A new online bazaar called Hocusadabra is one of Asia's early-movers into the e-store segment for children.

The store is an online collection of creatively and consciously curated products from all over the globe that "care for, entertain and educate" children.  The concept is built around an initiative to support independent designers and artists who use sustainable materials to produce beautifully crafted educational children’s products.

Based in Hong Kong, the e-store was founded by two expatriate women - Kristen Zaki from New Zealand, and Tarlan Amigh from Australia. 

Zaki is a designer by trade, with many years of experience in fashion under her belt. Before co-launching Hocusadabra, Zaki spent the past five years developing accessories for international fashion brands like HM, Zara, Topshop, Mango, Urban Outfitters, forever 21 and others.  Amigh specializes in marketing and business communications, and after a career with British Telecom and their global venture with AT+T, has launched several successful independent ventures in Hong Kong.

Since Hocusadabra's launch in June 2010, the company has been reaching out to customers, not just in Hong Kong, but around the globe.

The company is especially focused on the China market, providing child health-minded products to concerned families in Mainland China, by creating a Simplified Chinese dedicated checkout to make payment easier for Mainland Chinese customers.  Recently they've partnered with China Union Pay (CUP) to providing Mainland shoppers with an easier payment system.

Quoting a 2009 consumer study from Mckinsey’s that reported several trends emerging in the China market, like increasing consumer sophistication and highlighted ‘smarter buying’, Hocusadabra recognised their own growing demand from the Mainland and set up CUP.

“We’ve taken our China business very seriously and are determined to make lives easier for our customers there," said Co-Director Tarlan Amigh. CUP has become the central and pivotal part of China’s bankcard industry, and plays an essential role in the industry development.  For us, enabling this system on our site is proof of our promise to be truly global website,” she said.

The young founders, being from a tech savvy generation, also display their business acumen by employing integrated social media marketing.  They feel mothers and childcare providers are their quintessential brand ambassadors and the most credible and reliable sources of information, feedback and product knowledge. 

As a result, the site now is linked with an integrated Social Media platform enabling product comments, ratings and sharing to Facebook and Twitter. “With 86% of Mother’s these days looking to social networking sites and basing their shopping choices on other Mother’s advice we thought who better than to write about what’s going on in the world of children’s products” said Kirsten Zaki.

The duo says their mission is to speak to parents and those who care for children about what they are buying for children and most importantly how they are educating children through their choices.  Given recent concerns over heavy metals poisoning in toys, and industrial contamination in Chinese milk, there is certainly a platform for Hocusadabra to be heard.

From their forward-facing marketing approach, to catering to China's growing customer base, to their unique style and creative presentation of unique products, Asia's Hocusadabra looks well positioned to take off.  Other retailers might do well to take some inspiration from their approach.

To visit the Hocusadabra site click here: www.hocusadabra.com.