Water hyacinth is an aquatic plant that grows floating and is often considered useless. However, for the residents of Kesongo village, water hyacinth is a source of income as the majority of its residents work as water hyacinth farmers. The water hyacinth is sold raw for Rp. 25.000/ bunch and dried for Rp. 5000.

This is not comparable to the efforts of some people in taking water hyacinth in the swamp. In taking water hyacinth in the swamp, the local community takes a long time and also poses a risk to their safety. The selling price of raw water hyacinth is inversely proportional to the selling price of water hyacinth that has been processed into crafts.

Firman Setyaji (31) is a man who uses water hyacinth fiber which is relatively strong and can be processed into delicate items that are competitive in markets. He said he wanted to contribute to his hometown, namely Kesongo Village, in order to earn income through water hyacinth processing. He seeks to educate and empower the local community in processing water hyacinth to be more valuable through his handicraft products by carrying the label “Bengok Craft”.

Bengok Craft is an MSME that was established in 2019. It has an Address at Jl. Fatmawati No. 8, Sejambu, Rt 02, RW.05, Kesongo, Tuntang, Semarang. Firman Setyaji as CEO of Bengok Craft, a water hyacinth businessman, transforms water hyacinth fiber for various crafts. Some of the craft products from Bengok Craft produced from local raw materials are as follows: slippers, cellphone cases, books, bags, hats, key chains to various furniture such as doormats or mini sofas, to fashion needs with unique designs and broad market opportunities.

For product prices, prices start from IDR 10,000 — IDR 500,000. Depending on the difficulty level, the cheapest are key chains and bracelets for IDR 10,000 or IDR 20,000 only. “In addition to Indonesia, our products have also penetrated overseas such as Malaysia, Singapore, Europe, and others,” said Firman.

The rapid development of technology, of course, also impacts the world of marketing. The marketing trend in the world has shifted from what was initially conventional (offline) to digital (online). Digital marketing is a promotional activity and market search through digital media online by utilizing various means, such as social networks. The virtual world is no longer only able to connect people with devices and people with other people around the world.

Digital marketing carried out by Bengok Craft includes social media that millennials and the public are familiar with. Social media are Facebook, Instagram, TikTok, blogs, and other social networks. In this way, virtual digital markets are getting wider and reach all corners of the world almost without boundaries.

In developing the marketing and sales of its products, Bengok craft collaborates with online marketplaces that can be accessed globally, such as Shopee, Lazada, Blibli, Tokopedia, so that they are easily accessible to consumers. This Bengok Craft effort also supports local government programs in the creative economy sector, being promoted by the Governor of Central Java, Ganjar Pranowo. Bengok Craft itself has been seen as an icon of young people in the creative economy movement who can motivate the growth of other creative economies.

Firman Setyaji said that the facilities provided by e-commerce, such as product campaigns, ease of service, and even big-name platforms, are increasingly launching their business for export. The presence of online shops in today’s digital era is so significant. These have played a big role in the development of our business. Various promos and attractive offers offered by the platform to both customers and sellers help increase traffic and public trust.

The rapid increase in the e-commerce business shows the many advantages it offers. From the consumer side, of course, online shopping is more practical than shopping conventionally at retail stores. Consumers can quickly obtain information about the products they need and can purchase transactions anywhere and anytime, from home, office, or other places online. Using only their gadgets, consumers can choose goods, make payment transfers, and wait for the goods to arrive. From the business side, e-commerce opens up new markets for the products and/or services offered and makes it easier for MSMEs to do business. E-commerce also makes enterprise operations more efficient. Businessmen do not need to go to the store. Businessmen can market their products from home or from anywhere. E-commerce is also very time efficient. Searching for product and transaction information can be done more quickly and accurately.

This article has been published on jatengpos.co.id with the title “Produk Lokal Bengok Craft Berbahan Baku Enceng Gondok Tembus Pasar Global Melalui E-Commerce“, https://jatengpos.co.id/produk-lokal-bengok-craft-berbahan-baku-enceng-gondok-tembus-pasar-global-melalui-e-commerce/arif/
Author: Khairun Nurhayati
Translator: Ritya Rasta Bilqiis

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