The Story of Faisal Adlan, A Successful Online Businessman in Indonesia (Part #2)

 

Note: This article is part 2. If you have not read the previous section, please click HERE

For those of you who have read article 1, let's continue reading the story.

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I don't know if Faisal gets some gift (distinctive character) from the God or how, because, every other person says 'A,' Faisal Adlan always denying that it is 'B.' And, Faisal Adlan has a kind of strong determination for defending his beliefs. But on the other hand, he is also sure to be able to prove them.

Every time there is another person that look underestimate him in giving advice, the owner of a situs web IcalToys this even more stubborn. Sometimes he thought that maybe his relatives meant well or felt sorry for him. But the problem is; Faisal Adlan certainly knows more, about the business prospects he is running. Because he is a practitioner, while his family and relatives only see from the 'outer skin' side, that was what made Faisal and his relatives like 'not connected.'

What made Faisal Adlan very sure about his career choice?

In my (author) opinion, the choice is right!

Yeah, it's true (everything said by his relatives - see article part 1). They said the margin of Hotwheels products is 'very sad.'

Hot wheels products indeed have small profit/margins. Some have only had 8000-5000 rupiahs margins. And some type even has a margin of only 2000 rupiahs per pcs. 

But, what if he can sell up to thousands of pieces? Well, this something that Faisal Adlan's relatives never thought.

"For example, on average, the margin of Hotwheels products is only 5000 rupiah per pieces. BUT, wait a minute ... what if I can sell it until to 10,000 pieces?   It is clear I can get a margin of around 50,000,000 rupiahs !! Very delicious! " (read; that money) Said Faisal Adlan in some meet Hotwheels community. 😉

So that is the reason why Faisal Adlan always insists and does not want to hear any advice from his relatives. Although the margin of Hot wheels are 'small,' but he sure can play in quantity. And all of that is finally proven! After ten years, he was able to sell and auction hot wheels and diecast products in 10,000 to 15,000 item per auction. And now he has imported his merchandise. Of course, now the margin full (read: big profit) can be he get compared to the times when he used to shop through eBay. 

In 2011 Faisal Adlan graduated from college. 

The owner icalToys this is very lucky because he has a girlfriend who is faithful to accompany, and always helps him build his business. His girlfriend feels the bittersweetness when starting a startup — experience how tired of working on packing hundreds of die-cast with Faisal Adlan. Send the items to the expedition back and forth. And the girlfriend is also the one who always faithfully accompanies Faisal Adlan participating in the Hotwheels bazaar and Diecast. And,,,, now his ex-girlfriend has become his wife. Hehe 😁 

Sari Handayani a business partner and wife of Faisal Adlan.

IcalToys online store business continued to increase in 2010. At that time Faisal Adlan started to trying to sell by using the Facebook Fanspage page. 

What about the experience of joy and sorrow while selling online?

According to story Faisal Adlan, when he experienced more grief.

"Customer complain? Woogh, often !!

"Until the ears feel thick."

"Yes, everything is because of my fault. There are customers angry because who are late for sending goods. Broken products and shipping denied because they only use the remaining boxes of used shoes. There are also some things item wrongly sent, etc." Said Faisal Adlan.

Is there a big seller rival at that time? 

There is! 

But Faisal Adlan did not bother too much with the big seller.

"Yes, it's true. My online store is still small. But instead of wasting my time thinking about big sellers, I'd better think about how to get my business going", he said.

"Imagine. All work at that time had to do alone. At 11:00 a.m. night my body was exhausted, but the work not finished yet. Plus my father, who continues to fuss, saw his son still playing" cars." ~The future of a gloomy!~ maybe that what is on my father's mind." Said Faisal Adlan. Wkwkwkwk 😅😅😅

That's when his wife (who was still a boyfriend at that time) was always faithful to help and accompany Faisal Adlan. 

Here are some of the stories: 

"She (Sarie Handayanie) who helped me in all matters," Faisal said.

Sari's office friends often ask, "Where is your boyfriend working?

Sari replied: "He is still in college!" The friend: "Haaa? Still in college?" Sari: "But he also sells Hotwheels toy cars." The friend: "Wow, your boyfriend is so bad." Hahaha (Faisal Adlan told me while laughing).

"But the great girl still always support me, and never judge the results of my sale. She never said: ~ What can you give me later with a business like this? College does not pass-graduate, work only selling toys?!?" ~

"Well, luckily my girlfriend never said that. Sometimes I was surprised too. Am I so interesting? I think no Wkwkwkw. My job is just like that, which is just selling cars toys. Whereas my girl's salary at that time was already 6,8 million rupiahs a month, while my income is still at 2-4 million, kwkwkwkwk ... "😂 If in January I can get 4 million, then in February the income can drop to 2 million rupiahs. This can happen if selling at the Swap Meet often rains, so no buyers come to my stall, wwkwkkw." Said Faisal Adlan.

Over time the online store icalToys has continued to snowball and getting bigger. That's why Faisal Adlan started recruiting employees to become part of the icalToys online shop team.

Other exciting Articles: Price War In Online Store And Offline Store Are Increasingly Worrying - What's a Solution? (Part #1)

As far as I know, in 2015 the total team of icalToys reached nine people. 

Each person is an expert in their respective fields. There are those who are good at the photograph of the product. There are experts in the sorting, packing, customer service, parts to goods to the expedition, etc. 

The house transformed into the office of the online store icalToys.

Having full of various examinations for years establishing his business, made Faisal Adlan more mature and professional in managing his business. The 9th team is even more robust. The result made the name of the online shop icalToys more fluttering and famous throughout Indonesia. Aside from being a seller, icalToys also has resellers spread throughout the territory of Indonesia.

The collection of Hotwheels and die-cast toys sold by the online store icalToys is complete. You can see all types of products here: icalToys.com

Team 9 Ical Toys.

One of the factors that made the name of the online store Ical Toys increasingly fluttering was because of its fast service, specially packed cardboard (sturdy), and also Ical Toys gave free shipping to all parts of Indonesia. (dedicated to buyers who shop at a specified nominal value). 

 Sorting items.

With fast service, secure packaging, and free postage, it makes Ical Toys' customers continue to increase over time. Some time ago I saw a status post on his Facebook account, Faisal Adlan had just bought a big enough house, located not far from his old office. So now the office of icalToys has moved to the new home. 

Items that have been packed and are ready to be sent.

Such is the story of the business journey of Faisal Adlan (IcalToys Hotwheels), one of the sellers online shop success in Indonesia. He has successfully started his business from the bottom. 

Other exciting Articles: Price War In Online Store Are Increasingly Worrying - What's a Solution? (Part #2)

The lessons we can learn from icalToys' om are: 

- He never felt shy when trading on the roadside. And this is indeed the mental attitude that every business actor should be able to have. Throw away the sense of prestige. Because people who have prestige is too high are usually difficult to move forward. 

- When Faisal Adlan found his passion, he firmly defended it. Even though people come in doubt (also degrading), but he is still sure about his choice. For this reason, he was determined to prove it. 

- In the end, thanks to his hard work he finally succeeded. Now all his friends and relatives who once doubted him, turned around to salute him. 

- And he has succeeded in making his father proud. A few years before his father died, the father had said that his concern was solely for the sake of his good fortune. His father was only worried if his son chose the profession wrongly so that his child "could not live properly." After seeing his son's success, finally, the father could leave calmly. 

It retold by Mr. izal.