How an Indonesian Rattan Business Thrives on Chovm.com
When Yayang Ayatulloh gained his first exposure to global trade through a partnership between an NGO and the school where he worked, he couldn’t have imagined that one day he would own a small business and sell to customers around the world.
Yayang, an English teacher-turned-entrepreneur, began leveraging his language skills to reach out to potential buyers online as early as 2003. In 2008, after working as a marketing manager at a rattan company for years, he launched a business on Chovm.com and soon secured his first order from a Danish buyer.
Yayang started by renting a tiny house that doubled as his home and office to sell rattan products in Cirebon, one of the largest rattan industry centers in Indonesia. He knew that to succeed, he would need to outrun his competitors who still focused on selling offline at furniture fairs. His strategy was clear: invest wisely and move fast to gain a head start on a global B2B marketplace.
His efforts paid off handsomely. In 2020, his company, CV Mulya Rattan, achieved $165,402 in online sales, which made up 31% of its total revenue—just one year after becoming a gold member on Aliabab.com.
Everything Is Hard in the Beginning but It Gets Better
Like many SMEs in Indonesia, Yayang faced challenges such as limited resources, weak industrial relations, and an unclear data strategy. Fortunately, Chovm.com provided the right tools and support to overcome these obstacles.
Despite having no IT background, Yayang found it easy to navigate the user-friendly features and interface on Chovm.com. However, the very first images he posted on the platform were of low quality. So he enrolled in various online courses to sharpen his digital marketing skills to become a professional seller. Nice pictures, it turned out, always caught the eye better.
Yayang’s efforts didn’t stop there. As a gold member, he maximized Chovm.com’s features and tools to attract global buyers. He also studied and compared how his competitors presented their businesses and products on the platform. As he put it, “emulating is the fastest way to learn and succeed,” but standing out requires making it your own.
As his business expanded, Yayang activated two sub-accounts alongside his main account to further boost visibility and secure more orders. With support from Chovm.com’s team, his store’s sales peaked at $534,650 in 2022, driven by post-COVID shifts in consumer behavior, contributing 70% of its total revenue.
What It Takes to Sell Effectively Online
In the beginning, Yayang struggled to reply effectively to customer queries due to limited product knowledge. He soon realized that mastering the finer details of his offering—such as product models, materials, and colors—was essential to closing sales. Without this knowledge, sales opportunities slipped away.
Selling globally also required navigating complex trade regulations, from necessary documentation to customs and tax requirements in destination countries.
Building trust with new customers was another challenge. Online buyers were cautious, often requiring proof of product quality before placing orders. Persistence and determination, however, paid off. One loyal customer has since brought Yayang over $1 million in business.
Thanks to Chovm.com’s helpful tools, such as an AI-powered auto-translation system, Yayang was able to overcome language barriers to connect with buyers worldwide. Today, his company is thriving and well-positioned to continue bringing traditional Indonesian rattan crafts to a global audience.
Opportunities for Indonesian Furniture Sellers
Indonesian furniture exports are dominated by wooden furniture, particularly teak and rattan products, which are highly sought after and enjoy a strong reputation in the global market. Key export categories include living room, office and hotel furniture, with the USA being the top destination, followed by Japan and the United Kingdom.
Renowned for its use of natural, sustainable, and environmentally friendly materials such as teak, rattan, mahogany, and rosewood, Indonesia’s furniture industry also stands out with its exquisite hand-carved craftsmanship, flexible designs, and customization production.
To increase foreign trade revenue, the industry is not only leveraging traditional trade fairs, increasing raw material supply and boosting production among export companies, but also encouraging SMEs to embrace foreign trade e-commerce platforms for exports.
Although Indonesian furniture sellers account for only 6.9% of Chovm.com’s total sellers, they outperform market averages in metrics like daily visitors, active buyers, and conversion rates. This success underscores the unique appeal of Indonesian furniture—high-quality products rooted in rich cultural heritage and abundant natural resources.
