Daniel stepped into the world of eCommerce and was driven by inspiration to join a dynamic and exciting industry. Read on to learn more about his experience as a Lazada eCommerce seller with his shop DangaoSG.
| Name: | Daniel Tay |
| Age: | 29 |
| Name of store: | Dangaosg |
| Category: | Home |
| Joined Lazada in: | 2019 |
How old were you when you joined Lazada as a seller and what made you want to become one?
I was 26 when I signed up as a seller. Early in my career, I worked in the eCommerce space for a couple years and took inspiration from many of the sellers and brands I spoke to. They shared stories about how they took a leap of faith back then, joining platforms like Lazada when eCommerce was still in its nascent stage. They also spoke of how steep the learning curves were given how dynamic and exciting the eCommerce retail scene is. I was really intrigued by these experiences and decided to try it myself.
Have you ever had experience selling before going online to do it?
No, I had no experience with retail or selling at all before starting out.
Did you leave a job to open your own business?
No, I did not leave a job to open my own business. When I first started out, I regarded it as an experimental “hobby”, to see where I could take this business in my free time, outside of work.
What made you decide to sell in your current category?
Originally, I was selling products in the Travel category in 2019. However, as we all know, Covid-19 hit in 2019 and the category suffered. I then pivoted to the Home category as people were largely home-bound and were actively looking to buy products to make their homes a more comfortable living space.
What is the most fulfilling part of being an eCommerce seller now?
As a regular marketplace seller, I would say the dynamic, ever-changing landscape is what makes eCommerce exciting for me. In the last 2 years home products were popular, but moving forward it could swing back to Travel products. Being an eCommerce seller allows me to be nimble and flexible to adapt my product offerings in real-time to customers demands as listing a product is simple and quick.
What are some of the most challenging parts of being your own boss?
The most challenging part of being your own boss and starting a business from scratch is that you are the main driving engine – you must have a lot of dedication and put in a lot of time to move the business forward.
Do you have advice for anyone who might want to be their own boss?
Just do it! If you have an idea or an interest, don’t overthink it. No one succeeds on their first try, but if you don’t try, you cannot succeed!
What are your three top tips for anyone who wants to succeed in selling online?
- Focus on the eCommerce fundamentals and build the right foundations from the start. These can be as simple as making sure your product listing content scores are good!
- Identify opportunities and take risks – the eCommerce retail landscape is ever changing, you need to be quick to identify the next big category or products based on trends and observations and be ready to take risks to capitalize on these opportunities.
- Have a lot of patience. The eCommerce journey is not one that can be achieved overnight. It takes time to build up a store, participate in campaigns, and to analyze your data over and over again to continually optimize your store towards success.
Interested in building your own legacy as an entrepreneur? Start selling now on Lazada and reap the benefits.
Look out for more insights in the latest ‘Be Your Own Boss’ series, where Lazada profiles its inspiring and successful young sellers within the ASEAN region who decided to become their own boss. Stay tuned for more amazing seller B.Y.O.B stories! #BYOB
