No VC funds, no problem for this Indonesian retailer

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Hi there,

Even when ecommerce is booming in Indonesia, many people still prefer to shop for electronic devices at offline retail stores.

Obviously, some consumers want to check the device before buying it, especially if it’s secondhand. They don’t believe in online reviews, which as we all know, can be fake.

Since 2003, Indonesian electronic marketplace Jakartanotebook has adopted the online-to-offline concept. The company is still thriving today despite mounting competition.

Even more impressive is that Jakartanotebook has been fully bootstrapped since 1998, with no VC involvement.

In this week’s Big Story, my colleague Budi translates an analysis from Tech in Asia Indonesia that dissects the firm’s business model and how the company has survived more than two decades.

Meanwhile in the Hot Take, I note why Amazon might be too late to the livestreaming party.

– Jofie

THE BIG STORY

Jakartanotebook is 6 years older than Tokopedia – and still standing without VC funds

Image credit: Timmy Loen

The Indonesian marketplace is one of the country’s ecommerce pioneers and adopted an online-to-offline strategy as early as 2003.

THE HOT TAKE

Is Amazon too late to livestreaming?

NEWS YOU SHOULD KNOW