On Breueh Island, Shopping Parcels Arrive with the Waves
Jakarta — The sea is no longer the main obstacle for residents of Breueh Island seeking the goods they need. They simply open their phones, choose an item on Shopee and wait for the parcel to arrive on a boat from Banda Aceh.
For Marmub, a high-school student on Breueh Island, Shopee is one option for buying motorcycle spare parts and items related to his hobbies. The reason is simple: there is a wide range of products available.
“There are lots of choices and they’re cheaper,” Marmub told CNBC Indonesia in late September.
Online shopping has changed how residents meet their needs. Previously, residents had to travel to Banda Aceh to shop, a trip that could take a full day. They had to cross the sea, pay for the boat and then continue travelling on land to find what they needed.
Now, some of that process has shifted to mobile phone screens. Goods are ordered online and carried over by boat.
Boats carrying e-commerce parcels depart from Ulee Lheue port in Banda Aceh for Breueh Island, a journey of two to two-and-a-half hours. Parcels usually arrive within two to three days.
No need to spend heavily to buy the things you want
For Rahmi, a mother of two, online shopping saves both travel costs and energy.
A single trip costs Rp60,000 for the boat, around Rp40,000 for food and about Rp150,000 for transport in Banda Aceh. The total comes to around Rp250,000, not including the money needed to buy the goods.
Online shopping offers a different route. Residents simply order items on their phones and collect their parcels when the boat arrives at the pier.
Sellers or couriers usually contact buyers by phone, send a photo of the parcel and tell them which boat is carrying it. Once the boat docks, buyers go to the pier to collect their goods.
It is little wonder that dozens of residents wait for parcels at various piers on Breueh Island at around 2pm each day, including at the Gampong Lampuyang pier.
Boats become a distribution route
Sacks of parcels crossing the sea are placed at the back of the boats. The sincerity and mutual trust among Breueh Island residents are also noteworthy.
Muyasir, 43, a crew member, helps ensure that parcels reach their owners. If a parcel has not been collected, it can be left until the following day at a shop near the pier. In some circumstances, parcels are taken back to Ulee Lheue and left at a shop there.
The crew do not set a fee for carrying parcels. Although they occasionally receive Rp5,000 from residents, they say they provide the service willingly.
Boats typically carry around three sacks of parcels a day, containing about 100 packages. The number rises to five sacks ahead of Eid.
Marmub’s story and the parcels arriving at the pier show how digital commerce is beginning to reach areas where shopping once required a long journey.
On Breueh Island, Shopee is more than just a shopping app. It provides access to a wider range of goods, while boats continue to play an indispensable role, carrying orders across the sea and into buyers’ hands.