Bistip: Investment, New Facility and Strategy

DailySocial have written about startups invested by InvestIdea: Kartumuu, Whuzz.net dan Bistip. For Bistip, before the investment news reached our editorial team they have renewed some of their services. The renewal includes some changes on their UI, and some things related to their facility such as using RekeningBersama for payment method for Bistipers, forum, influencer, trending items, and most active routes.

Several features above in my opinion is worth developing by Bistip as online service for a web-based courier service that provides facilities for those who wish to entrust their items or have items entrusted to them for delivery purposes for a fee. These several new facilities can be useful for their users and maintain relationship with users. Influencer for example is a mediator facility for those who entrust their items and those who was entrusted. And for Forum, facility asked by Bistipers, can be main source for information and facility for discussion.

Other facilities also add up to their service. Since they are still new (although the concept itself is not a new one), trending items, most active routes can provide additional information and “crowd” in Bistip’s website. A joint account (RekeningBersama) can also provide facility for Bistip users who want to use their service for payment process, although the process itself is quite complicated (negotiation between Bistipers is far easier). But along with its development, this service can assist Bistip into becoming entrusting service like online shopping.

At the moment Bistip has more or less 900 users, and they need to pay special attention on users’ activity just like their strategy. Willy Ekasalim, Bistip’s founder, said that at this moment Bistip is focusing on creating entrusting experience the online way, as explained by Panggi Libersa, Bistip’s developer, that they are still focusing on creating entrusting community first.

As for their current investment and whether there will be any change in management level, Willy said that,” Bistip experience no changes in management level whatsoever. InvestIdea’s part is on the entire development up to marketing. Their input and suggestion during decision making is very helpful.” Willy also added that the funding they get is more into incubation, investor acts like a partner to develop Bistip, working together in Bistip.

Up to now Bistip is yet to be focusing on monetizing. There are some plans like membership and fee from RekeningBersama (at the moment it is still free of charge). However as explained before, Bistip is still focusing on building community.

Building community becomes important reference, especially for service provider like Bistip. My friends’ responds on this service are quite positive considering Indonesian like to communicate (entrusting and entrusted with items) especially if we get fee from it. Although there are some things Bistip needs to pay attention, like security and users’ activity, but their approach – by building community -  are worth to be paid attention to. Let see how this funding-incubation can bring Bistip to new stage from their current service.