Recently, Edupod received the honour of being featured in a local publication. 

Read the full segment here: https://www.zaobao.com.sg/zfinance/sme/story20210318-1132191

 

Read our segment (English): 

Companies were faced with many challenges when the Singapore government announced the circuit breaker during the COVID-19 pandemic. For employees of First Sight International, they took this opportunity to advance their digital marketing skills and have successfully established a reputation for children's furniture, even becoming a hot topic among mothers. 

When interviewed, the founder of the company Zak Lo mentions how First Sight specialises in designing and creating learning environments for schools and government agencies. Edupod, a brand operated under the company, will then help to provide both locally manufactured and imported furniture and amusement facilities. 

Mr. Lo pointed out that the government began the suspension of most bidding activities early last year under COVID-19 prevention measures. When the government announced the circuit breaker in April, employees of the company panicked. He quotes “No tender meant no jobs and no income for the employees”.

To boost morale, Mr. Lo encouraged his employees to attend classes to advance their skills or receive new training. Like many other furniture companies, First Sight also received subsidies from the Singapore Furniture Industry Council’s SFICAssist program to ease the burden.

After attending a digital marketing course with his employees, the company started putting up their products online into e-commerce platforms such as Shopee and Lazada. Mr. Lo also noted how during the pandemic, many parents opted to purchase backyard playgrounds for their children online. 

Edupod products have also garnered attention online. In particular, the children's sleeping cot has become a hot item. Mr. Lo guesses that as many preschools have purchased this cot from Edupod, it has attracted attention amongst parents as well. Although late to the e-commerce game, Mr. Lo revealed that specifically online sales have increased by 60%.   

 

Read our segment (Chinese):

电商销售幼儿床

成妈妈群热门话题

First Sight International的员工在阻断措施期间学习数码行销，成功为公司旗下的儿童家具品牌打响名声，甚至成为妈妈群的热门话题。

公司创办人卢作为受访时说，First Sight主要为学校和政府机构提供空间设计。公司旗下所经营的儿童家具品牌Edupod，一向来是为教育部幼儿园和学前教育中心，提供本地制造和进口的儿童家具与游乐设施。

卢作为指出，政府去年初已开始暂缓大部分招标活动。到了4月初，政府宣布实施为期大约两个月的阻断措施，公司员工顿时很慌乱，“没有标案，等于没有收入，员工没有工作。”

为了提振员工的士气，卢作为鼓励全公司上下一同去上课，学习新技能或接受重新培训。和许多家具同业一样，First Sight获得新加坡家具工业理事会的SFICAssist计划补助，减轻负担。

卢作为和员工一同上了数码行销课程，“我们开始将所有产品放上网，包括Shopee和Lazada这些电商平台。”他发现，在疫情相对严峻期间，许多家长上网订购Edupod的小型游乐设施。

另外，有一组妈妈在社群媒体开了讨论群组分享Edupod的幼儿睡床。卢作为猜测，许多学前教育中心使用这款睡床，因此引起注意。虽然起步较晚，他透露公司的电商销售增长了60％。