SME

By FedEx | First published: April 22, 2022    Updated: June 24, 2024

Traditional handicraft company Marlinda Craft shifted from physical to digital sales by tapping smart logistics and focusing on e-commerce. Discover why their handmade products appeal to memorabilia collectors and music lovers around the globe.
 

• Opportunities in e-commerce are helping local micro-brands across Asia to be discovered online.
• After experimenting with Javanese batik woodwork, Marlinda Craft saw a spike in demand for one particular product – miniature guitars. Since shifting to online sales during the pandemic, the brand has tapped a number of overseas markets, from Eastern Europe to the Middle East.

Today, most start-ups in Asia are born online. In the retail world, many brands establish an online presence first with e-commerce stores, online marketplaces, and a social media presence. Some who find success as an e-tailer choose to open a physical storefront later on. This helps to build their brand and allows them to connect on a more personal level with their customers and fans.

But for small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) who have been established for over a decade, the journey is often made in reverse. As e-commerce has grown, the shift from traditional to digital commerce has opened up borders and expanded the market reach of SMEs.

Online shoppers want to discover smaller, boutique brands offering niche products

Local handicraft manufacturer Marlinda Craft has been setting its sights on markets beyond Indonesian borders. Since 2012, the company has been making keepsakes such as miniatures of musical instruments, scarves, and keychains. Things changed during the pandemic, when founder Elang Handayana, witnessed a surge in cross-border trade.

Elang's journey began in 2010, when he started selling handicrafts made of batik and wood in Yogyakarta, a city on the island of Java known for its traditional arts and cultural heritage.

Elang quickly realized that the most popular product was his handmade guitar miniatures. With only a few players in the market, Elang and team decided to focus on mastering the craft.

As part of their rebranding, Marlinda Craft launched their website in 2012. The e-commerce site made catering to customers abroad much easier and more convenient.

Mapping a logistics strategy that delivers exceptional customer experience

With orders flooding in and limited experience with exporting goods, Elang started to look for an efficient way to ship his products overseas.

“I was lucky to have met with a FedEx Express representative at the right moment,” Elang shares.

"He taught me how to manage overseas product delivery, covering every step from A to Z. He was very helpful and responsive, especially when I had so many questions. All in all, the hands-on guidance helped me feel really comfortable working with FedEx.”

In particular, the full suite of FedEx digital tools - from FedEx Delivery Manager and FedEx Electronic Trade Documents to FedEx Global Trade Manager - has helped build and protect Marlinda Craft’s reputation.

Expanding production without compromising on hand-finished quality

Elang’s commitment to providing the best quality products and services has paid off. After 12 years of operations, Marlinda Craft has established two factories in Yogyakarta and West Java. Their potential income is upwards of US$10,000 per month.

The majority of the revenue comes from export, which contributes to up to 80% of total sales. To date, Marlinda Craft ships its products to several countries in Europe, the United States, Japan, China, Dubai, Qatar, and Asia Pacific.

Elang urges his fellow small business owners to go global. “The pandemic hit us all hard. However, it was the catalyst I needed to shift our business towards digital offerings, explore exports and share our products with the world. I was inexperienced when I started but I learned how to expand my reach. I believe that other local SMEs can do it too. "

“Nowadays, there are thousands of e-commerce platforms out there that enable homegrown brands to reach a wider market. There’s an entire entrepreneurial ecosystem in Indonesia, Asia and beyond.”

"Explore new opportunities, and most importantly, find the right logistics partner to help you achieve your global goals. If you manage to expand into new markets, there will be far more opportunities for you to succeed.”