This Online Sellers Bazaar Doubled as An Insightful Business Conference

Entrepreneurship in the Philippines is having a moment. More and more people are taking a leap and putting up micro, small, and medium enterprises, perhaps in part because today’s technologies and conveniences have made it easy for anyone to start something up. Young and old alike get to live out their personal goals of owning and managing a business. It’s a daunting task, no doubt, but with the right support, success is with in reach.

In its effort to empower online business owners, leading logistics company LBC Express Inc. held the first-ever So Shop! social sellers bazaar on October 5 at Function Room 4 of the SMX Convention Center, Mall of Asia, Pasay City. The bazaar brought together over a hundred online business owners and thousands of shoppers, as well as industry speakers and influencers for a shopping and learning experience in one. It was an opportunity for social sellers to meet and connect with their customers in person, showcasing their products and transacting using LBC’s Cash on Pick-up (COP) and Cash on Delivery (COD) services.

 

“With more and more Filipinos setting up their businesses online, we at LBC believe that it’s high time to bring online businesses together in one venue, where they can interact with their buyers live,” said Oliver L. Valentin, Executive Vice President and Chief Operating Officer for Philippine Branch Operations of LBC Express Inc. “So Shop! is our commitment to empowering micro, small, and medium enterprises in the country.”

LBC’s COP and COD services are designed to make online purchasing easier and more convenient for shoppers. With COP, any of LBC’s 1,400 branches can serve as a pick-up point for buyers to get the products they purchased online, while COD allows them to get it right at their doorstep.

 

 

So! Shop for all your lifestyle must-haves

Featuring diverse products from over a hundred booths, So Shop! was a weekend-long haven for shopping enthusiasts and folks with all sorts of interests.

Techies were elated to find online gadget stores such as Kimstore, Juan Gadget, Droid Hero, and JBL Store PH at the bazaar, where they provided exclusive deals and discounts.

Beauty and makeup fans went gaga for the sheer variety on display, from Korean and Japanese beauty brands to sustainable beauty products.

 

Those who love customized lifestyle pieces were also able to see their favorite online shops real life. This made the bazaar a perfect venue to shop for personalized gifts like travel sets, accessories, and even kitchenware. Moms who had been on the lookout for early Christmas gifts found home items and other trinkets perfect for the whole family.

So Shop! also treated the shoppers to a host of surprises, including Mystery Box gifts from participating social sellers and gadgets raffled off by LBC.

 

Growing one’s online business

Aside from the shopping experience, business owners and aspiring entrepreneurs got to learn from a lineup of entrepreneurship talks and forums featuring industry speakers, business owners, and influencers.

Facebook Philippines Head of Agency Liam Capati showcased the power of Facebook ads and how they can help businesses reach their customers, which is especially crucial in a time when cutting through the clutter in the online space is crucial.

Canva Community Team Lead Gladys Lacorte emphasized the importance of having visually appealing social media pages, using through designs that represent a business’ personality.

Rachell Araja-De Luna, founder of Creative Boss, talked about the importance of online presence for startup businesses. Through her talk “DIY Your Dream Website,” Araja-De Luna discussed the simple ways a budding entrepreneur can create a website without breaking the bank.

The power of online communities cannot be dismissed too. This is what Carlo Ople—founder of Unbox and PLDT’s Vice President for Digital Strategy and Consumer Disruptive Business—highlighted in his talk. Ople explained why businesses should be present in the digital space, and gave tips on how to effectively tap online communities to reach a specific target market.

Not only was So Shop! a learning-filled experience—it was inspiring too, with panel discussions and success stories that moved the audience.

 

Celebrity mom, wife, and entrepreneur Neri Miranda talked about her businesses and her role as a homemaker. Miranda—who runs Neri’s Gourmet Tuyo, an online bedding and accessories store called Very Neri, and an events place in Tagaytay called Neri’s Not So Secret Garden—gave mompreneurs tips on how to juggle it all.

Apart from these, the bazaar also held a panel discussion on the social impact of online businesses. Participants of this panel were Jamico Jamlang, founder of The Bamboo Company; and Chesca De Mesa, co-founder and managing director of Refuse PH. They were joined by Phil Tiongson, Havas Media Ortega’s Head of Data and Analytics, who gave the audience a glimpse of Havas’ global study centering around consumers’ mindful consumption.

Women entrepreneurs also took center stage at So Shop!. Kimstore Founder Kim Lato and Neon Island Founders Alyssa Gibbs and Aira Medina were also among the speakers at the event. They talked about starting and growing their businesses as women, and how they overcame the challenges.

Hosted by 101.1 Yes FM DJ Rico Panyero and Love Radio DJ Raqi Terra, So Shop! was not just a star-studded bazaar, but one that equipped online business owners with the knowledge to move their businesses forward.

 

Javier Mantecon, Chief Marketing Officer of LBC Express-Global Marketing, reiterated the company’s commitment to move lives, including those of the social sellers. “As the e-commerce community continues to grow,” he said, “LBC remains your partner. We hope that this is just the beginning of our long partnership. We want to help you make that move, wherever that may be.”

For more information on LBC's COP and COD services, visit LBC's website.