Social Network + E-commerce Hybrid Site Wishkoo Launches
Early March, several media reported the appearance of a new service called Wishkoo.com, a service which combines social network with e-commerce. With this service, someone can ask their relatives to buy gift collectively for certain friend. After the release of its beta version earlier, today Wishkoo is officially opening its service for public.
At Wishkoo, you can ‘lock’ your desired item so your friends can buy it for you or you can ask your friends to buy a gift as they want. The invitation to buy collectively can be shared via Facebook, Twitter and email.
3月初旬、メディア数社はWishkoo.comと呼ばれる新たなサービスが出現したことについて報道したが、このサービスはソーシャルネットワークにEコマースを融合させたものだ。ユーザーはこのサービスを利用することで、親戚一同に特定の友人に贈るギフトを共同購入するよう勧めることができる。これまでのベータ版サービス期間を追え、Wishkooは本日、公式に一般ユーザーに向けて本サービスを開始した。
Wishkooでは、ユーザーは希望の商品を「ロック」することができ、友人がその商品をユーザーに送ることができたり、友人の好きな方法でギフトを購入してもらうことができる。共同購入の招待状は、Facebook、Twitter、そしてEメールを通じて共有することができる。
三月の初旬、いくつかのメディアがWishkoo.comというソーシャルネットワークとE-コマースを組み合わせた新サービスの登場をレポートした。このサービスは、友達間で相談し、お金を出し合って一人の友達にプレゼントできるというもの。既にベータバージョンがリリースされているが、今日正式にこのサービスが公開された。
Wishkooでは、あなたの欲しいアイテムを「ロック（lock）」することができる。だからあなたの友達がそれを見て買うこともできるし、あなたが友達にギフトを何にするかを知らせることもできる。お金を出し合って買うための招待状はFacebookやTwitter、Eメールなどでシェアされる。
You can be friends with other user, sending message and see what other user wants. Item purchasing can be done through bank transfer (BCA and Mandiri) as well as using Piggy Coins, a facility on Wishkoo in the form of saving from the unused money – from excessive donation, expired wish or an unpaid item.
The concept of Wishkoo, as explained in an email by one of its co-founders, Chaya Kusuma, is based on the observation on Indonesian customer behavior in the social network, such as sharing their desired item on Facebook. Wishkoo also sees that Indonesian people are actively doing digital transaction, both by trading online or in the BB group. The collective concept in Wishkoo is also based on the observation on Indonesian culture which is close to collective concept and the habit of giving gift and getting together to celebrate something.
Before the official release, Wishkoo had opened its service beta version and managed to gather more than 11.000 users. The marketing strategy used to introduce its service is by maximizing the social media account of one of its co-founder, Daniel Mananta. Other than Chaya an Daniel, the other co-founder is Ben Subiakto who is known in the startup world through Project Eden and CEO of Fimela.com. Wishkoo also approaches the community to search for selected items.
Besides directly purchasing items, at Wishkoo user is directed to buy collectively the gifts on their friend’s wishlist. To provide the items, Wishkoo cooperates with several merchants such as Damn I Love Indonesia (also owned by Daniel), Global Teleshop, AEDI Shop, Metron and others. Wishkoo also works together with person with unique interest to search for curated items.
Chaya explains that sharing system is implemented with Wishkoo’s merchant partner, it’s different for each merchant depending on the category of product offered by the merchant, with various percentage according to the value of the product.
共有システムはWishkooの販売店パートナーと共に導入されているもので、契約内容は各販売店が販売する商品カテゴリ別に異なる形態になっており、商品価格により様々な分配内容になっている、とChayaは述べている。
The focus on user activity, social element and e-commerce are some segments which Indonesian user can choose from. The three segments was, is and will continue to develop. Other than marketing and promotion process to introduce the concept of its service, selecting product certainly becomes one of the main points needs developing.
The product is interesting because as explained by Chaya, Wishkoo is developing a button which will be adapted by other e-commerce service that needs collective wish list feature. It will open the API for Wishkoo button which can be placed on other site. This can help to extend the collection of items which probably wanted by user and not already available on Wishkoo.
Chayaによって説明されたとおり、Wishkooでは、ウィッシュリスト機能を必要とするその他のEコマースサービスにも導入されるボタンを開発中で、その商品は十分興味深いものとなるだろう。その他のサイトに上に埋め込むことができるWishkooボタンは、APIの可能性を期待できるものになる。これは、ユーザーが希望するような商品がWishkooでまだ取り扱われていない場合などに、より多くの商品を収集する上で役立つだろう。
Even after trying it for some time, I feel not so comfortable with the look and user experience of Wishkoo, including the flow of the menu and element of design, but as I said earlier, it’s always interesting to see the development of a service which maximizes social element, e-commerce and user participation to be active in the service. API can be another interesting thing which implementation is worth waiting for.
上の翻訳を読んで「ありゃ」と思いました。「お金を出し合って」は「共同購入」ですね。差し替えてください。