E-tailor hub: a conceptual digital platform business model to enhance b40 quality of life via sustainable consumption entrepreneurship

• Main Authors: Khairul Najmy, Nurul Najihah, Borhanuddin, Siti Hajar, Raduan, Nur Dhiya Alyani, Azmi, Siti Salbiah, Ahmad Dahlan, Abdul Rahman
• Format: Conference or Workshop Item
• Language: English
• Published: 2021
• Subjects: T58.6 Management information systems
• Online Access: http://irep.iium.edu.my/90984/1/90984_Etailor%20hub%20a%20conceptual%20digital%20platform%20business%20model.pdf; http://irep.iium.edu.my/90984/

This paper is to offer a conceptual digital platform business model, called E-Tailor, that includes providing digital apps/ platforms where sellers and buyers can get various types of tailored, new, and used clothes. This business model is aligned to the United Nations Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) 12, to reduce effects on nature, with more sustainable consumptions. This includes producing on demand to reduce overproduction, to ensure that the clothes are reused, to recycle products when they are worn out and to let customers rent clothes instead of buying them. Renting instead of buying would secure returned products to be used again or recycled. E-Tailor helps sellers and consumers including searching for clothes related products and services as well as selling and promoting tailored, new, and used clothes. Since the Covid-19 lockdown, many have been impacted by the pandemic as many people lost their jobs and businesses. This business model offers retrenched B40 workers with reskilling and upskilling programmes on mind-set shift, tailoring and digital entrepreneurship. Thus, enhancing job opportunities to the B40 community as employees or entrepreneurs. Used clothing or items can also be donated, rented, or sold as to reduce the amount of clothes waste. The Design Thinking (DT) methodology adapted in this paper is to understand and define the key problems; ideation of possible solution options, validation of solution options by various customer segments; and to suggest a conceptual business model and solution. This includes conducting literature review and benchmarking, conducting interviews using the business modelling tools which are Environment Map (EM), Business Model Canvas (BMC), Value Proposition Canvas (VPC), and Strategy Canvas (SC). An initial business model prototype was formulated – in the form of EM, BMC, VPC and low fidelity E-Tailor prototype; tested and validated by various customer segments. Hence, the main contribution of this paper is to offer a validated conceptual E-Tailor platform business model as a conceptual solution in addressing: (a) SDG 1 and 8 – reducing the unemployment rate, by reskilling and upskilling for employment, empowering, and nurturing B40 as entrepreneurs; (b) SDG12 – supporting sustainable consumption through selling, buying, renting, recycle and donation of tailored, new, and used clothes.