To
continue with my article on the emerging Grassroots Digital
Entrepreneurship published last week. I am happy that no more than a
week after writing it, our online marketplace www.bigbenta.com
received several fruits and vegetables inquiries from sellers in a
nearby wet market in Paranaque. I personally think that we are
penetrating the grassroots level now, which is both surprising and very
encouraging. Critics might say that there is nothing new with the online
purchase of fruits or vegetables as some countries and other markets
are currently doing this. In other markets or countries, YES, I totally
agree, but here in the Philippines, this is quite rare. To think that
the supplies of the fruits and vegetables are not coming from big
grocery stores or supermarket chains, but from your average and humble
neighborhood fruits and vegetables stalls found only in wet markets.
Stall in Paranaque Wet Market. The first to adopt grassroots digital entrepreneurship.
We
faced new challenges in regard to delivering perishable products.
Challenges like ensuring freshness and product availability, proper
handling, keeping delivery costs to a minimum, and even coming up with
an acceptable payment for merchants. The good thing is that both the
merchant and BigBenta.com were able to come to an agreement that
addresses all these issues to ensure that the customers are provided
with an online alternative to have their fruits and vegetables delivered
to their preferred location.
Still,
some questions still hang in my head. Is this the start of a trend
(grassroots digital entrepreneurship) or just a nice coincidence? From
the time I wrote about the rice and cooking gas sellers some two weeks
ago, BigBenta.com has been busy entertaining more than a dozen similar
sellers across the different areas of Metro Manila. Surprisingly, the
first two customers who purchased their cooking gas were from the Middle
East who wanted to order the commodity for their family back home. The
two husbands ordered and paid for their orders online.
I
think I will be able to get my answer in the next couple of months
whether the trend is hear to stay or not. One thing is certain, digital
entrepreneurship is building its following in the Philippines regardless
if the business is macro, small, medium or large in size. The owners of
the establishments are themselves the one driving the adoption. Maybe
the fish and meat sellers will come online soon and that will definitely
seal the concept of having an “Online Palengke” for the convenience of
our customers.
BigBenta.com CEO & Founder Charlie Fong. His vision is to help Filipino entrepreneurs get online to grow their business
BigBenta Marketplace
is the only e-commerce platform in the Philippines that features free
classified ads (buy and sell), online stores, and service bookings.
Through these platforms, it aims to help the Filipino entrepreneur and
MSMEs use the internet to grow their business
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