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Telegram: More than Just
a Messaging Tool
Selling apparel via Telegram group chats and channels is currently trending.
By Niki Ashleya
Instagram is becoming less popular for business as Telegram wrestles in to become an emerging platform for businesses to sell their products to ‘supergroups’.
In any supergroup where up to 100,000 people are in a massive group chat, items are posted and listed by sellers for people to buy or trade their items with each other. This is a convenient way for people interested in business to sell or purchase whatever item they like, with just one text away.
Mr Gregory Tan, 22, is the founder of an online vintage clothes store called ‘Monkey Business’ and he runs it via Telegram and Instagram. Currently, the store called ‘Monkey Business’ on a Telegram supergroup created by him, has 1,052 members who buy and sell from him or one another.
There are many others that do so besides Monkey Business, such as VintageApes and Retrovage. These stores can be found on Instagram and the links to their Telegram supergroup chats are found on their Instagram bios for easy access so that anyone can simply click to join.
A screenshot of a user joining the supergroup ‘Retrovage’, a shop that sells vintage apparel on Telegram. Screenshot: Niki Ashleya
Mr Tan runs his business via Instagram, Telegram and a physical store from time to time. He says, “Telegram is my [second] platform in generating revenue. [First] would be Instagram.”
On Instagram, he promotes his products and encourages his followers to join the Telegram supergroup as well. However, for those who do not use Telegram, they can purchase the same apparel via Instagram direct messages. All customers have to do is to indicate their interest and give their details such as address and name.
Mr Tan emphasises that the most useful function Telegram has to facilitate his business is “the ability to pin messages or announcements when we are able to drop or have an event”. He recommends this method of business because using the Telegram supergroup “helps to build [public relations] and is easy to manage”.
When asked for his opinion as to why conducting Telegram businesses is trending, he says, “I think it is because Telegram is widely accessible and messages via Telegram are direct and immediate where both seller and buyer can converse together without any hiccups.”
However, there are problems that rise. He says that the “only complaint about Telegram group was that there may be spams at times since it is a group and anyone is able to send a message in the group”.
Mr Allen Lee, 28, an Assistant Programme Manager from The Sandbox at Ngee Ann Polytechnic (NP) which focuses on innovation and entrepreneurship, foresees this trend to “definitely increase” in the near future as “businesses are leveraging on technologies like Telegram to create innovative and meaningful ways to build connections and relationships with their customers”.
Mr Lee says, “As a communications platform, Telegram allows businesses to reach out to customers and interact directly with them. Furthermore, with online shopping being increasingly done via mobile phone, having a tool like Telegram allows brands to share relevant news, deals and products and services to their very own customer database.”
There is a reason behind the rise in interest in people using Telegram to buy apparel. He says, “[It is] convenient, quick, and leverages on communication with peers. Peer influence is an important consideration that people consciously and subconsciously think about when deciding to buy.”
Businesses are leveraging on technologies like Telegram to create innovative and meaningful ways to build connections and relationships with their customers
- Mr Lee
Mr Lee says, “As a communications platform, Telegram allows businesses to reach out to customers and interact directly with them. Furthermore, with online shopping being increasingly done via mobile phone, having a tool like Telegram allows brands to share relevant news, deals and products and services to their very own customer database.”
There is a reason behind the rise in interest in people using Telegram to buy apparel. He says, “[It is] convenient, quick, and leverages on communication with peers. Peer influence is an important consideration that people consciously and subconsciously think about when deciding to buy.”
quote
He says, “Peer influence would be the external pressures or incentives that affect your actions taken. For this case, having Telegram as a communicative tool might make it easy for potential customers to share deals, purchases and products with their friends and family, which affect buyer’s habits. Think about when you go shopping with friends as compared to shopping alone.”
Anna Tan, 16, hopped on the bandwagon after seeing posts on Telegram chats involving such sales. She says, “It’s a very fast method to deal with sellers and really convenient since I use Telegram frequently too. It’s also great as I can contact the seller and receive their response quickly when needed.”
Her first time buying a product from a Telegram group chat was a positive experience. She says, “I dealt and made payment with the seller in less than a few hours and the clothes were mailed out the next day! It was a great experience altogether.”
About the Author
13 July 2020
Niki Ashleya
Niki is a meticulous writer who enjoys reading and sharing stories that she can relate to. She is always on the lookout for new music, stories and news.
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