Pacific Trade Invest (PTI) Australia has a long history of supporting Pacific businesses, having worked in the space for over 40 years. A cornerstone of PTI Australia’s work has been the facilitation of specialised workshops, courses and programs held throughout the Blue Pacific, with the goal of upskilling and building capacity in Pacific businesses on their journey to becoming export and investment ready.
In early 2018 Purnima and Rajnil Singh, owners of Loloma Skincare, a 100% natural and organic coconut-oil-based skincare company, attended PTI Australia’s Social Media Masterclass and Amazon Workshop in Fiji. The workshops were part of an ongoing series facilitated by PTI Australia in collaboration with Amazon expert Peter Nobbs, to equip Pacific exporters with the skills required to merge online channels into their business strategy.
Attending the workshops proved to be just the launchpad that Loloma Skincare needed to move into the e-commerce space and more recently, become an award-winning brand. Within months of attending, Purnima and Rajnil had launched Loloma Skincare into the Amazon USA marketplace, a move that has since led them to great success, having made more than 150 sales on the platform to date. More recently, Loloma Skincare won the ‘Best Skincare for Kids’ award 2021 Eco-Excellence Awards.
Singh says that at the time, they were simply exploring market entry through different distribution channels and had attended the workshop hoping to learn more. They certainly did not realise the steep and successful trajectory their business was about to embark on.
“We were looking at market entry through different channels and Amazon was a distribution channel we wanted to sell Loloma through. The PTI-facilitated Amazon workshop seemed like a great place to learn about how it all worked and whether it would be beneficial for Loloma.”
PTI Australia’s General Manager – Exports, Jeremy Grennell, says the success achieved by Loloma Skincare speaks to why such initiatives are essential throughout the Pacific.
“PTI Australia has set about closing the digital divide by equipping businesses with Pacific-centric digital development tools and skills, so the region can keep up with and exceed the new global standard of digital experiences. The success of Loloma Skincare within the e-commerce space is a testament to how such platforms can provide a great entry point for Pacific businesses looking to reach international markets.”
Grennell goes on to say that online platforms can act as cost-effective channels to engage international markets, especially when physical travel isn’t possible.
“Over the last few years there’s been a real shift in the trade sector, with online platforms creating opportunities for our exporters to access international markets. There’s still limited understanding on how to use social media for more than staying in touch with friends, but also to effectively engage to drive sales. PTI Australia’s digital masterclasses and workshops are helping to build the skills of exporters.”
The value of attending PTI Australia’s Social Media Masterclass was echoed by Rajnil Singh.
“Attending the workshop gave us much insight as to how Amazon works and also gave us the knowledge on how to register and work with other Amazon sites like those in Australia and Singapore. Since signing up we have sold more than 150 units in the USA marketplace! The workshop really enabled us to gain insight on how to be a market-ready product, while also implementing Amazon as one of our distribution channels.”
Since launching their website, Purnima and Rajnil have gone on to further engage Amazon expert Peter Nobbs, who continues to consult with them on an ongoing basis, and PTI Australia’s Export team, who continue to introduce them to buyers in the Australian market.
Founded in 1979, PTI Australia is an agency of the Pacific Island Forum Secretariat and is the Pacific region’s lead export and investment facilitation agency, funded by the Australian Government.
If you would like to find out more about exports, please contact PTI Australia General Manager – Exports, Jeremy Grennell at jeremy.grennell@pacifictradeinvest.com.
