Previous Platform
None
Industry
Toys
Use case
Find alternative suppliers and grow online sales via Ecommerce
As part of SourceSage’s 100 days SMEs Go Digital campaign, the virtual aspect of this initiative looks at providing thought leadership to similar SMEs who are at the crossroads of digitization post-covid. Through this series, speakers and important thought-leaders from various industries are brought together to share industry trends, opportunities and noteworthy pieces of advice to encourage more SMEs to come forward and try new solutions, especially SourceSage’s Online Store.
In this first coffee session, we have Kemi from Little Likes Kids in the United States.
Owning and maintaining an online business gives entrepreneurs the freedom to make money from anywhere in the world. The idea is enticing, and more possible than ever, but many entrepreneurs/business owners don't know where to start. For Kemi Tignor, Founder of Little Likes Kids, a toy company in Washington DC, United States, her ecommerce journey started from raising her own child. Seeing there wasn’t a puzzle or thought game she liked present in the market, Kemi decided to come up with her own, based on the ample field research she has conducted via toy stores, festival booths and kids her child’s age.
“I started offline, selling to customers first with outdoor booths before reaching out to independent retailers and pitching my products to them. Gradually, trade shows picked us up and it became apparent that I had to go online because it was more convenient and accessible. There are also many 3rd party platforms that have readily available features that are easy to use” says Kemi
Of course, many challenges were encountered during Covid-19 with her supply chain affected and shipments delayed. Toys regulations are also different in every country and getting access to capital to purchase inventory was one of the issues. Thankfully with Kemi’s involvement in the U.S trade association, she was able to manage that with minimal drawbacks. Moving forward, Kemi notes that it is essential for businesses to think about how their goods are stored and prepare to find service providers to fulfil orders as an alternative plan - even before rainy days.
“It is normal for SMEs to leverage on third party platforms when starting out but as the brand reaches maturity, it is always better to start their own online platform, with proper branding and messaging. You also get more control on the business with logistics, fulfilment, payment gateways” adds Jian Min
With many people in the U.S now interested in supply chain, fulfilment centres and many small manufacturers looking to connect with small brands to create communities, it is a good time to amp up on marketing and build an online social media presence. “It was only after our feature on TV show, Good Morning America, that we realised how much value we could get from 3rd party platforms. The exposure was huge and we clocked a huge amount of sales within the next few days!” added Kemi.
With that, Kemi is looking to expand beyond the U.S and into the Canadian and European markets, and hopefully to Singapore with changes to her trade regulations. With the advancement in technology and help from third party platforms like SourceSage, she is confident she has the tools she needs to succeed.
It takes quality work, discipline, focus, time, patience, and persistence to build an online business but what do many successful businesses have in common? All of their founders had the right mindset - They all focused on delivering unique value to the right market through a low-cost medium (the internet) and with the right ecommerce solution.
Buy Now: https://www.littlelikeskids.com/