Philippine Retailers going Global

Recent global report by CBRE Research entitled "How Active Are Retailers Globally?",  China is the leading most sought-after market among many global retailers with China garnering 58% among those polled, followed by Vietnam (48%), Malaysia (42%), Indonesia (39%), and Singapore (35%). 

The Philippines for one is a major player considering we have home-grown brands expanding their market overseas, including the US, Europe and Middle East.  We can be proud of our own retail brands capability to set its foot on the growing demands for quality brands abroad not just limited towards targeting our overseas Filipino market but is being recognize by foreign consumers as well.

Global Retailers' Targets

The report found that retailers globally are predominantly targeting countries with mature retail sectors, although a number of emerging markets in Asia Pacific also feature strongly. Retailers originating from Europe have shown a strong bias towards their own region with less than 15 per cent of retailers targeting markets outside the region. Retailers from the Americas are biased towards the US, but are also targeting European markets, and in particular Germany.

China leads the way for Asia Pacific, ranking as the fifth most popular destination for global retailers, with 22 per cent of surveyed retailers targeting the market in 2014. The importance of China globally cannot be underestimated, in part because of the impact having a presence there has on sales in other regions.

In Vietnam, middle class consumers with rising incomes and a hunger for style continue to draw retailers' interest. Ho Chi Minh City and Hanoi were both ranked in the top 10 cities of most new retailer entrants in 2012 and 2013, according to CBRE's Retail Hotspots in Asia Pacific report. The liberation of Foreign Direct Investment (FDI) on wholly-owned retail businesses from 2015 is expected to further stimulate this trend.

Retail spending has also been boosted by the growth in international tourists, especially affluent ones, following the opening of major new visitor attractions. Singapore has since become one of the gateway cities for brands new to Asia. Of some concern though for retailers in Singapore is the availability of qualified sales floor staff.

The Philippines will definitely be a major player overseas, we see many local retailers bringing in international endorsers in most of their advertisements, magazine and print ads, billboards across the Metro.  Its their way of internationalizing their brands and be recognizable overseas in the market they sought to expand.  Most notable home grown brands we can truly be proud of are Bench(Suyen Corp), Penshoppe(Golden ABC) are just few of the retail brands we can be proud of that has long set their presence in the US, Middle East markets and slowly penetrating the European markets.

We surely would see more local brands expanding abroad soon.

Shopping Mall vs Online Retail

The growing number of consumers who are turning towards buying online has significantly decrease the customer traffic flow amongst all brick and mortar retailers.  Sales momentum is perceptibly slowing in most retail stores. These tepid numbers reflect consumer apathy and general economic concerns.

Shopping malls still hold sway among many shoppers but not as before except during back to school, summer time, christmas and 3 day sale events. Reports indicate that the Internet is making up for some of the lost store traffic. It is increasingly evident that the shift from shopping in stores to shopping online is permanent and still rising.

In the past year more and more people felt comfortable with Internet shopping.  Special values and free shipping incentivized them to fulfill their need for basics and their family fashion apparel online.  One wonders what will happen in the future as even more sales shift to online.  

In the Philippines, there is still positive growth in the retail sector but these are being competed by Divisoria and Baclaran marketplace where people tend to look for great bargains and have their money felt like having more peso power.  The positive year in year sales is  not as significant as a few years back where most earns double digit growth, these days most retailers are striving to go beyond a positive 6-8% growth.

The recent surge in online shopping has even attracted international investors such as german-incubator Rocket Internet GMBH that set up across Europe, Asia and Africa online retailers such as Lazada, Zalora which in some way reduced the traditional mall retailers customer flow.   Though most online shoppers require payment through credit cards, these innovative online retailers have come up with ways to target non-credit card holders by offering Cash on delivery payments or deposit payments for the items the buyers are getting from these new retail concepts.

Retailers may still sell the same quantity of many items and goods, but the sales will occur outside brick and mortar stores.

Content Marketing

I came across reading about new technologies marketer and author Arnie Kuenn, about content publishing on social networking site and how your content marketing can reached countless audience through this platform.

I thought to myself, the world of marketing, sales has level up to new heights, every marketer, corporate advertising has moved several notches upward to reach more and more target audience.  Unlike in the regular brick and mortar store concept, everyone who is onto the social networking sites are potential target market.

In the traditional business of trading, marketing, retailing, its a face to face transaction, one customer at a time, then the surge of internet changes everything, we have boundless reach, a world without border and this plays well especially to the big league companies who have jumped into the online bandwagon earlier since they have seen the future of marketing.

I would have to say that digital marketing has been a great equalizer, as the possibility of a total unknown brand that cannot compete spending so much as against the advertising budget of multinationals can become instant household name if only they have the right content in their marketing.

Basically, content marketing is the art of communicating with your customers and prospects without selling. It is non-interruption marketing. Instead of pitching your products or services, you are delivering information that makes your buyer more intelligent. The essence of this content strategy is the belief that if we, as businesses, deliver consistent, ongoing valuable information to buyers, they ultimately reward us with their business and loyalty.

Though much can be told, the real winners are the consumers, they don't have to go queue long lines to pay for products they want to buy, or getting inside a shop to browse through thousands of SKU's and learn about why they have to buy those stuffs.  Nowadays, even at the comfort of their own home, workplace, even in public places they can use their tablets, smartphones, laptaps to check and even compare prices.

The challenge of every company that digitally markets online is to have quality content, thus content marketing is one of the most essential factor that will make your products, services stand out among the millions of gadgets, services, merchandise, goods.  This requires a well thought out plan, organized and targeted towards your expected target market. Its a battle of good, relevant content information that will in the end benefit both the brands, retailers, consumers alike.

Thought leaders and marketing experts from around the world, including the likes of Seth Godin and hundreds of the leading thinkers in marketing have concluded that content marketing isn’t just the future, it’s the present.

Video Blogging

Recently I came across this video of Jun Sisa as I have been browsing through countless Youtube videos and wanting to listen about this phenomenal Disney movie song, as I watched him sing his own version of "Let it go", I was amazed by the nice voice he has and his rendition of such song.  I can say, prior to me accidentally seeing his singing solo video, I have no idea whatsoever who he is, now what he does but surely he got my attention through Youtube video or shall I shall his video blog.

I remember a friend, who for the love of making imaginative story video of his day to day travails be it at home or outside of home and even creating funny scripted skits together with his friend, got people so amused that he began an online following that there were even total strangers who contacted him and sent him a Macbook and a videocamera cause they love the comical relief he brings and after a few years was discovered to be now part of a TV networks morning show as a host.  Who knows how it will alter your way of life for the better, the same way it did for my friend.

In a world where people are more and more interactive, people do share stories through creating videos on youtube.  Whether be it music videos, a video about peoples stories, travel, foodporn, someone has something to say and there are those who got the world attention by posting videos of their causes, how and what they see around them, showing how their friends, family, kids or even themselves would sing a certain song or dance for fun sake.

People are placing their personal videos, companies are showing their product/service on your own YouTube channel to reach a broader stream of audience whether for their own or their friends pleasures or to promote something thats unusually fun and exciting to share to the whole community.  Many of these blogger videos are connecting them through other social media platforms such as  a status on Facebook, LinkedIn, Slideshare, Twitter accounts.

So you see video blogging or creating videos on Youtube or posting it on your social networking sites has its own viral mechanism to bring across various thematic or non-thematic gestures, causes, beliefs and even marketing products and services for personal or corporate.  So how effective is it? That really depends on viewership and target audiences.

So when one has to incorporate video into your social marketing strategy or bridge across the fun-filled sharing of your own experience, product and services or you just simple want people to take notice, why not create videos and start posting it on Youtube, afterall there are great examples of people who shot their way to fame using this platform, some even got it as far as Hollywood, taken notice by American TV hosts such as Oprah Winfrey, Ellen de Generes and who knows who may be watching your video. 

Just keep in mind these few success tips:

1.    Keep it simple and short (3-5 minutes).

2.    Talk about the value to the viewer…not you.

3.    Make it fun and be comical to view.

4.    Be happy on camera.

5.    What’s in the background (make sure your background does not distract your audience from your message).

6.    How’s the lighting (shot to fame needs good lighting).

7.    How’s the sound (must be audible and clear).

8.    Prepare, prepare, prepare (know what you want to say and when).

9.    Practice, practice, practice (constant practice makes perfect).

10.  Always have your video devices with you you never know when an opportunity to record will arise.

So why not start your own video, you'll never know if its going to reach which audience so long as the message is clear and you know it will delight your unanimous world viewers.  Who knows what this can do to change the course of your life, it might even shot your way to world fame.

AT THE TOSS OF A COIN, A US$5M DEAL WAS DONE

THE YEAR WAS 1988...

John Gokongwei and Henry Sy are tough competitors in terms of retail space building and mall propagation all across the Philippines. When the Ortigas prime property where Robinsons Galleria now stands, was up for sale by Don Paco Ortigas, These two business tycoons were keen on having this choicest among the Prime Ortigas properties. 

John Gokongwei's bid was P1,900 ($95) per square meter while Henry Sy's bid was P2,000 ($100) per square meter. At first, Henry Sy was comfortably happy because he thought he won the right to build whatever he intends to build then on this property they were bidding for then. But with John Gokongwei's business sense said he would also take care of paying the five percent agents commission, or another P100 per square meter, in effect offering the same amount as Henry Sy gave. 

A discussion ensued that Henry Sy protested and he insisted before Don Francisco Ortigas that he won that bid because the agents commission was not part of the terms of bidding. John Gokongwei said he would go to court. Don Francisco Ortigas was naturally apprehensive about the prospect of a court case. Considering he was selling a property for the first time in a long time, he did not want even the slightest hint of negative publicity.

He also felt that the legal process would take 10 years. So he instead decided to throw in another property for sale and proposed that a toss of a coin would determine who would get the property. That way, everyone comes out a winner. So Mr. Ortigas tossed the coin and thats how Henry Sy ended up with the SM Megamall site w/c he got as a consolation from losing the Prime Ortigas corner lot,  He negotiated in joint partnership with the Alba group to come up with the much bigger floor area for the present Megamall site.  

And so as they say, the rest is history and comparing the two behemoth Malls in the Ortigas area, Henry Sy finally had the last laugh since his Megamall has outdone the money being raked in by the Robinson's Galleria Mall. 

TO HAVE $1M, IS IT ENOUGH FOR YOU TO RETIRE?

We have always been taught by our parents when we were young, to study well, get good grades in school, get a good education, graduate from college get a good paying job and save.  But what if we have done all we could to achieve their advice and yet in this fast-changing, corporate greed and wanton desire to spend more and more, we don't achieve the saving part of this heirarchial step by step advice from our parents.

Is it us who are wrong are are they remissed on their advice. The answer is neither, they gave us true, good and sound advice, and as dutiful children, we have obeyed yet as they say, life is full of uncertainties.  The daunting question is, Are we right to be working for others or should we be an entrepreneur, most likely all people would say, "They ought to be an entrepreneur... BUT".

Excuses, excuses, the most inexplicable of all human excuse, "Monetary, Financial, Lack of Capital, Funding concern, etc". All points to the blame of lack, absence of financial overflow, yet what is considered to be more than enough for us to say, we are on our own?

We have all sorts of excuses why we don't plunge ourselves into the arena of "being your own boss" and yet we always complain about how meager our income is going for us, or we do not have enough to get by"

My simple answer, "QUIT COMPLAINING, and Quit your job, it'll save you alot of emotional stress and unhappiness, and to add another note to that, it will save your boss, your company, your peers at work alot of trouble of all your unhappy rantings and complaints.

Start out on your own, as I have always lived by, its not about the money, its not about lack of capital, that prevents people from going into entrepreneurship. Its thei lack if initiative, its their fear of having to shoulder all the responsibilities of possible failure, well, if you have a "failure mentality" you will never be a success.

Money is not the problem, its not the money that makes the idea work. Its the idea that makes the money come your way, some business need not start out with a big capital investment, some can do the "buy and sell" trade, there are sites online you can post anything to sell without having to carry inventories, if you don't have the money to buy and to sell, once you get your first online buyer inquiring, require a 50% downpayment deposit and balance upon your delivery of the goods.  Or you can borrow from family or friends to start buying and selling.  There are countless of ways to start your way to entrepreneurship, the real question is, Are you willing to get out of your comfort zone.

UP DILIMAN

The 10th Philippine Blogging Summit 2014 will be held today at my favorite campus hang out, University of the Philippines in Diliman, Quezon City.  I haven't been to UP Diliman campus for quite a few months since December 2013 and this is another fresh breather to see once again the beacon of Philippines freedom flowing ideas and talents.

It began back during my college days when I had a girlfriend who studied BS Tourism that I first got a glimpse of this beacon of the brightest minds.  I've got to meet some very interesting folks, the liberality of their principles, that help me mold my own distinct principles in life as well. I got the fascination for books, opinions, arts even crafts that moving forward I have taken a short course in Photography and had an interesting immersion into the lifestyle of a UP student is like.

I love UP and all it holds dear including sports that I am fond of watching the afternoon games practice in the open field of the sunken garden or go to the UP gym just to watch friends have their Physical Education Class. Here did I also first saw my glimpse of a fencing class.  Oh How I have always fancy to be able to learn how to play fencing. But nah, I am just too lazy I guess or too spendthrift to spend enrolling to learn it. lol.
Anyways, I am excited to see the fresh greenery and breath the air of this campus today and tomorrow. Surely it will be a fun-filled socially knowing new people amongst the best of the best Philippine bloggers.

Getting Social on the Web

Recently The Philippines celebrated the 20th year of the internet in the Philippines, it has come a long way from the time internet was first introduced to us.  I remember those were the years of many changes, from analog to digital. Who would have imagined that nowadays even a phone and tablet can have access to those valuable information in just a click.

Most businesses these days must have one or more company websites of their own, to promote their goods, products and services.  It is estimated that people are more and more dependent on the net for information, from news media to traffic updates, how to's from DIY, to pastry and cooking and a whole lot more.

Social networking sites connects people who may not even know they each exist prior to being "friends" or "have following" in these social media sites.  Its like our ancestors will take multiple lifetimes to get to meet new people around the globe, but it now only takes a fraction of ones lifetime these days to connect and start communicating with a total stranger on the web.

Blogging, which I have used as a means to share my thoughts has evolved gradually from one concept to the others, some even has used blogging to catapult them to the business world and community.  Most web-based business has started out as a blog to share thoughts and ideas, share stories and even awesome places they have visited.

Now there's twitter, google+, free online selling websites, instagram, and one can easily create their own web pages and many more.  Its a limitless world of impossibilities and the future seems more exciting than ever before.

What would be the next revolution in this digital sphere of community building and in business.