‘Kosheli Ghar’ boosts local products via TikTok, reaching global markets

KATHMANDU: In the bustling Kali Pul Bus Park of Beni, Myagdi, Dilkumari Gurung, the operator of “Myagdi Kosheli Ghar,” spends an hour daily on TikTok live, not just for entertainment, but to promote local products and market them to a wider audience.

Her innovative approach has proven to be a game-changer in the region’s business landscape.

“Social media isn’t just for fun or passing time—it can be a powerful tool for business,” says Gurung. Thanks to TikTok, she has been able to sell goods worth between three to four lakh rupees monthly.

Before she embraced TikTok, sourcing products and selling even a lakh rupees worth of goods monthly was a significant challenge.

“With TikTok, I now receive orders and can sell up to four lakh rupees worth of products each month,” she shares. The platform has also enabled her to connect with customers from neighboring districts and even distant traders, making it easier to procure and sell locally-made items.

Through TikTok, Gurung shares videos of her products, along with her contact details. Customers watch the videos, place orders, and after transferring the payment, the goods are sent via courier or vehicle to the customers. “TikTok has made it easier for me to buy products from rural areas and deliver them directly to customers,” Gurung explains.

Since opening her shop in the tourist information center’s building in June, Gurung has become a key figure in promoting products made by local artisans. The shop, “Kosheli Ghar,” offers a variety of items such as handwoven fabrics from Dhaka, Allo, and Tanma, ethnic costumes, Nepali handmade paper, Bhango, black lentils, red mushrooms, Simmi dal, Sissnu powder, and Timur, among other products.

Customers from cities like Pokhara, Kathmandu, Butwal, and Chitwan, as well as Nepali diaspora communities abroad, have been purchasing these items through TikTok.

Many overseas Nepalis, especially from countries like the UK, Australia, Japan, Portugal, and the USA, place orders for specific products like Sissnu powder, Timur chutney, and Fapar flour.

In addition to her local success, Gurung has been sending products to the families of Nepali expatriates, further expanding her reach.

“There is a high demand for specific items abroad, especially for herbal and local food products,” she says.

Suvin Shrestha, President of the Magdi Chamber of Commerce, emphasizes that “Kosheli Ghar” has significantly helped local entrepreneurs by bringing their agricultural, livestock, and small industry products to a broader market.

Tourists visiting the region often buy goods from the shop as souvenirs, contributing to the success of local businesses and the economy.

Gurung’s initiative is a testament to how social media, especially platforms like TikTok, can be leveraged for innovative business solutions that bridge the gap between local producers and global markets.