Like many Asian businesses in the wake of the pandemic, Fipper found itself in a difficult situation. Started in 2008, the footwear company had grown impressively in its home market of Malaysia and was steadily expanding its store count internationally. Fipper’s natural rubber sandals were well known and popular, but most of its sales remained offline. When the pandemic struck, the company was challenged to increase its e-commerce presence, which at the time comprised only a small portion of its total sales.
“One of the main reasons for our success is due to the livestreaming culture in China. It has brought many opportunities for businesses and we hope more Malaysian brands can adopt this into their strategies moving forward.” said Chong Jee Von, CEO and Co-Founder of Fipper.
Tmall Global introduces Fipper to Chinese consumers
In December 2019, Fipper’s Co-Founder and CEO Chong Jee Von joined the Alibaba Netpreneur Program and launched a store on Tmall Global to introduce its products to the Chinese market. The timing was apt, because as the impact of the pandemic began to fuel a mass transition to online shopping, Fipper was able to lean into its budding relationship with the e-commerce platform to help its recovery.
Convincing customers to buy online – Because many shoppers prefer to try on footwear before making purchases, there was a hurdle to overcome in getting customers comfortable with buying shoes online. Tmall Global helped Fipper in this regard by developing and facilitating an accommodative product return and exchange service that made the process hassle-free.
Enhancing brand awareness online – Generating greater awareness about Fipper’s footwear products and finding ways to differentiate the company from its competitors was another barrier to robust e-commerce growth. This was overcome through Tmall Global bolstering Fipper’s social media presence and introducing the company to strategic key opinion leaders (KOLs), creating needed buzz around the brand and fresh interest in its products.
Fipper makes a remarkable recovery
As lockdowns were lifted in China and the economy started to recover in time for the summer shopping season, Fipper’s saw its sales on Tmall Global begin to soar. They reached a climax during the 618 Mid-year Shopping Festival in June 2020, where the company ended the month with sales 4.5 times higher than they were in May.
Fipper also benefited from marketing its products via livestreaming on Taobao Live. After a sales push with Cherie, one of China’s most popular livestreaming hosts, the company sold over 4,000 sandals and slippers in just five minutes. Slippers have become especially sought after due to more people working from home and seeking more leisurely footwear.