Ruth Ocampo-Medalle does not know much about technology, computers, or the latest digital applications that are available online. For over six years, the 46-year-old mother of five managed her small sari-sari store business the old-fashioned and traditional way – with a pen, a notebook, and a lot of patience.
Medalle’s days as an MSME entrepreneur began with the same routine – opening her sari-sari store early in the morning, arranging her stocks on the shelves, displaying some items on the table outside the store, and waiting for customers to trickle in.
It looked simple and easy. Behind the scenes, however, the challenges of managing her store were overwhelming. She had to write everything down – what was sold, what needed to be reordered – but it was hard to keep up.
Her handwritten records were often incomplete or lost among the pages, leading to frequent shortages and missed opportunities.
“Sometimes, I would forget to restock certain items, and when customers look for items and there is nothing available, they would leave disappointed,” Medalle recalled.
But for nearly a year already, this 46-year-old sari-sari store owner has effectively streamlined the operation of her small convenience store, located in Maracas, barangay Lahug, Cebu City, by tapping a Samar-made app to run inventory, perform accounting, and sell digital mobile loads, among others.
“I never imagined I could do all this just using my mobile phone. I always thought technology was too complicated and not meant for people like me with little knowledge about accounting or digitalization,” Medalle said.
I never imagined I could do all this just using my mobile phone. I always thought technology was too complicated and not meant for people like me with little knowledge about accounting or digitalization
Last year, with the help of her daughter, Medalle signed up for Peddlr, a point-of-sale mobile app for small businesses.
The free-to-use app, founded by Samar-native Nel Laygo, allows users to monitor sales, track expenses, manage inventory, and even send loads offline with just a smartphone.
“I designed this app specifically for sari-sari store owners to help bring their operations online and streamline their business processes. My goal is to empower them by unlocking the potential of technology,” Laygo told BusinessNews.ph.
Data from the Department of Trade and Industry show that there are more than 1.3 million convenience stores across the country, providing the daily essentials to Filipino consumers.
There are more than 1.3 million convenience stores in the Philippines, providing daily essentials to Filipinos consumers.
However, most of these convenience stores fail to stay afloat for long due to various reasons, among them is the inability to monitor stock and profits accurately.
Laygo said this inspired him and his co-founder Aiko Reyes to start Peddlr from his home in Catbalogan, Samar.
Launched in July 2021, Peddlr has accumulated over two million downloads during its first year in business and continues to grow year over year.
Laygo admits that most users of Peddlr have never downloaded an app before or used computers to do inventory. So he made sure the app was easy to use and could be accessed even without an internet connection.
It was only two months ago when Deliah Abella learned about Peddlr from a relative who has already benefitted from the app. She was hesitant at first, saying she was used to doing things on paper. Most of all, Abella said she hasn’t used an app before, not even the popular social media applications.
After using the app for less than a month, Abella started to notice how her daily operations became seamless. She was still using paper but nearly half of what she did was already done using her smartphone.
“I started doing the inventory. Then the accounting. Then I was able to track my daily sales. I was impressed!” Abella stressed.
Now, she can track her inventory and identify the best-selling items. It has also become easier for her to note which items need restocking and calculate her daily profits.
“Every store owner should tap what technology has to offer. We can’t just rely on the old-fashioned way. Technology makes my life easier and my small business much more manageable than when I was using pen and paper,” Abella said.
Every store owner should tap what technology has to offer. We can’t just rely on the old-fashioned way.
That is the goal – onboarding every sari-sari store owner online so they can streamline their business and spend more quality time with their families, Laygo said.
“Our mission is to provide micro and small business owners the necessary tools to embrace the digital world, manage their operations more effectively, and increase profitability,” he added.
In fact, Peddlr is free to use and the company that runs it only makes money from digital mobile loads that are being sold by sari-sari store owners.
“We firmly believe that technology should be accessible to all businesses regardless of size,” Laygo pointed out.
We firmly believe that technology should be accessible to all businesses regardless of size.
Ruth Ocampo-Medalle, the 46-year-old sari-sari store owner in Barangay Lahug, Cebu City, happily checked the shelves stocked with goods insider her store, with her smartphone in her left hand.
By embracing technology, Medalle expressed her readiness to face future challenges and her excitement about the possibility of expanding her sari-sari store into a neighborhood convenience shop.
BusinessNews.ph