DAVAO CITY — Homegrown software firm Ingenuity has launched a virtual shopping mall called buylocal.ph where micro, small, and medium enterprises (MSMEs) can set up their online stores.
“Think of it as a virtual marketplace where local SMEs can sell their products and accept payments online, and shoppers can buy and pay for those products at the convenience of their homes using their laptops or smartphones,” Ingenuity Chief Executive Officer John Naranjo said in an e-mail interview.
The buylocal platform has three components: listing, website or online store, and mobile application.
With the project at its initial stage, the site currently has mainly listings of enterprises that have signed up, mostly based in Davao City with a few from the Visayas and Luzon. The shops range from food supplies to restaurants, clothes, computer supply, laundry service, and even fitness equipment.
The listing and Web site development are free for the first 50 businesses that will register.
Mr. Naranjo said the MSMEs can upgrade their site to an online store with e-commerce capability.
“They can opt to upgrade their Web sites to full-blown e-commerce sites so they can take orders and payments online, and avail of other advanced functionalities such as customer and loyalty tracking, sales reports, inventory management, customer chat, etc.,” Mr. Naranjo said.
Among the first to tap the e-commerce service is the United Kaibigan Cooperative, which is composed of over 500 employees of the Aboitiz Group.
“They are setting up their online store now to be able to sell online-grocery items and fresh produce, not only to the members of their cooperative but to the public as well,” Mr. Naranjo said.
Ingenuity together with project partners Department of Trade and Industry-Davao regional office and the Davao City Chamber of Commerce and Industry screen the enterprises to ensure that these are legitimate.
“This means the integrity of our platform is of topmost importance to us as we also want to protect the consumers and shoppers,” he said.
The buylocal project, also in partnership with the ICT-Davao, Inc. organization, is intended to help MSMEs shift faster to the online platform as shopping habits change in the face of the continued coronavirus threat.
“Take their businesses online quickly, connect them to the shoppers and make the buying experience easy, smooth, and convenient. This is our little gift to make the transition fast and easy,” Mr. Naranjo said.
The buylocal mobile app is expected to be launched within “the next couple of weeks. — Maya M. Padillo
