a business, in general, requires associations and official legal as protectors. In online business, you get to know more other online business people and your reputation is well known, so it will be very profitable. Share and communicate often, and you will be taken care of. It is important to have Public Affairs and Public Relations Staff.
 

10. Consider Having Application Software

An online business website will be more complete if it has applications that can be downloaded on Google Play Store or Apps Store. Loyal consumers and customers will be facilitated with services via apps that can be done anytime and anywhere. Credibility is increasing and the closing rate is also getting higher. Middle-class consumers in big cities in Indonesia are very concerned about the speed of transactions because they are mostly concerned with other things.
 

11. Consider Having a New Representative Office or Branch

You have a goal in doing business online and it can be quickly achieved by having a successful online business and having a representative office here. Having a representative office and 24-hour customer service means making business more accessible to customers and they know where to go if they have problems with online transactions. This kind of thing is preferred in Indonesia. After your online business is successful and growing, duplicate it by opening a representative office, creating a reseller, opening a new branch or franchise.
 

12. Invest with CSR

A successful online business is a long-term investment. It can be inherited because the digital footprint will never be lost, namely on websites, social media, cloud servers, loyal customer databases, and legality (as long as it is continuously updated). To make it happen requires hard work and a long time. You can do it faster by investing CSR (Customer Social Responsibility) into your local market environment here. Giving something useful to your market environment will make your product or service stick in minds of consumers. We value products or services which is care about the environment around us.

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