Indonesian e-commerce unicorn Tokopedia introduced a new feature that allows anyone to recommend their favorite products and generate profits from it.
The company says the feature, called “Tokopedia ByMe”, gives all Tokopedia users the opportunity to become “influencers”.
Sellers can set the commissions for items they want others to promote. Those commissions are paid only when items are successfully sold by the promoter. Tokopedia is introducing 13 public figures as the first Tokopedia ByMe Influencers.
Tokopedia claims that this feature is the first of its kind in Indonesia.
However, it is taking a leaf from Chinese social commerce platforms like Pinduoduo and Yunji, which both have a number of variations on the theme of social commerce, where shoppers benefit from getting other shoppers on board. This strategy seems to work considering that Pinduoduo quickly became one of the most popular e-commerce apps in China and listed last year. Yunji is heading for an IPO.
Tokopedia believes that social commerce is applicable to Indonesia, with its culture that values social cohesion and group activities.
“Tokopedia ByMe makes it easy for buyers to get recommended items from their role models, both public figures and people closest to them such as friends and relatives,” said Tokopedia’s Cynthia Limin in an official statement. She said the feature was created based on the observation that recommendations from the immediate environment are very important to shoppers for all kinds of purchases.
Editor: Nadine Freischlad