Jakarta \u2014 The sea is no longer the main obstacle for residents of\nBreueh Island seeking the goods they need. They simply open their\nphones, choose an item on Shopee and wait for the parcel to arrive on a\nboat from Banda Aceh.<\/p>\n
For Marmub, a high-school student on Breueh Island, Shopee is one\noption for buying motorcycle spare parts and items related to his\nhobbies. The reason is simple: there is a wide range of products\navailable.<\/p>\n
\u201cThere are lots of choices and they\u2019re cheaper,\u201d Marmub told CNBC\nIndonesia in late September.<\/p>\n
Online shopping has changed how residents meet their needs.\nPreviously, residents had to travel to Banda Aceh to shop, a trip that\ncould take a full day. They had to cross the sea, pay for the boat and\nthen continue travelling on land to find what they needed.<\/p>\n
Now, some of that process has shifted to mobile phone screens. Goods\nare ordered online and carried over by boat.<\/p>\n
Boats carrying e-commerce parcels depart from Ulee Lheue port in\nBanda Aceh for Breueh Island, a journey of two to two-and-a-half hours.\nParcels usually arrive within two to three days.<\/p>\n
For Rahmi, a mother of two, online shopping saves both travel costs\nand energy.<\/p>\n
A single trip costs Rp60,000 for the boat, around Rp40,000 for food\nand about Rp150,000 for transport in Banda Aceh. The total comes to\naround Rp250,000, not including the money needed to buy the goods.<\/p>\n
Online shopping offers a different route. Residents simply order\nitems on their phones and collect their parcels when the boat arrives at\nthe pier.<\/p>\n
Sellers or couriers usually contact buyers by phone, send a photo of\nthe parcel and tell them which boat is carrying it. Once the boat docks,\nbuyers go to the pier to collect their goods.<\/p>\n
It is little wonder that dozens of residents wait for parcels at\nvarious piers on Breueh Island at around 2pm each day, including at the\nGampong Lampuyang pier.<\/p>\n
Sacks of parcels crossing the sea are placed at the back of the\nboats. The sincerity and mutual trust among Breueh Island residents are\nalso noteworthy.<\/p>\n
Muyasir, 43, a crew member, helps ensure that parcels reach their\nowners. If a parcel has not been collected, it can be left until the\nfollowing day at a shop near the pier. In some circumstances, parcels\nare taken back to Ulee Lheue and left at a shop there.<\/p>\n
The crew do not set a fee for carrying parcels. Although they\noccasionally receive Rp5,000 from residents, they say they provide the\nservice willingly.<\/p>\n
Boats typically carry around three sacks of parcels a day, containing\nabout 100 packages. The number rises to five sacks ahead of Eid.<\/p>\n
Marmub\u2019s story and the parcels arriving at the pier show how digital\ncommerce is beginning to reach areas where shopping once required a long\njourney.<\/p>\n
On Breueh Island, Shopee is more than just a shopping app. It\nprovides access to a wider range of goods, while boats continue to play\nan indispensable role, carrying orders across the sea and into buyers\u2019\nhands.<\/p>", "url": "https:\/\/jawawa.id\/newsitem\/on-breueh-island-shopping-parcels-arrive-with-the-waves-1793065847", "image": "" }, "sponsor": "Okusi Associates", "sponsor_url": "https:\/\/okusiassociates.com" }