Singapore
Thailand
IndonesiaWhat does it really take for a Malaysian brand to reach customers around the world?
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At Every Parcel Has a Story: The World Is Your Market, EasyParcel brought business owners and e-commerce sellers together for an open conversation with Dododots co-founders Esther Erin and Ethan Wong, moderated by Clarence Leong, Founder and CEO of EasyParcel.
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Instead of presenting a perfect success story, the session explored the actual decisions, mistakes and challenges behind expanding into multiple markets—from logistics and pricing to marketing and operations.
Thinking Global From the Beginning
Dododots did not wait until it became a large company before thinking internationally.
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The founders shared that they had a global ambition from the early days of the business, even when the company was handling only a small number of orders.
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The product itself also made international expansion possible. It is flat, lightweight, non-liquid and non-flammable, making it easier and more affordable to ship overseas.
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Singapore became one of the brand’s earliest international markets because of its proximity to Malaysia. From there, Dododots continued entering new markets and testing where demand could grow.
Dododots co-founders Esther Erin and Ethan Wong shared the lessons behind their business growth.
What Business Owners Can Learn From Their Journey
1. Consider Logistics From the Start
One of the most honest parts of the session was the discussion about delivery problems.
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The founders shared that, in the early days, customers were not always given enough delivery choices. Lower-cost shipping could result in parcels being delayed, held at customs or becoming difficult to trace.
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When a parcel does not arrive, the business may lose more than the product. It may also lose the shipping fee, customer acquisition cost, refund amount and the customer’s trust.
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Their approach later changed. Customers were offered different shipping options, with clearer expectations around price and delivery speed.
No point investing in sales and marketing if the product does not reach the customer.
2. Local Fulfilment Can Support Growth
As order volume increases, shipping every parcel directly from Malaysia may become difficult.
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Dododots shared that it now works with third-party logistics providers in markets such as the United States and Australia. Products are sent to local warehouses and fulfilled closer to customers.
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When selecting fulfilment partners, the founders consider factors such as picking fees, storage, processing time and service-level agreements.
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This helps the business reduce its dependence on long-distance shipping from Malaysia alone.
3. Pricing Should Match the Market
Another key topic was overseas pricing.
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The founders explained that their prices differ across countries because customer expectations, competition and purchasing behaviour are not the same everywhere.
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In some markets, businesses need to remain price-competitive. In others, a product priced too cheaply may be perceived as lower quality.
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They shared that Singaporean customers gave direct feedback that the product should be priced higher than a simple Malaysian currency conversion.
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The lesson was clear: do not just convert your Malaysian selling price. Understand the market first.
4. Not Every Market Is Worth Keeping
Expanding quickly can create opportunities, but it can also create operational pressure.
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The founders shared that some markets were tested before the company decided whether to continue. When a market was not suitable, Dododots could appoint a distributor or stop operating there.
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External factors such as postal strikes, customs delays and high shipping costs may also create significant customer-service work.
Businesses therefore need to ask whether the potential sales justify the effort required to maintain the market.
Questions Business Owners Wanted Answered
The fireside chat and live Q&A explored several questions that many growing brands face.
How did Dododots know the product could go global?
The founders said they had an international mindset from the beginning.
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The product’s small size, light weight and ease of transport gave them confidence that it could be sold beyond Malaysia. They also opened multiple markets through their online store and observed where orders came from.
Why did the company expand quickly?
Dododots recognised that being an early mover mattered.
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The founders explained that retail shelf space for pimple patches is limited. If they rejected an overseas opportunity, a retailer might bring in another brand instead, making it harder for Dododots to enter later.
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That was why the company accepted many inbound opportunities from overseas partners, even though rapid expansion also placed pressure on cash flow.
How does Dododots keep creating content?
Many of Dododots’ content ideas come directly from daily business experiences.
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The founders shared real problems, mistakes, successes and behind-the-scenes moments instead of creating stories purely for marketing.
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Their advice was to remain consistent. Founders who are uncomfortable appearing on camera can involve team members or content creators, but the business should continue showing up regularly.
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At the same time, they cautioned against chasing virality at all costs. Content should still reflect the brand’s values and attract the right audience.
What would they prioritise if they started again?
The discussion highlighted three key areas:
- Building a strong product with a clear unique selling point
- Investing in marketing and brand distribution
- Protecting the brand through trademarks and copyright
The founders shared that Dododots later invested in intellectual-property protection across more than 20 countries.
More Than Just Going Global
Beyond expansion, the founders also shared how they built their team and company culture.
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Dododots focuses on results rather than measuring performance purely by working hours. The founders also introduced a senior internship initiative after seeing how much their grandparents enjoyed helping with packing work.
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The programme later created work opportunities for retirees and people above 50, while also bringing more life experience into the company.
The Biggest Takeaway: Know Why You Are Expanding
Throughout the conversation, one message appeared repeatedly: businesses need to understand why they are making each decision.
- Why enter a new market?
- Why set a particular price?
- Why create certain content?
- Why expand now?
Growth should not be driven only by the desire to appear global, go viral or achieve a certain status.
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A business must still create real value for customers and build the systems needed to deliver that value consistently.
Every Parcel Carries a Business Promise
For a growing brand, a parcel is not simply a product being sent from one location to another.
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It represents the customer’s payment, expectations and trust.
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As the session showed, reaching an overseas customer is only the beginning. The product must still arrive safely, within a reasonable timeframe and with an experience that encourages the customer to buy again.
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Through the Every Parcel Has a Story series, EasyParcel aims to bring business owners together to learn from real journeys, practical decisions and lessons behind business growth.
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A special thank you to:
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Esther Erin and Ethan Wong
Co-founders of Dododots
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Clarence Leong
Founder and CEO of EasyParcel
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Exabytes
Venue Sponsor
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NextUpAsia
Community Partner
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We would also like to thank Dododots for sponsoring Beauty Patches for the participants and everyone who joined the session.
