Mattress business sees sales surge as e-commerce ecosystem grows more challenging
Jakarta (ANTARA) — A mattress manufacturer says it has seen its sales surge despite increasingly challenging conditions in the e-commerce ecosystem.
“During the pandemic, we were on the brink, with no orders for seven months. But the end of 2020 was a turning point when emergency hospitals across the country and a WHO project entrusted Trendy Springbed with their mattress requirements. That trust enabled us to recoup seven months of losses in just one month,” the company’s business development representative, Leonardo, said in a statement in Jakarta on Friday.
Leonardo said that continuing a family business that had operated for decades was no easy task. Market shifts, economic conditions and technological developments posed distinct challenges for the next generation.
They had to keep looking for strategies to ensure the business remained relevant and reached a wider market.
This experience reflects the story of the family behind local home-living brand Trendy Springbed, established in 1990. One of the owner’s children recounted the ups and downs of the family business.
The conditions also caused sales to slow sharply. A glimmer of hope emerged in 2018, when the company began pursuing government projects, supplying some of the country’s mattress procurement needs and exploring export markets.
But the greatest test came in 2020. The COVID-19 pandemic hit hard and nearly drove the spring-bed company into bankruptcy. For seven months, not a single order came in. All orders were postponed, leaving the business’s finances at their most critical point.
After weathering that period, Trendy Springbed sought to build more sustainable sources of business growth. In 2021, the company invested more seriously in expanding its export market, including by buying a vacuum machine to make shipping products overseas more efficient.
“At first, I didn’t really understand how e-commerce worked. I thought selling five units would be good. But 60 units sold straight away, even though we had only been on the platform for a month,” Leo said.
After this unexpectedly strong start, Trendy Springbed pursued e-commerce more seriously. Leo said its success in the digital arena was closely linked to the optimisation it undertook within Shopee’s ecosystem.
Shopee Ads became one of the company’s main tools for promoting its products. According to Leo, this approach was more effective than the conventional method of sales representatives making rounds. Trendy Springbed also regularly uses Shopee Live, broadcasting every day.
Leo stressed that e-commerce was not merely an additional sales channel, but also offered a new way to distribute products. Digital platforms enable products to reach more buyers more efficiently. The range of delivery services available through e-commerce, including cargo shipping, also helps address the challenge of transporting bulky goods such as mattresses at more affordable rates.
“Despite increasingly intense business competition, selling through e-commerce remains very profitable and can even become a key driver of business growth. Digital platforms such as Shopee, for example, have a range of features that businesses can use and can shorten long supply chains. This means quality products can reach buyers more directly, conveniently and efficiently,” he said.
Leo added that Trendy Springbed would not focus solely on producing mattresses for adults and children. It would continue to expand its product lines, from pet beds, baby mattresses and mattress toppers to bolsters and other bedroom accessories.