Noticing final
- 1. NOTICING Final Presentation BONA KIM ITP | NYU | CLASS 2013 Monday, March 11, 13
- 2. PROBLEM I want to increase the awareness and revenue of the artisans in developing countries. I would like to utilize existing travelers as information agents to find artisans beyond my reach and create a movement to recognize the value of traditional and artisanal skill sets. Furthermore, I would like to harness this discovery with the actual sales so that the artisans are exposed to more potential consumers and benefit from higher revenue. Monday, March 11, 13
- 3. HYPOTHESIS Can travelers become individual sellers to sell the unique goods they find while traveling? Monday, March 11, 13
- 4. KOJO’S SUGGESTION Do an expert interview of all the avenues you are considering. 1. An avid traveler you can imagine to be a potential user of the service 2. An existing individual online seller and understand their behavior. What motivated them to start selling online and what are their challenges? 3. A business or a person who is working to increase awareness and revenue of artisans in developing countries. What is the similarity between your idea and an existing service? Monday, March 11, 13
- 5. INTERVIEWS TRAVELER 1 ETSY SELLER 1 NON PROFIT Taste Maker Art Print Maker Founder of Ex-Buyer Serious Seller Craftspring Business Analyst Multiple Platform Monday, March 11, 13
- 6. INTERVIEWS • Previous assumption of a potential user • Not interested in buying goods while traveling and selling it • Too much hassle and just not interested • Don’t want to bother anything while she’s on vacation • She doesn’t need additional financial support for travel cost • As a consumer she would be interested in buying directly from the artisans and not from travelers • the consumers would feel like they are traveling themselves by discovering these artisans themselves. • She’s not interested in reading about other people’s experience and think many are just interested in their own travel • maybe travelers can be advocates of these regions and artisans TRAVELER but not selling the items themselves Taste Maker • In terms of business perspective, minimizing liability Ex-Buyer in fashion retail • First capture the artisans with the lowest entry barrier. Currently a business analyst Travels occasion for vacation Stayed overs for 6+months last year for business Monday, March 11, 13
- 7. INTERVIEWS • Selling on multi platforms such as Obaz, Turning Art, Mediuum, Wind and Willow Home, Down That Little Lane (Australia), Society 6 and Little Paper Planes • Likes Etsy the most because it generates largest revenue, gets highest traffic, easy to use UI and helpful features • Helpful feature - automated shipping process, detailed statistics (helpful for planning inventory, understand consumer taste), easy payment system • Doesn’t like the clutter. So many seller, hard to connect to the right audience • Not interested in Etsy integration with social network such as Facebook and Twitter ETSY SELLER • Think she will use Maiv for souvenirs or items she finds at flea market Art Print Maker Serious Seller • Especially like that she would carry the items back home. Eliminate the shipping cost Multiple Platform Monday, March 11, 13
- 8. INTERVIEWS • Founder and CEO of Craft Spring • the lack of steady, year-round sales opportunities and access to socially conscious consumers willing and ready to support master artisans • Buying process - give the artisans initial funding for materials • SHE IS HEAVILY INVOLVED IN THE DESIGN PROCESS • very heavy and slow cash flow, high cash risk • A lot of overstock and seasonal items • No online shop only wholesale • Looking for the right online platform possibly Etsy or Zuilily • Currently Etsy doesn’t let merchants to sell • she thinks utilizing travelers is a great idea but how it's MERCHANT implemented would be the most important key to success. • Possible obstacle of each seller paying tax Founder of Craftspring • Each Etsy seller has business tax ID traveled in Central Asia interested in subject matter Monday, March 11, 13
- 9. INSIGHTS Travelers are not as interested in working as a buyer because.... • they can’t forecast the sales • transportation of goods seem cumbersome • logistics such as shipping, paying tax or tariff is a headache • monetary incentive/ margin might not be high enough Monday, March 11, 13
- 10. INSIGHTS Travelers are interested in... • information gathering/ sharing • buying goods for friends and family souvenir or specialty items they were looking for ex)African drum, Egyptian belly dance costume • buying goods to support the local merchant • unique goods that will sell expensive in their home countries Monday, March 11, 13
- 11. INTERVIEWING EXPERIENCE • Two people were over the phone and one person was in- person interview • Wasn’t quite sure if in-person interview was more candid • Friendship doesn’t mean interviews will be sugar coated • It’s harder to gain candid opinions from strangers/ or hard to tell if the person is being nice or being honest • Expert interviews are excellent when you don’t know a lot about the field Monday, March 11, 13