E-Commerce with Export
Dermoshop, a company engaged in e-commerce since 1996, demonstrates that a Finnish e-commerce company can successfully export its products to consumers abroad.
– We have finally found an export partner for the Swedish market capable of delivering our goods and meeting the expectations of our customers there, says Ann-Sofie Grandell, Business Controller, Dermoshop.
PostNord has taken care of Dermoshop exports to Sweden since March 2012 and Grandell has nothing but good things to say about the co-operation.
Dermoshop is located in Korsnäs, about 50 kilometres south of Vaasa. The company sells skin care and cosmetics products solely over the Internet. The products that first became popular among hospital staff have been on sale online since the year 1996. The company’s business concept is to develop and sell clean skin care and cosmetics products to meet the needs of people suffering from allergies and skin problems, for example. Based on product catalogue published by the company, larger orders put together at workplaces and elsewhere are submitted to Dermoshop via its online store. Larger one-time orders and avoiding mediators allow a good price/quality ratio. The company’s brand is Dermosil.
– We order the products from our subcontractors, but our warehouse is right here in Korsnäs and our customers reside in Finland, Sweden, and Estonia. Sweden is our largest export market. In addition to this, our business units and warehouse in St. Petersburg serve the Russian market, says Grandell on the subject of Dermoshop exports.
Orders placed the day before are shipped the next day. The company has exported its products to Sweden since 2002. According to Grandell, there were numerous problems with the former logistics partner.
– A person purchasing from an online store expects the goods to be delivered to a nearby pick-up point within a few days. Naturally, the pick-up point cannot be tens or hundreds of kilometres away. Now that we co-operate with PostNord, we have at our disposal their excellently wide and dense distribution network. Owing to this, the Swedes can fetch their Dermoshop parcels at the nearest kiosk; one can even choose the pick-up point closest to his or her home or workplace, describes Grandell.
Customer service can easily follow the whereabouts of consignments, since the information is only a mouse-click away. Although Dermoshop customers seldom return the goods ordered, whenever something needs to be returned from Sweden, this can be done conveniently using the return form available from the customer service.
Naturally, conquering the Swedish market is easier for a company originating from a Finnish-Swedish region of Finland, owing to common language and good knowledge of the culture. However, even the logistics is no longer a challenge for an online retailer:
– Today, the logistics in Sweden works really well. As soon as we acquire the necessary licences for transport of hazardous substances, we can also start supplying propellant-containing hair sprays to Sweden. Everything else is already being delivered there at quite a pleasant pace, says Grandell while enjoying the busiest time of the year, the run-up to Christmas.