How DTC eCommerce brand, Linjer, saved more than HKD$78,000 in FX fees
Learn how Linjer uses Airwallex’s multi-currency business account and corporate cards to save on FX.
HK$78,000
FX fees saved on global expenses in a few months
3%
saved on SaaS expenses, such as Shopify
10+ hours
saved per month from simplified processes
Linjer is an eCommerce company based in Hong Kong. They make sustainably-made jewelry, bags and watches without the luxury markup.
Industry
Retail
Company size
10 - 50 employees
Location
Hong Kong
Introducing Linjer
Back in 2014, the fashion landscape was dominated by either fast-fashion or luxury brands, leaving a gap in the market for affordable, high-quality options. Jennifer Chong and Roman Khan, who were then a couple and are now married, founded Linjer to address this issue. Their mission was to offer products that matched the quality of luxury brands but at a more accessible price point by selling directly to consumers online, eliminating the high markup typically associated with traditional retail. With just US$20,000 from their savings and crowdfunding, they launched a new brand. Within the first 14 months, Linjer achieved $1 million in sales, proving the demand for their innovative approach.
Jennifer Chong
CEO of Linjer
"I'm so thankful that Airwallex exists! It allows me to exchange currencies at great rates. The interface is modern and user-friendly compared to my bank."
Challenge: Significant costs and inconveniences with bank transfers, PayPal, and credit card purchases
Before using Airwallex, Linjer relied on bank transfers and PayPal to make international payments to their overseas suppliers. Both their bank and PayPal charged significant fees for FX conversions, and each international bank transfer costing HK$120.
Also, Linjer used credit cards for online business purchases. However, banks typically add a 3–4% markup on top of the prevailing exchange rate set by Visa or Mastercard. To eliminate these high fees, employees often used their personal credit cards to settle company expenses and were later reimbursed by the company. Jennifer mentioned that managing such tasks is "not how she wants to spend her time."
Solution & results: Airwallex international transfers and cards help Linjer save HK$78,000 FX fees
Airwallex enables Linjer to exchange currencies at interbank rates and to make international transfers at a fraction of the cost of traditional wire or PayPal transfers. Recipients are particularly satisfied because they don't incur any incoming wire fees. In contrast, when businesses use the SWIFT network for international transfers through banks, the recipient often faces additional fees.
Jennifer Chong
CEO of Linjer
"In just a few months, we've already saved more than HK$78,000 in unnecessary bank fees!"
Linjer also uses Airwallex's multi-currency Visa cards for online purchases in desired currency, with $0 transaction fees on international card payments. This not only saves costs but also empowers Jennifer's team to make purchases effortlessly, without the need for a lengthy process.
See how our customers are finding Airwallex
"Airwallex has been a game changer for all our banking needs. As a fast-growing startup, we need a scalable yet cost-efficient batch payment solution to pay our employees and vendors both inside and outside Hong Kong. Airwallex helps us save money on every bank transfer with their near-zero transaction fee and market-beating FX rates. We also use Airwallex’s multi-currency Visa cards for business travel expenses and SaaS subscriptions to avoid hidden bank fees that would otherwise have been difficult to spot. Would highly recommend other startups to get started with Airwallex!"
Henson Tsai
Founder, SleekFlow
“Through Airwallex, Jakewell can easily create Visa Corporate Cards for their team in minutes. Management can set spending limits and assign specific uses for each card to avoid misuse, while the team can quickly handle unexpected expenses. All transactions are automatically recorded, making the reconciliation process a breeze.”
Phyllis
Head of Digital Operations at Jakewell
"I’m so thankful that Airwallex exists! In Hong Kong, it's so hard to find financial service providers that are friendly to small businesses. Airwallex allows me to exchange currencies at really great rates, and the interface is very modern and easy to use compared to my bank. We save so much money with Airwallex! In just a few months, we've already saved more than HK$78,000 in unnecessary fees!"
Jennifer Chong
CEO, Linjer
“To ensure that marketing teams across each market have sufficient funds for daily operations, such as ad placements, KOL payments, and software subscriptions, Grams(28) conducts cross-border transfers on a daily basis. Through Airwallex, we can now easily create employee cards for various teams with just a few clicks.”
Benjamin
Founder of Grams(28)
“Importing the best wine and sake overseas always involve extra costs on transaction fee & FX fee. With Airwallex, we saved 100% of our overseas remittance cost and we could provide the best price for our customers.”
Tomy Wu
Co-Founder, MyiCellar
