Future of Work in India & Indonesia Challenge
All countries, one marketplace.
One-line solution summary:
Products from all suppliers in each country are aggregated into one central marketplace for buyers to buy better & suppliers to sell more.
Pitch your solution.
Buyers everywhere are not aware of products produced in all countries. This negatively affects sales/exports, prosperity, and employment opportunities.
Our decentralized and hybrid (online and offline) platforms aggregate all suppliers' products from all countries into one marketplace. The solution fulfills the needs of buyers to purchase competitively-priced products and increases sales/exports. It consists of the following components working in sync:
1- ECpages.com - local/global business directory.
2- 1Commerce.com - local/global marketplace.
3- Negotiating and purchasing products using our easy to use negotiation function using numbers eliminating language barriers and increasing sales/exports; and
4- Supporting services to complete deals.
Our solution aligns buyers’ and suppliers’ journeys for more deals to happen. Only through increased sales/exports do suppliers stay in business, increase profits, expand, and employ more people.
Scaling the solution across India and Indonesia adds millions of jobs, elevates local communities into another dimension of prosperity, and reduces the poverty level.
Film your elevator pitch.
Which dimension of the Challenge does your solution most closely address?
Increase and leverage the participation of underserved communities in India and Indonesia — especially women, low-income, and remote groups — in the creation, development, and deployment of new technologies, jobs, and industriesIn what city, town, or region is your solution team headquartered?
Amman, JordanIs your solution working in India and/or Indonesia?
My solution is being deployed or has plans to deploy in both India and IndonesiaWhat specific problem are you solving in India and/or Indonesia?
India and Indonesia are large and geographically dispersed countries. Suppliers of products, especially manufacturers, find it very difficult and expensive to reach out to customers.
Customers on the other hand do not know what locally made products are available to purchase and positively support their economy.
Only when products are in front of buyers, sales happen. When buyers buy, suppliers sell.
According to Statista Research in their March 19, 2021 report, India has around 63 million MSMEs employing more than 75 million people contributing to 31% of India's total GDP.
Indonesia has around 62 million MSMEs employing 127 million people according to an OECD report on Indonesia in 2018.
Our solution enables and empowers MSMEs of manufacturers, raw material suppliers, service providers, and wholesalers to become active in the digital economy, increase their sales at the local, regional, and global levels.
Using our solution, MSMEs become actively involved in the global digital economy to grow and prosper. Only through digitization can businesses enhance their reach, customer service, and supply chain management.
Increasing sales and exports are key to increasing employment, foreign currency reserves, FDIs, tax revenues, and reducing the poverty level. It also makes the manufacturing sector in India and Indonesia become an important engine for economic growth and job creation.
India and Indonesia stand to benefit the most from this solution. An increase of $1 billion in exports adds on average 26,500 jobs worldwide (USA 6000, Jordan 47000 jobs - UN study).
Who does your solution serve, and in what ways will the solution impact their lives?
There are buyers everywhere for all kinds of products as well as suppliers. The problem is in aligning buyers’ and suppliers’ journeys for deals to happen.
By fulfilling buyers’ needs to purchase products at the most competitive prices from suppliers everywhere, we fulfill suppliers’ needs as well. Because when buyers buy, suppliers sell.
Suppliers need to find new buyers, open new markets, market-test existing products in new markets, market-test new products in all markets, fine-tune their global marketing and sales strategies, increase sales and exports, and expand into new markets at minimal cost and risk.
According to Devrix, 45% of businesses worldwide are not involved in the global digital economy. With our solution incorporating local representatives in cities worldwide, we are well-positioned to increase the participation of local businesses in the global digital economy.
According to Amazon's report on April 8, 2021, a $3 billion increase in exports added 1 million jobs in India. With our solution, India stands to increase exports by 10% within 3-5 years. India's exports were $474 billion in 2020. Our solution stands to add over $40 billion in exports in 5 years adding approximately 12 million jobs!
While no recent data is available for Indonesia, old data from the year 2000 suggests that exports accounted for 18 million jobs or 20% of employment (ADB.Org).
Our solution is designed for the inclusivity of all countries, all sectors of the economy, and levels the field for MSMEs to grow, prosper, and compete head-to-head with larger companies.
How does the problem you are addressing, the solution you have designed, and the population you are serving align with the Challenge?
We are a purpose-driven company: we increase employment by increasing suppliers' sales and exports.
All countries try their best to increase exports without much success. Simply put, no country promotes products of another country to fulfill the needs of buyers. We do.
Our solution is designed for the inclusion of all cities in all countries, all companies, and all products. This setup fulfills the needs of buyers to view, compare, negotiate and purchase products from suppliers everywhere at the most competitive prices.
Our solution is a hybrid (online and offline) and decentralized one so that no supplier can be left behind regardless of who they are or where they are located.
We work with local representatives in cities worldwide who have the ability to communicate in English as well as the local language. The decentralization allows each representative to have his/her own operation at the local level to include all suppliers in the locality. At the same time, all products from local suppliers are aggregated into one central global marketplace to fulfill the needs of buyers and increase trade. This ensures the inclusion of all MSMEs in the global digital economy.
Representatives present our solution to local suppliers as the solution to increasing sales. Suppliers join as members and start adding their products for buyers everywhere to view, compare, negotiate and purchase products.
What is your solution’s stage of development?
GrowthWho is the Team Lead for your solution?
Faeq Tadros is the founder and CEO of 1Point Commerce & ECpages. With a passion for buying, Faeq devoted the last 20 years to find a solution to international trade. The solution connects countries through trade, makes global commerce local, and local companies global to buy sell and grow.
If you have additional video content that explains your solution, upload it here (e.g., demo video, promotional video):
Which of the following categories best describes your solution?
A new business model or process that relies on technology to be successfulWhat makes your solution innovative?
1Point Commerce is the only b2b platform that Uberizes global commerce. Before Uber, riders were there and taxis were there. Uber aligned riders' and Taxi drivers' journeys through an app that the rider used to inform the taxi driver where he/she is and where he/she needs to go. The taxi driver now knows where the rider is and went to get him/her. A ride was made and the taxi driver got paid.
Similar to Uber, our buyers initiate the buying process by making offers to suppliers. Suppliers now are in a position to know which country the offer came from, and how much each buyer is willing to pay for suppliers' products. When buyers and suppliers accept offers, deals happen.
Using the same concept, we provide vehicles for our representatives to use. After training, representatives' passengers are the local MSMEs who want to use the vehicle to show and sell their products to buyers worldwide.
Although the fees for companies to join as members are published on the website, the driver/representative has the freedom to choose the best strategy and price to get the maximum number of local passengers to ride the vehicle to sell their products. For this service, passengers pay fees to the company directly, or to the driver in local currency. We share our fees with our drivers/representatives.
This concept of inclusivity of all countries and products is a game-changer. It makes global commerce local, and local companies global to buy, sell, grow and prosper.
Describe the core technology that powers your solution.
1Point Commerce is a new hybrid and decentralized business model. It relies on technology to deliver value to its users of MSMEs in increased sales and savings on purchases. It categorizes products according to international industrial code standards: NAICS (North American Industry Classification System) and HS (The Harmonized Commodity Description and Coding System). These codes cover all goods and services.
ECpages - web-based local/global business directory. It categorizes companies according to international codes standards similar to 1Point Commerce: NAICS, and HS codes. These codes cover companies in all business sectors.
The use of the industrial codes of NAICS and HS makes it easy for users to find companies and products listed under specific categories.
All types of communications are supported between users: internal messaging service, negotiations of trade deals, emails, and land/mobile telephone numbers. However, these functions are only available to registered users and after their applications are approved by the local representative or the administrator.
Please select all the technologies currently used in your solution:
What is your theory of change?
1Point Commerce provides a b2b platform for suppliers to upload their products and gain exposure while providing buyers with the tools they need to filter through these products and services. Both parties have full support from our network of representatives, associates, and traders. The network acts as a boost to ensure that buyers and suppliers are utilizing the platform's tools to their fullest potential and connecting buyers with suppliers worldwide. Standard industrial codes are put in place to categorize products and assist buyers in filtering down the products they are looking for. The online numeral negotiation system is in place to allow buyers and suppliers to carry out trade deals.
We shorten the buyer's journey to purchase products within a matter of days versus months. We eliminate the lengthy steps buyers usually take to purchase products through our categorization of products and the sorting of information provided by suppliers. A smooth negotiation process leads to an increase in buyers and suppliers finalizing deals. Support from our network allows for members to increase their trust in buying from markets overseas. By shortening the buying journey and exposing buyers to suppliers worldwide, we also shorten the selling journey for suppliers.
Our local presence adds an element of trust and our online tools allow for members to feel fully equipped on their buying and selling journeys. Thus, allowing for companies to become active in the global digital economy with a positive and confident attitude, therefore encouraging business deals to be made.
Select the key characteristics of your target population.
In which countries do you currently operate?
In which countries will you be operating within the next year?
What are your impact goals for the next year and the next five years, and how will you achieve them?
For India and Indonesia to get the full benefit of our solution we need to have representatives in all cities across India and Indonesia. This is not a small task. However, because our solution works with local representatives, we start by appointing representatives in the 4 or 5 largest cities in India and Indonesia. Working with the appointed representatives, we expand into other cities.
Representatives can be private enterprises, organizations (chambers of commerce), or direct business development employees to act as representatives. Through their feedback on what is the best route to take to expand into other cities in India and Indonesia, we make our next move accordingly.
Representatives register without any charges or fees and we share our revenues from the membership fees with our representatives. This is a win-win policy to expand into as many cities as possible in a short time.
Indonesia has 15 cities with a population of 1 million or more people, and 40 cities with a population of over 0.5 to 1 million people. These cities will be our target cities.
India has 48 cities with a population of over 1 million people and 48 cities with a population of .5 million to 1 million. These cities will be our target cities in India.
In total, there are 120 cities in India and Indonesia that we need to have a presence in to deliver the anticipated value in increased sales/exports and employment. We can expand into these cities within 3 to 5 years.
How are you measuring your progress toward your impact goals?
Our progress is measured by the number of cities we have representatives in, and the number of MSMEs joining as members under each representative. The more members we have, the more products will be listed on the website for buyers to start viewing, comparing, negotiating, and purchasing products. The success is in making MSMEs of suppliers increase their sales at the local, regional and global levels.
As the websites of 1Point Commerce at www.1commerce.com and ECpages at www.ecpages.com are being introduced in their final form in mid-January 2022, the past year of 2021 was spent on the software development and training potential representatives. We are forecasting a membership base of 1 million MSMEs to join by end of year 3, in 2025 increasing to 10 million MSMEs in 2030.
What barriers currently exist for you to accomplish your goals in the next year and in the next five years?
Financial Barriers: The more markets we have a presence in, the more value we deliver to our members. If there is a need to have a presence in a specific country and we were unable to appoint a representative in that country within a short time, then we have to employ sales managers to act as representatives in that country. This requires financial resources to be able to move as fast as we need.
Technical Barriers: Until now, the only available payment system for international trade on a global basis is through banks. Banks’ fees are high. If we can provide a global payment solution to MSMEs at a lower cost, then we add more value to our members in lowering their transaction costs.
Development of the websites is an ongoing process. Improvements based on feedback from users are always appreciated and we make every effort to accommodate those concerns.
How do you plan to overcome these barriers?
The project is self-funded and it will continue to be until the project starts generating revenue.
The first half of 2022 will be a testing ground to fix all issues with the websites. IF the project demands more money to move faster, then having partners/investors to fund the project to take it to where it should be, will be entertained.
The technical barriers of payments for international trade are being discussed with some payment providers. Regulations are the main concern to approve payments across borders. With time, there will be payment service providers that conform to regulations in many countries and their services will be incorporated to deliver faster and cheaper payment options to our users.
What type of organization is your solution team?
For-profit, including B-Corp or similar models
How many people work on your solution team?
At the moment, there are 5 full-time staff, 2 part-time staff, and around 20 independent contractors (potential representatives).
How long have you been working on your solution?
23 years. Year 2022 will be the launch year.
How are you and your team well-positioned to deliver this solution?
As a founder of this solution, I have been a trader since I was 10 years old growing up in Amman, Jordan. I loved buying and selling! I was helping my father in his shop, selling wheat, sugar, tea, barley, beans, corn, chicken feed, animal feed in downtown Amman, where all suppliers were stationed. I grew up hearing the buying and selling problems that neighboring shops faced. We were importers of products from Japan, Lebanon, Morocco, Iraq, and Pakistan. We had quarries to supply the municipality with aggregates for paving the streets of Amman. I used to go to the post office 3 times a day to wait for letters from Japan, as one of my cousins was in Japan sourcing artificial leather for our shop and mailing us feedback regarding the artificial-leather manufacturers in Japan. We also used to supply local shoe manufacturers with leather manufactured in Jordan. We imported canvas from Pakistan to make tents and export them to Kuwait.
Although trading has gone digital through online trading platforms, the problems I faced as a 10-year-old child as well as in my real estate career remain to this day!
What is your approach to building a diverse, equitable, and inclusive leadership team?
The platforms are designed for the inclusivity of all countries, all companies, and all products.
We do not exclude any country.
As representatives are independent contractors and their pay is performance-based, the main criteria we have for representatives is their willingness to work towards elevating their local communities into another dimension of prosperity through trade.
The other criteria are the ability of representatives to communicate in English as well as the local language to minimize language barriers between buyers and suppliers who do not speak English or share the same language. Representatives step in to assist buyers and suppliers in closing deals.
What organizations do you currently partner with, if any? How are you working with them?
None for now until we are satisfied with the websites. After that, we plan to work with all Chambers of Commerce and Industry on a worldwide basis.
What is your operational model?
We provide value to suppliers in increasing their sales. Increasing sales increases employment and elevates local communities into another dimension of prosperity through trade.
We also provide value to manufacturers in providing them with more alternative input material and at better prices, terms, and conditions. This in turn empowers manufacturers to offer finished products at lower costs and become more competitive.
Selling more produced products adds more profits to suppliers to use in employing more employees, expansion plans, and reducing the poverty level of their communities.
Who is the primary stakeholder you will be targeting to execute and scale your solution?
For-Profit organizationsWhy are you applying to the Future of Work in India and Indonesia Challenge?
When the project started in 1998, the potential of making money was the goal. Now, after 22 and some years, the social responsibility of putting people back to work far outweighs any and all monetary rewards.
In the past 2 years and because of the Covid-19 pandemic, international trade decreased by up to 30% according to some estimates affecting more than 150 million jobs. I believe that this solution is the only way to increase international trade to where it was before the pandemic hit.
I believe it is our social responsibility to do whatever we can to make the world a better place for all. Only through increasing trade, we make a huge difference in the lives of many worldwide and underserved communities into another dimension of prosperity.
In which of the following areas do you most need partners or support?
Please explain in more detail here.
As this is a global solution affecting countries worldwide, any help is needed in all the selected categories. There is always room for improvement to make the world a better place for all.
Solution Team
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Mr. Faeq Tadros CEO, 1Point Commerce
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Our Solution
All countries, one marketplace.