Filipino buyers get access to products abroad
By Alexander Villafania
INQUIRER.net
MANILA, Philippines – The growth in the number of Internet users is seen to drive smaller business towards selling online.
Online services portal 88DB.com sees growth among businesses in different regions doing “business-to-consumer” transactions.
In the Philippines, many Internet users are starting to purchase items online through various online vendors. However, some items can be found in online auction sites.
Racquel Cagurangan, 88DB.com country general manager, said economic times are pushing regional businesses to use the Internet to sell their products, instead of the traditional distribution system, which would cost higher logistically.
And advantage in direct selling is that buyers can select specific products of interest and order them from just about anywhere. Sellers also save by reducing the cost carried by having a local sales office.
It’s effective to sell online because they would know in what areas their products are in-demand. They can also reach consumers that would normally be unreachable by traditional distribution channels.
“You have to remember that Filipinos would still buy local products but they don’t know where to find them. Having an online portal will give consumers a place to check out products that they might want to have,” Cagurangan said.
Cagurangan also said some business firms in the Philippines will continue to expand their business abroad using the Internet, which will also save them from spending more on logistical evaluation of potential markets.
The continued expansion of telecommunications services, as well as partnerships with credit card and bank services for online services will also drive Philippine businesses to use the Internet for various transactions.
Wednesday, August 26, 2009
Filling a hole in coffee shop business
By Gigie A. Agtay
EVEN as a seven-year-old child, Gladys Lalaine G. Marcial, now 28, was a budding entrepreneur, selling candies to drivers working for her grandfather's trucking firm.
Being the only girl in a family of five siblings, Gel would play "tinda-tindahan" alone inside her room. The dresser would serve as her store counter. She would position herself in front of the mirror and assume that her reflection on the mirror is the customer.
She had long asked for a cash register toy from her parents, but the latter couldn't find one for their unica hija. So she used the dresser's drawer to keep her play money.
Her business sense prompted her to take a financial management course at the Colegio de San Benildo in Cagayan de Oro. Immediately after her graduation in 2002, she moved back to Davao City to work at her lolo's trucking firm and at the same time managed a water-refilling station. The line of business didn't fascinate her much though.
While fixing her cabinet to get rid of old clothes, she stumbled upon the idea of selling the second-hand clothes to earn extra money.
"Nakita ko closet ko na masyado ng maraming gamit. Naisip ko na pwede ko pagkakitaan. Instead of buying things for myself. Bumili ako ng pangbenta," she narrated.
Her entrepreneurial ambitions got the best of her, and eventually landed her a marketing career by selling boutique items from RTWs (ready to wears) to bags, shoes, and ladies accessories. She joined bazaars during Kadayawan, Araw ng Dabaw, Christmas and the like at Davcon, Matina Town Square and Damosa Gateway.
She pioneered the distribution of popular Crocs brand footwear in Davao.
She discovered customers' interest in clothes and accessories and this sparked her curiosity. In 2005, Gel opened Clothes Bar in Juna Subdivision.
"It was financially rewarding. Enough to pay the rent of boutique and house, at mapakain apat na brothers ko, makapagtravel, at ma afford na hindi mag-work for one month,” she said.
Though not so tech-savvy, Gel took advantage of opportunities by bringing Clothes Bar to the doorsteps of online clients.
But then again the self-starting side of Gel dreamed of bigger things.
While manning her booth at the 1st Food Exhibit at Central Bank in 2007, she stumbled upon a new business idea -- food and beverage.
"Nagtatiangge ako noon sa central bank, nakita ako ng lola ko na nagsusukat ng shoes para sa ibang tao. My lola told my lolo na 'yung apo mo nagtatiangge'. My lolo asked my lola to tell me na pumili daw ako kahit ano business at siya ang magpi-finance," Gel said. "Nung time na yun I wanted a mall-based boutique. My lolo was not amenable to it and suggested that I diversify into food and beverage retailing. Akala ko biro-biro lang. My lolo bought me an espresso machine worth P240,000," she said.
With her newly delivered espresso machine at her boutique, Gel made her own coffee menu and coffee shop concept, which she formulated from the internet and friends' suggestions.
"I even set up an online show on Blog TV to elicit suggestions and feedback. My audience was from different places,” she said.
She attended trainings on coffee concoctions. Her first coffee customers at the boutique cum snack bar were her Lola Lydia Guilles, friends and several curious foreigners who drop by to check out her goods.
Gel then found a new business -- a coffee shop gifted by her lolo, Gregorio "Totoy" Guilles.
With plenty of ideas on how to start up and grow her business, Gel established Tata Benito’s (named after her great grandfather) A Whole Latte Love at World Palace in November 2007.
Business wasn’t good enough though because of its not so strategic location. Gel decided to transfer the coffee shop and bring her products to more potential customers.
In December 2008, she opened Tata Benito’s at the Paseo de Legaspi on Legaspi Street which also houses Clothes Bar at the second floor.
For Gel, most start-ups just don't take off. However, this eventuality shouldn't be confused with failure. She gained a new raft of experiences and learned valuable lessons for future enterprising. Her aunt, Dr. Lucy Guilles, franchised Tata Benito’s and opened a branch near Conpinco in Bajada.
Just five months after opening Tata Benito’s Rizal branch, Gel expanded her coffee shop business to the Robinson’s Cybergate along J. P. Laurel Avenue. She admitted it was an aggressive move but she said that getting Robinsons Land’s approval of her lease application only proves that Tata Benito’s has been slowly making a name in the local coffee shop industry.
“We see to it that everything is personalized from menu to services. Every client who comes to the coffee shop ay parang bisita sa bahay,” she said.
Slowly, Gel believes, customers have taken notice that Tata Benito’s is filling a hole in the market with quality product, offering about 40 coffee concoctions.
“We roast our own coffee. Every cup of coffee served came from coffee beans roasted by my lolo, not by charcoal but through pressurized method,” Gel said, adding that Tata Benito’s has its own commissary that bakes its own bread and pastries.
Success doesn’t come easy though. “Madali man ang operation pero ang problema ay ang tao. Mas maraming needs ang employees kesa sa shop. Kung kaya ko ibigay, ibibigay ko… just like how you treat a family member,” she said.
Young entrepreneurs like Gel can always use their youth to their advantage by introducing something new and creative into the market. She laments though that a downside of starting young in any business is you don’t get to enjoy your youth.
"Gusto mo mag-explore ng ibang field or mag travel but you're stuck with the business. Hindi din pwede iwanan ng matagal ang business because it would be just like leaving your baby to a yaya. Halos hindi ako makatulog," Gel added.
With her passion as a driving force, Gel hopes to establish a solid hold.
Such that when people hear the name coffee, one of the things that would come to mind is Tata Benito's. Establishing Tata Benito's name, she added, comes with an unending pursuit of ways to surprise its clients.
In the event business doesn't take off soon, she said it helps to be patient. Just don't end up pulling out of it; look back on what you've learned and consider what you plan to do next time -- wiser and ready to deal with new challenges.
"There's always another opportunity; dust yourself off and keep on going. You haven't failed but you've progressed."
EVEN as a seven-year-old child, Gladys Lalaine G. Marcial, now 28, was a budding entrepreneur, selling candies to drivers working for her grandfather's trucking firm.
Being the only girl in a family of five siblings, Gel would play "tinda-tindahan" alone inside her room. The dresser would serve as her store counter. She would position herself in front of the mirror and assume that her reflection on the mirror is the customer.
She had long asked for a cash register toy from her parents, but the latter couldn't find one for their unica hija. So she used the dresser's drawer to keep her play money.
Her business sense prompted her to take a financial management course at the Colegio de San Benildo in Cagayan de Oro. Immediately after her graduation in 2002, she moved back to Davao City to work at her lolo's trucking firm and at the same time managed a water-refilling station. The line of business didn't fascinate her much though.
While fixing her cabinet to get rid of old clothes, she stumbled upon the idea of selling the second-hand clothes to earn extra money.
"Nakita ko closet ko na masyado ng maraming gamit. Naisip ko na pwede ko pagkakitaan. Instead of buying things for myself. Bumili ako ng pangbenta," she narrated.
Her entrepreneurial ambitions got the best of her, and eventually landed her a marketing career by selling boutique items from RTWs (ready to wears) to bags, shoes, and ladies accessories. She joined bazaars during Kadayawan, Araw ng Dabaw, Christmas and the like at Davcon, Matina Town Square and Damosa Gateway.
She pioneered the distribution of popular Crocs brand footwear in Davao.
She discovered customers' interest in clothes and accessories and this sparked her curiosity. In 2005, Gel opened Clothes Bar in Juna Subdivision.
"It was financially rewarding. Enough to pay the rent of boutique and house, at mapakain apat na brothers ko, makapagtravel, at ma afford na hindi mag-work for one month,” she said.
Though not so tech-savvy, Gel took advantage of opportunities by bringing Clothes Bar to the doorsteps of online clients.
But then again the self-starting side of Gel dreamed of bigger things.
While manning her booth at the 1st Food Exhibit at Central Bank in 2007, she stumbled upon a new business idea -- food and beverage.
"Nagtatiangge ako noon sa central bank, nakita ako ng lola ko na nagsusukat ng shoes para sa ibang tao. My lola told my lolo na 'yung apo mo nagtatiangge'. My lolo asked my lola to tell me na pumili daw ako kahit ano business at siya ang magpi-finance," Gel said. "Nung time na yun I wanted a mall-based boutique. My lolo was not amenable to it and suggested that I diversify into food and beverage retailing. Akala ko biro-biro lang. My lolo bought me an espresso machine worth P240,000," she said.
With her newly delivered espresso machine at her boutique, Gel made her own coffee menu and coffee shop concept, which she formulated from the internet and friends' suggestions.
"I even set up an online show on Blog TV to elicit suggestions and feedback. My audience was from different places,” she said.
She attended trainings on coffee concoctions. Her first coffee customers at the boutique cum snack bar were her Lola Lydia Guilles, friends and several curious foreigners who drop by to check out her goods.
Gel then found a new business -- a coffee shop gifted by her lolo, Gregorio "Totoy" Guilles.
With plenty of ideas on how to start up and grow her business, Gel established Tata Benito’s (named after her great grandfather) A Whole Latte Love at World Palace in November 2007.
Business wasn’t good enough though because of its not so strategic location. Gel decided to transfer the coffee shop and bring her products to more potential customers.
In December 2008, she opened Tata Benito’s at the Paseo de Legaspi on Legaspi Street which also houses Clothes Bar at the second floor.
For Gel, most start-ups just don't take off. However, this eventuality shouldn't be confused with failure. She gained a new raft of experiences and learned valuable lessons for future enterprising. Her aunt, Dr. Lucy Guilles, franchised Tata Benito’s and opened a branch near Conpinco in Bajada.
Just five months after opening Tata Benito’s Rizal branch, Gel expanded her coffee shop business to the Robinson’s Cybergate along J. P. Laurel Avenue. She admitted it was an aggressive move but she said that getting Robinsons Land’s approval of her lease application only proves that Tata Benito’s has been slowly making a name in the local coffee shop industry.
“We see to it that everything is personalized from menu to services. Every client who comes to the coffee shop ay parang bisita sa bahay,” she said.
Slowly, Gel believes, customers have taken notice that Tata Benito’s is filling a hole in the market with quality product, offering about 40 coffee concoctions.
“We roast our own coffee. Every cup of coffee served came from coffee beans roasted by my lolo, not by charcoal but through pressurized method,” Gel said, adding that Tata Benito’s has its own commissary that bakes its own bread and pastries.
Success doesn’t come easy though. “Madali man ang operation pero ang problema ay ang tao. Mas maraming needs ang employees kesa sa shop. Kung kaya ko ibigay, ibibigay ko… just like how you treat a family member,” she said.
Young entrepreneurs like Gel can always use their youth to their advantage by introducing something new and creative into the market. She laments though that a downside of starting young in any business is you don’t get to enjoy your youth.
"Gusto mo mag-explore ng ibang field or mag travel but you're stuck with the business. Hindi din pwede iwanan ng matagal ang business because it would be just like leaving your baby to a yaya. Halos hindi ako makatulog," Gel added.
With her passion as a driving force, Gel hopes to establish a solid hold.
Such that when people hear the name coffee, one of the things that would come to mind is Tata Benito's. Establishing Tata Benito's name, she added, comes with an unending pursuit of ways to surprise its clients.
In the event business doesn't take off soon, she said it helps to be patient. Just don't end up pulling out of it; look back on what you've learned and consider what you plan to do next time -- wiser and ready to deal with new challenges.
"There's always another opportunity; dust yourself off and keep on going. You haven't failed but you've progressed."
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