NOTICINGFinal Presentation

BONA KIMITP | NYU | CLASS 2013

Monday, March 11, 13

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

HYPOTHESIS

Can travelers become individual sellers to sell the unique goods they find while traveling?

Monday, March 11, 13

KOJO’S SUGGESTIONDo 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

INTERVIEWS

ETSY SELLER 1

Art Print MakerSerious Seller

Multiple Platform

TRAVELER 1

Taste MakerEx-Buyer

Business Analyst

NON PROFIT

Founder of Craftspring

Monday, March 11, 13

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 but not selling the items themselves

• In terms of business perspective, minimizing liability • First capture the artisans with the lowest entry barrier. 

TRAVELER

Taste MakerEx-Buyer in fashion retailCurrently a business analystTravels occasion for vacationStayed overs for 6+monthslast year for business

Monday, March 11, 13

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• Think she will use Maiv for souvenirs or items she finds at flea

market • Especially like that she would carry the items back home.

Eliminate the shipping cost

ETSY SELLER

Art Print MakerSerious SellerMultiple Platform

Monday, March 11, 13

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 implemented would be the most important key to success.

• Possible obstacle of each seller paying tax• Each Etsy seller has business tax ID

MERCHANT

Founder of Craftspringtraveled in Central Asiainterested in subject matter

Monday, March 11, 13

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

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

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