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Urbanroot, a Hong Kong-based barefoot shoe brand founded by Ah Chiu and Theo, successfully launched through crowdfunding after discovering the benefits of minimalist footwear for injury recovery. The two-person team overcame supplier challenges, pandemic disruptions, and overwhelming international fulfillment demands by partnering with ePlus, a specialized 3PL logistics provider. Using Hong Kong’s free-port advantages as their fulfillment hub, Urbanroot efficiently managed pick-and-pack, shipping, and returns while expanding into the high-potential Asian eCommerce market. This interview highlights how passion-driven startups can scale crowdfunding success by combining persistence with professional logistics support from ePlus.
Table of Content
What Sparked Urbanroot’s Crowdfunding Journey?
How Can New Brands Cope with Crowdfunding Challenges?
Why Is Hong Kong an Ideal Crowdfunding Order Fulfillment Center?
Why Does the Asian eCommerce Market Hold High Potential for Barefoot Shoes?
FAQ about Crowdfunding Logistics & ePlus Services
Crowdfunding has become a popular starting point for many eCommerce entrepreneurs. By utilizing various crowdfunding platforms, creators can raise funds through the ‘wisdom of the crowd’ – allowing backers to pre-order innovative products before they hit the market. This model not only helps entrepreneurs secure the necessary capital to fund production, but also allows them to test market demand before investing heavily. In this episode of the ePlus Logistics Chat, we were fortunate to interview a crowdfunding eCommerce store kickstarted by a crowdfunding campaign, Urbanroot. They share the ups and downs of their crowdfunding journey, as well as the crowdfunding logistics and international fulfillment challenges.
For eCommerce businesses, crowdfunding presents an attractive opportunity. It enables them to reduce operational costs by only producing what has already been pre-ordered. Moreover, the influx of crowdfunding capital can facilitate the scaling up of online stores, allowing entrepreneurs to grow their businesses more quickly and effectively.
What Sparked Urbanroot’s Crowdfunding Journey?
Urbanroot’s crowdfunding journey began with personal passion for fitness and recovery. Urbanroot, a Hong Kong-based ecommerce brand, was founded by two passionate individuals – Ah Chiu and Theo. Both avid fitness enthusiasts, their entrepreneurial journey began when Theo’s long-term injury led him to discover the benefits of barefoot shoes.
After seeking treatment from physiotherapist Ah Chiu, Theo found that consistently wearing barefoot shoes helped alleviate his chronic condition. Inspired by this personal experience, Ah Chiu proposed an idea: “Why don’t we start our own barefoot shoe brand?” Without hesitation, Theo agreed, and the duo set out to establish the first dedicated barefoot footwear ecommerce store in Hong Kong.
Urbanroot‘s brand positioning is clear – they cater to young professionals and health-conscious individuals who embrace an active lifestyle. By tapping into the growing demand for minimalist, natural footwear, Urbanroot leveraged the power of crowdfunding to bring their innovative product concept to life.
How Can New Brands Cope with Crowdfunding Challenges?
New brands can cope with crowdfunding challenges by staying persistent, communicating directly with suppliers, and partnering with experienced logistics experts when fulfillment becomes overwhelming. In the early days of their entrepreneurial journey, Ah Chiu and Theo faced numerous challenges as a new brand. One of the biggest hurdles was finding suppliers willing to work with them. Even when they did secure manufacturing partners, the relatively niche nature of barefoot shoes in Asia meant that Ah Chiu and Theo had to engage in constant communication, prototyping, and explanation of their product concept to the factories.
Adding to their woes, the COVID-19 pandemic hit during their preparation of the crowdfunding campaign, further dampening their progress. As business declined, some of their supplying partners began considering closing shop, unable to take on new orders.
Undeterred, Ah Chiu and Theo took matters into their own hands. They flew directly to the factories, sat down with the manufacturers, and conveyed their unwavering commitment to the Urbanroot brand and its future growth. Recognizing their passion and determination, the production partners ultimately agreed to continue investing their time and resources into Urbanroot‘s footwear.
“The only way to tackle all the challenges, both anticipated and unexpected, was to just power through,” reflect Ah Chiu and Theo.
After launching their barefoot shoes on a crowdfunding platform, Urbanroot was pleasantly surprised to see sales well exceeded their initial projections. However, this success brought with it a new set of eCommerce logistics challenges that the small team struggled to manage.
“We were a team of just two people at the time, and we simply didn’t have the resources or capacity to handle the international fulfillment .” recalls the Urbanroot founders Ah Chiu and Theo.
The team encountered a headache for international fulfillment , from mismatched product codes and barcodes to goods return. “Fortunately, the ePlus team was patient and helpful, guiding us through every step of the kickstarter fulfillment process, ensuring the entire shipping workflow went smoothly.”
In the early crowdfunding stage, Urbanroot had even tried to handle international shipping themselves, sending samples to pilot testers around the world, including in North America, Europe, and Southeast Asia. “We thought shipping overseas orders would be easy, but there were so many logistics details to consider, like finding the right-sized packaging to avoid additional shipping costs.”
Comparison: Self-Handling Crowdfunding Fulfillment vs. Partnering with a 3PL like ePlus
| Aspect | Self-Handling (Early Stage) | With ePlus 3PL Support |
| Team Capacity | Limited (2-person team overwhelmed) | Dedicated logistics experts handle operations |
| International Shipping | Complex; packaging, codes, and costs hard to manage | Save Streamlined air/sea freight + local/international shipping |
| Order Accuracy & Returns | Frequent issues (mismatched barcodes, returns) | Professional pick-pack + efficient returns management |
| Scalability | Difficult to scale after oversubscribed campaign | Automated warehousing supports rapid growth |
| Focus for Founders | Logistics details consume time | Founders focus on product innovation & marketing |
| Overall Outcome | Stressful and error-prone | Smooth end-to-end fulfillment experience |
Why Is Hong Kong an Ideal Crowdfunding Order Fulfillment Center?
Hong Kong is an ideal crowdfunding order fulfillment center because it is a free port that offers streamlined logistics, efficient returns management, and tax-free import/export advantages.
Urbanroot is a Hong Kong-based brand, with their product design and manufacturing handled in Taiwan. After production, the goods are shipped to ePlus 3PL warehouse in Hong Kong, managing all subsequent logistics processes – from order pick and pack to local and international fulfillment, as well as returns handling.
Approximately 90% of Urbanroot‘s initial crowdfunding orders came from Hong Kong, with the remaining 10% from overseas. The brand chose Hong Kong as their launching point, recognizing not only the local demand for their barefoot shoes, but also the unique logistics advantages the city offers.
As a free port, Hong Kong provides streamlined logistics, particularly when it comes to efficient returns management and tax-free import/export – factors that make it easier for Urbanroot to fulfill orders and expand into new eCommerce markets around the world.
Why Does the Asian eCommerce Market Hold High Potential for Barefoot Shoes?
The Asian eCommerce market holds high potential for barefoot shoes because the category remains relatively underserved compared to Western markets, while Asian consumers have unique foot shapes and lifestyle preferences that create a clear opportunity.
While barefoot shoes have gained popularity in Western markets, the product category remains relatively underserved in Asia. Recognizing this opportunity, Hong Kong-based brand Urbanroot is strategically expanding its e-commerce presence across the region.
Urbanroot currently operates its own online store, and focuses on tapping into the burgeoning Asian eCommerce landscape. The brand has identified that Asian consumers, with their unique foot shapes and preferences, present a potential business opportunity for their barefoot shoe.
Beyond their core barefoot shoe line, Urbanroot is also diversifying its product offering to cater to the evolving needs of its target customers. This includes items like t-shirts and dedicated barefoot socks, providing Asian consumers with a more customized and comprehensive “barefoot” lifestyle experience.
To support this expansion, Urbanroot has partnered with ePlus, a reliable eCommerce 3PL logistics provider that offers a one-stop crowdfunding fulfillment solution. Leveraging ePlus global fulfillment network, automated warehousing, and 3PL logistics expertise, Urbanroot can now focus on product innovation and business development, while ensuring a seamless, end-to-end shopping experience for its growing customer base across Asia.
As a trusted crowdfunding logistics partner, ePlus enables crowdfunding eCommerce merchants to efficiently handle international fulfillment, including air/sea freight, picking, packing, and local/international shipping – allowing crowdfunding brands to swiftly deliver their specialized products to consumers and scale their eCommerce business worldwide.
FAQ about Crowdfunding Logistics & ePlus Services
Looking for Stylish and Comfortable Barefoot Shoes?
Shop Now at Urbanroot: https://bit.ly/4bO0Rfr
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