Shipping smiles, saving costs: How Instarem powers Fly Box Korea

22 Apr 2025

4 mins read

This article covers:

The Company

Fly Box Korea is a cross-border e-commerce business that brings Korea’s most popular products — from cosmetics and skincare to food and fashion — straight to customers in Hong Kong. Acting as a purchasing agent, they simplify overseas shopping by sourcing, consolidating, and shipping quality Korean goods on behalf of their customers.

Their value proposition lies in convenience, cultural insight, and affordability. Customers avoid the hassle of navigating language barriers, complex shipping processes, and international payments — all while getting access to authentic Korean goods at competitive prices.

To keep this model running smoothly, Fly Box Korea frequently remits Korean Won (KRW) back to their Korean entity after receiving payments in Hong Kong Dollars (HKD). But in a price-sensitive market with tight profit margins, their operations demanded an efficient, cost-effective remittance solution.

“Our industry works on razor-thin margins. To stay competitive, we must minimize every avoidable cost while meeting rising customer expectations,” explained Joey Hui, Director of Fly Box Korea.

The Challenges

Although Fly Box Korea didn’t struggle with labour shortages or credit issues, they faced a critical operational bottleneck — the need to manage KRW remittances amid currency volatility and platform limitations from previous providers.

Key challenges included:

Volatile KRW exchange rates, fluctuating up to 5–10% in a single day, which made it difficult to predict costs and maintain healthy margins
Payout or transaction caps, which disrupted their ability to manage cash flow smoothly
No weekend or after-hours payouts, leading to unnecessary delays in a fast-paced business
Slow, friction-filled onboarding due to lack of familiarity with the purchasing agent model

The need for a faster, more stable, and better-supported solution was clear.

The Solution

After trying platforms like Wise and Airwallex, Fly Box Korea found their ideal partner in Instarem — a provider that offered the speed, control, and support they needed to scale confidently.

“I no longer worry about remittance cut-off times or transaction limits. That peace of mind lets me focus on growing the business,” shared Joey Hui, Director.

Key features that made the difference:

48-hour KRW rate lock, allowing them to manage FX risk and protect tight margins
Real-time payouts, even on weekends or after banking hours
Zero transaction fees, regardless of payment frequency or amount
Unlimited daily transactions, removing remittance limits that previously held them back

“The ability to lock in exchange rates for 48 hours is a game changer. We can make payouts even on weekends or after hours,” noted Joey Hui, Director.

Additionally, onboarding became much smoother once Fly Box Korea was connected with their Cantonese-speaking account manager. Her deep understanding of the purchasing agent business model and clear communication helped unlock smoother operations from the start.

“Once our account manager came into the picture, everything became much smoother. She understands the purchasing agent model, speaks Cantonese, and helps us bridge the communication gaps,” recalled Joey Hui, Director.

The Results

Since switching to Instarem, Fly Box Korea has seen clear, measurable improvements in operational efficiency and financial stability:

Faster KRW payouts, with no delays due to banking hours or public holidays
Stronger FX margins, with predictable rate locks helping them avoid costly swings
Unlimited, fee-free transactions, enabling better cash flow management
Dedicated, reliable support, including Cantonese language service and tailored onboarding

“I’m very satisfied with Instarem. When friends or partners ask, I always recommend it,” affirmed Joey Hui, Director.

By removing the barriers created by banking cut-offs, high fees, and platform limitations, Fly Box Korea has been able to focus on what matters most — growth and customer satisfaction.