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THE impact that blogging and the Internet has on the country's retail industry will be one of several issues to be discussed during the Third Regional Retail Conference scheduled on July 1 at the Parklane International Hotel in Cebu City.
Jay Aldegeur, chairman of the Philippine Retailers Association Cebu Chapter (PRA Cebu), said online media has influenced in large part the way retailers promote their products and services.
“Consumers have become so responsive because of new media. This was something we haven't seen five years ago. Information and marketing dissemination is powerful (online),” he said.
The retail conference will discuss among other issues the retail market outlook for this year, increasing cost efficiency, success stories among businesses and creative entrepreneurship, Aldeguer said.
Aldegeur, chairman of the Islands Group which owns Island Souvenirs and Islands Banca Cruises, said online messaging made people experimental and more aggressive to try out different products and services.
He said the challenge facing many retailers is to offer consumers the products they are looking for the moment they visit the store.
Aldegeur said this is something both print and broadcast are unable to do.
“In the past, everything was in our hands. At present, in a way, they start to dictate the products that we produced,” he said.
Melanie Ng, PRA Cebu president, said this trend is more pronounced on the Web where people check the latest gadgets.
Ng, also executive vice president of Ng Khai Development Corp., said online awareness among consumers is high and retailers not updated with the latest developments will be unable to lure in new buyers or maintain current clientele.
“Retailers as entrepreneurs are very resilient. They go ahead with their business plans, changing targets in order to survive but one thing we always keep in mind is that we never stop learning,” said Ng.
The retail conference will have speakers in the private and public sector like Cebu City Councilor Nestor Archival, Department of Trade and Industry regional director Asteria Caberte, Chef Raki Urbina of Laguna Group of Companies and Pinky Yee of Goldilocks.
“More customers now are seeking value for money. (To work along customers' needs), we plan our budget properly or reduce cost. By doing so, we can increase our profit margin,” said Ng.
