PHILSTAR FILE PHOTO

JOINING BAZAARS can help small businesses match their monthly online sales in just a day while raising brand visibility, according to a Filipina jewelry entrepreneur.

“After reviewing our data, I found out that our online sales in one month can be achieved in one day in bazaars,” Callista Jewelry Collections owner Gabrielle C. Dela Cruz told reporters during the WISE Bazaar program.

While online selling is cheaper to maintain, bazaars deliver faster returns, she said. A typical participation budget ranges from P20,000 to P30,000 depending on location, with Bonifacio Global City and Estancia Mall in Pasig among the best-performing venues.

“Number one preparation is budget,” she said. “If the sales are good, the returns of bazaars can be double the capital. Online selling is like a variable expense — you only pay taxes and platform fees when you have sales, while bazaars are fixed expenses.”

E-commerce platforms such as TikTok Shop and Shopee also charge varying commission and service fees. TikTok Shop deducts a commission based on product category from seller payouts once an order is delivered. Shopee imposes commission, transaction and shipping fees, and additional charges for sellers who join marketing programs.

Despite the higher upfront costs, Ms. Dela Cruz said bazaars have boosted Callista’s online presence. “Our visibility increased after joining bazaars. We saw in our insights on Instagram and TikTok it was really boosted,” she said.

Callista Jewelry Collections has 4,212 followers on TikTok, 333 likes on Facebook, and 264 followers on Instagram. The brand is targeting a combined 10,000 social media followers by the end of the year. — A.L.S. Martinez

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