Who doesn’t love chocolate?
It’s the ultimate gift for all joyous occasions—birthdays, anniversaries, weddings, graduations, or simply as a gift to a friend. This universal love for chocolate encouraged the founders of “Chocola Moment” to start their online store, specializing in various types of chocolates and related accessories. Indeed, it seemed like a foolproof business idea.
However, initiating this business was not without its challenges for the store’s owners. Their ambitions didn’t just stop at selling chocolate; there was much more behind the launch of this venture.
We had the opportunity to discuss these challenges and more with “Lahza Al-Anzi,” the owner of “Chocola Moment.”
From Selling Ma’amoul to Chocolate
“Chocola Moment” initially started by selling delicious Ma’amoul sweets. Despite achieving high sales, they found that Ma’amoul is a seasonal product, not in demand throughout the year.
This realization led the owners to consider other products that are in demand year-round, and chocolate, with its related accessories, was the obvious choice.
“The decision to sell chocolate-related tools and accessories came by chance after joining Telegram groups that sold these items. We found a high demand for them, and realized that many people needed these tools. That’s how ‘Chocola Moment’ began specializing in chocolate and its accessories,” said Lahza Al-Anzi, explaining why they decided to expand beyond just selling chocolate.
In reality, this was an incredibly successful move, setting “Chocola Moment” apart from other stores that specialized only in selling chocolate. But there’s much more that sets this store apart.
Unique Features of the “Chocola Moment” Store
One of the keys to standing out in the crowded chocolate market is the diverse range of products offered by “The Chocolate Moment.” These categories include:
- Different flavors and colors of chocolate
- Raw chocolate
- Chocolate fillings
- Chocolate powder colors
- Cocoa butter colors
- Dried fruits
- Dried dates
- Ma’amoul sweets
- Trays and molds for decorating chocolate
- Products made by local families
In addition to various other tools like printing tools for decorating and packaging chocolates with phrases or quotes for different occasions, such as those available for Saudi National Day.
What Marketing Tools Does the Store Use?
“Lahza Al-Anzi” explained that their marketing journey to promote the store went through multiple marketing channels. However, their primary focus now is on using platforms like Snapchat, TikTok, and Instagram.
They also use Telegram to market homemade products, which allows them to reach a large number of targeted customers.
The store also adopts promotional methods focused on significant seasonal occasions nearby to achieve higher sales during these key times of the year, such as the Saudi National Day and the back-to-school season.
@moment.59 #لحظة_حلوة_تجمعكم #0553834409 #moment_choco #ترانسفير_شيت_للشوكولاته #ترانسفير ♬ الصوت الأصلي – Moment Chocola
It’s also noteworthy that the store uses the Tamara payment gateway, one of the popular payment methods that allow purchase and payment in installments or consecutive payments, making it easier for customers and also supporting homemade businesses with the tools they need to start their own projects.
Challenges Faced the “Chocola Moment” Store and How They Overcame Them
Sales stagnation for some months of the year was the first challenge faced by the store when it initially sold only Ma’amoul sweets, mainly because Ma’amoul is a seasonal dessert.
This was the reason for adding a large number of products that are not affected by seasons like chocolate, which, on the contrary, is in demand all year round.
Refrigerated shipping was also one of the main challenges faced by the store, due to the limited availability and high cost of refrigerated shipping companies. So, they started to use OTO.
The Journey of “Chocola Moment” with OTO
The search for various options for refrigerated shipping at a lower price was the reason for the “Chocola Moment” store to use the OTO gateway.
“Lahza Al-Anzi” expressed her happiness in overcoming this challenge with the help of OTO, saying, “After using OTO, I saved more than double the shipping costs I used to pay. It provides us with several options for refrigerated shipping companies at a lower shipping cost, with quick delivery throughout the kingdom and also international shipping. Therefore, we were not surprised by the increase in our shipping rate shortly after using OTO.”
“Lahza Al-Anzi” also pointed to the ease of using the OTO platform and how she finds answers to any query or question she has about using the platform.
The store has been able to cut shipping costs by more than half using OTO, adding yet another feather to its cap in a highly competitive market. This was the success story of the”Chocola Moment” store, one of our most valuable clients benefiting from OTO’s services and solutions.
We reviewed how the store began its journey and how it managed to prove its uniqueness, overcome its challenges, and find suitable solutions to reduce shipping costs and provide a unique shopping experience.
