Online palengke delivers wet and dry goods to one’s doorstep

PalengkeLink , a local digital delivery and online palengke (wet market) app for wet and dry goods, allows customers to place orders with a merchant identified as a palengke stall owner or local market partner, and have their goods delivered by a rider partner within the day.

Launched on March 1, the app offers the convenience of local market selections with affordable fees. The app’s convenience fee is 8% for cashless transactions and 15% for cash transactions. Its share in delivery fees is 10%.

“We created an app that caters to a different client base,” said Mark Ryan T. Penafiel, PalengkeLink programming and accounting officer. “Our goal is to serve the other sectors: palengkes and home-based food sellers that have no available platform to sell their products.”

The PalengkeLink team visited wet markets and taught vendors how to use the platform. They were soon trying to outdo each other in photographing their items and writing product descriptions. “They are empowered to upload their items themselves on the app,” said Mr. Penafiel.

There are more than 150 merchants on the app. A five-star rating system weeds out merchants with consistently low ratings (or those with fewer than three stars). The platform has 15 rider partners, with more than 100 others waiting for their applications to be approved. The company said they do not overhire to ensure that all rider partners registered have enough bookings.

Customers can pay with cash, debit or credit card, or GCash. Only one fee is necessary for transactions, including multi-stall transactions.

PalengkiLink serves Quezon City, Marikina City, and the City of Manila, through stall owners in Farmers Market Cubao, Mega Q Mart, Altura Bagsakan Market, Guadalupe Commercial Complex, Marikina Public Market, Maypajo Public Market, and Choice Market Ortigas.

It is in talks with areas such as Davao, Cebu, and Tarlac that are interested in the app.

“We’re trying to compete with giants in the market but [we will do it] slowly but surely,” Mr. Penafiel said. “We’re Philippine-based and we have low funding.”

PalengkeLink is available on Android phones at the moment. — Patricia B. Mirasol