Malaysian online market for cheap outdoor equipment – Wired PR Lifestyle Story
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Although I am at home, I like to take in fresh air from time to time. However, I think a good pair of sneakers or mountain equipment can be a bit expensive, and other beginners may feel the same reluctance to invest in something that may be of temporary interest.
This hesitation to invest in expensive, high-quality outdoor equipment is also shared by those who are more active.
That’s why in 2017, as a single laptop and a kitchen table as a work site, Mike Chuk undertook to code for an online marketplace that sold high-quality outdoor equipment at affordable prices.
Today, more than 260,000 of his followers know him on Facebook PTT Away.
Adventure seeker from a young age
Even before PTT Outdoor was created, Mike was doing micro-adventures to escape classes during his student days. Since the outdoor equipment was out of his budget, he soon learned that not equipping himself properly could lead to dangerous consequences.
These experiences didn’t go unnoticed, so after graduating from college, Mike took a job to accumulate savings for a while. As a capital of RM8,000, he then started PTT Outdoor.
“PTT” in its name represents the 3 main values within the company: perseverance, perseverance and toughness. These values have led the PTT Outdoor construction team to become one of Malaysia’s most popular outdoor equipment companies today.
During our interview, Mike, who is an outdoor lover of his own, would draw several parallels between running his business and sailing in the wild. Here, he compared the above values to the mindset he embodies when climbing mountains and reaching their summit.
Apply external advice in business practices
In the world of skiing there is a saying where if you want to avoid hitting a tree, don’t focus on the trees, but on the snowy path ahead. This metaphor applies to Mike’s approach to affordable outdoor equipment, anticipating the closest competition in Decathlon and Sports Direct.
“When we started, we always considered them our competitors and we wanted to be as big as them. But, I soon realized that the market is huge and that we can all live together without having to compete with each other, ”Mike said.
So he decided to focus more on the gaps in the outdoor adventure community, especially hiking, camping and trail running. Paying attention to providing a quality customer experience was also a high priority, as Mike knew his team of 15 could excel.
This has probably yielded results, as the brand’s Facebook reviews have maintained a 4.9-star rating for a significant period of time. Mike also believes that PTT Outdoor’s focus on customer service has been a factor that has helped the brand grow over the past 4 years.
Returning to the theme of the competition, Mike added that he thinks it’s not a bad thing because it encourages his brand to be more innovative and can boost sustainability in the team.
“Competition is an amazing catalyst for growth if taken well. Forest trees also compete for sunlight, but they can also live together, ”he said.
Including quality assurance stress tests
On PTT Outdoor’s website, he says they have thoroughly tested all the retail products before putting them on the shelves.
Mike explained that the brand has its own testers for its products, and they will examine the gear in different external conditions.
The samples are provided by PTT Outdoor’s brand partners, who will then mass-produce the products after giving the green light to Malaysia, China, Indonesia and Vietnam.
PTT Outdoor has achieved economies of scale, which is why they can sell outdoor equipment at cheaper prices.
You know: Economies of scale are the cost advantages that firms gain when production becomes efficient. Companies can achieve economies of scale by increasing production and reducing costs. This is because the costs are spread over a larger number of goods.
Thus, when comparing PTT Outdoor’s outdoor equipment prices with Decathlon and Sports Direct, you may find that PTT Outdoor’s items are the same or slightly lower than its competitors.
Looking at the tents, PTT Outdoor’s options range from RM169-RM449, Decathlon’s RM199-RM749 and Sports Direct’s RM169-RM249. PTT Outdoor’s offering can be compared to Sports Direct, but the advantage of the Malaysian brand is that there are more options.
You are in no hurry to expand without a connection
It’s been 4 years since PTT Outdoor was launched in November 2017, and the brand has no retail outlet, but a showcase with only one warehouse in Ipoh. People can enter the space to browse and purchase items.
Also, Mike has no plans to expand further into the physical world of retail.
Believing that being online has given customers greater accessibility, no matter what city or state they are in. In addition, PTT Outdoor will also help him with his future global expansion, which Mike hopes will be brave after making the marks. it secured its roots.
“Also, the online space has a lot of unexplored possibilities, like Facebook announcing a plan to create a metaverse, AI, VR. I mean, you might be able to experience a PTT Outdoor VR showcase in the near future,” Mike figured.
This strategy has worked, as PTT Outdoor has launched and is proving to be profitable in the third month.
The funds have been reinvested to improve its product range and quality, and the PTT Outdoor business has been fully launched. Although Mike was unable to disclose the company’s sales figures, he reported year-on-year growth of 32%.
To grow the brand, Mike will focus on expanding PTT Outdoor’s product range to gradually offer more opportunities to its customers.
Our goal, from the beginning, has never changed. We aim to encourage adventures for outdoor enthusiasts by offering cheap premium equipment with minimal environmental impact. That’s within our real northern business.
Mike Chu, founder and director of PTT Outdoor.
Featured Image Credit: Mike Chu, founder and director of PTT Outdoor
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