Puregold Taps GCash Anew to Drive Digital Payment Adoption for MSMEs

Major retail chain Puregold has again partnered with GCash to expand the use of digital payments by sari-sari store owners at the 2025 Tindahan ni Aling Puring (TNAP) Convention, the country’s largest trade event for sari-sari store owners and micro, small, and medium-sized enterprises (MSMEs).

 

The three-day event drew tens of thousands of participants, most of whom still rely on physical cash to manage and run their small businesses. While digital adoption has grown in recent years, cash remains the dominant mode of payment among sari-sari store owners when purchasing inventory.

 

GCash offered TNAP attendees a range of promotions and incentives to encourage merchants to shift to digital transactions. These include pre-convention campaigns, real-time cashback, and exclusive product discounts for users who pay with GCash at partner booths. The leading finance super app also set up an on-site activation booth in collaboration with Puregold, showcasing how digital tools can help store owners streamline payments, manage capital, and track purchases.

 

GCash for business general manager Jong Layug stated that the initiative is part of the company’s broader strategy to integrate digital financial services into traditional retail channels and foster digital habits among small-scale entrepreneurs.

 

“GCash is committed to helping Filipino MSMEs grow by giving them access to safe, convenient, and rewarding digital payment options. At TNAP, we’re bringing this mission to life by making every digital transaction count, whether through savings, rewards, or efficiency,” Layug said.

 

The partnership comes as Puregold seeks to deepen its role in the country’s digital transition. The retail giant, whose TNAP program is designed to support its extensive sari-sari store network, has been working to improve payment infrastructure at its stores and trade events to reduce friction in B2B transactions.

 

“Puregold has always believed in the power of MSMEs. By partnering with GCash, we are equipping our TNAP members with tools to thrive in a digital economy,” said Puregold president Vincent Co.

 

The participation of GCash in TNAP 2025 marks a continued push to embed financial technology into grassroots enterprises, positioning digital tools as drivers of growth and efficiency in the informal economy.

Sari-sari Store Owner wins iPhone 15 from Smart and GrowSari

For 36-year-old Grace, her sari-sari store in Quezon City is a way to support the financial needs of her family. A mother of three children, Grace works day and night to ensure that her store is filled with grocery products and additional services such as telco load for her customers.

A sari-sari store vendor for five years, Grace came upon tech-enabled platform GrowSari in 2021, during the COVID-19 pandemic. “I just saw it on Facebook, it just appeared on my feed, then I installed it on my phone,” she shared. What enticed her the most is the fact that she did not need to spend extra when getting the goods. “I don’t have to pay for additional transportation, it’s free shipping, and they deliver door-to-door. They also suggest additional products that can help me increase my sales,” Grace added, who has been a GrowSari Tindera for three years now.

GrowSari is a business-to-business platform that aims to help millions of sari-sari stores like Grace’s gain access to affordable and on-demand inventory, working capital credit lines, and seamless ordering and delivery of goods through their strong distribution hubs.

Aside from daily groceries, Grace also said that her loading business rakes in income for her store. As trusted telco brands, PLDT wireless unit Smart Communications, Inc. (Smart) and TNT continue to serve as a steady source of income for most micro-entrepreneurs. GrowSari has also integrated multiple microservices like telco load, bills payment, e-commerce, WiFi, and other e-services in their portfolio, enabling sari-sari store owners to maximize their capital in one wallet and expand their business.

“Smart and TNT [load] sell really well in our store. We can get up to P3,000 a day from selling load products such as GIGA Video 50 and All Out Surf 20,” she said.

To reward its active sellers like Grace, GrowSari and Smart worked together to launch a raffle promo to delight and inspire them with an iPhone 15 as they enter the new year.

“I did not expect to win this prize,” Grace said during the small awarding ceremony held in her store this month. She shared that it was her first time landing a spot among the top 20 active sellers in GrowSari, and that she just entered once to join the contest. “I am grateful to Smart and GrowSari for this reward,” she added.

Smart has been a partner of GrowSari since 2020, allowing the telco to reach even more customers all over the Philippines through its fast-expanding network of sari-sari stores nationwide.

In its effort to deliver top-class communication services to the millions of Filipinos in the country, PLDT and Smart are relentless in initiating relevant partnerships as part of the PLDT Group’s broader goal to elevate the quality of overall customer experience.

 

Powered by the Philippines’ Fastest and Best Mobile Network

 

The Smart LiveStream App is powered by the Philippines’ fastest and best mobile network, as cited by Ookla, the global leader for mobile and broadband network intelligence. Smart is the first and only Philippine mobile operator to earn such rare and prestigious recognition for three consecutive reporting periods - in Q1-Q2 2022, Q3-Q4 2022, and Q1-Q2 2023. 

 

To know more about the NBTC on the Smart LiveStream App, follow Smart’s official Facebook or go to smart.com.ph/Pages/livestream. 

Store-Specific Planogram: AI-Driven Trend that Changes Retail Space Planning

In the retail industry, customer expectations are straightforward: they want to easily find the products they need and enjoy a hassle-free shopping experience. If a store falls short in these aspects, it risks losing its place as a preferred shopping destination for customers. That is precisely why the foundation of a great customer experience lies in effective space planning.

Commonly referred to as a planogram, space planning involves optimizing a store's layout and product placement to enhance customer experiences and increase sales. Effective strategies include positioning high-demand and seasonal items near the entrance, ensuring accessibility and visibility in key areas, and adapting layouts based on sales data and customer feedback.

In the Philippines, planogram preparation is mainly a manual process, although retailers use digital tools for sales data analysis. However, for larger retailers dealing with extensive data and numerous products, manual adjustments can become overwhelming. 

Through advanced tech, retail space planning driven by artificial intelligence is now possible. This is in the form of store-specific planograms. RELEX Solutions, a leading supply chain and retail solutions provider, shares its insights on this emerging trend.

“A store-specific or local planogram is one designed for a particular store or location.  Unlike a standardized planogram that may be used for multiple stores, a local planogram takes into account the unique characteristics of a specific store, such as its layout, customer demographics, and sales data,” said Donald “DJ” Felbaum, Head of Sales for the Philippines at RELEX Solutions. “It is tailored to the individual needs and conditions of that particular location to optimize product placement and merchandising to drive sales and improve customer service.”

However, it is often seen as challenging and time-consuming due to the anticipation of lengthy, costly, and uncertain implementation projects. For instance, imagine a retailer with 1,000 stores, each needing weekly updates to five planograms. If one planner creates ten planograms daily, it would require an impractical workforce of 100 planners, along with ongoing training. But the integration of AI and machine learning automation can address these challenges. AI-powered automation can help users configure parameters and apply them across thousands of planograms, saving costs and avoiding additional expenses related to inventory adjustments for layout and local consumer preferences.

The benefits of AI-generated local planogram optimization also include precise store shelf configuration and a one-touch replenishment model. This approach, which enables immediate stacking of incoming stock onto display units, facilitates one-way inventory that results in cost reduction by eliminating the need for staff to transport excess stock to back rooms, enhancing the efficient use of available storage space, and reducing restock frequency of fast-selling products. 

Furthermore, AI and machine learning automation usher in interactive, standardized merchandising reports. These insights unveil concealed issues and provide both macro and micro data perspectives, empowering retailers to proactively optimize product placement, fine-tune pricing, and enhance inventory management. 

Store-specific planograms epitomize the future of space retail planning, optimizing product placement, and enhancing customer satisfaction. Harnessing advanced technology in retail, this tailored approach allows retailers to adapt swiftly to market changes, leading to elevated customer experience, improved profitability, and fostering brand loyalty.

Landers Superstore gets DTI Safety Seal

All Landers Superstore branches in Metro Manila and Cebu have been awarded the Safety Seal by the   Department of Trade and Industry (DTI). The award is given by the government agency to establishments that are compliant with the minimum public health standards set by the government. 

The announcement comes with the welcome news that all Landers Superstore employees are fully vaccinated.

“As we face this health crisis, we value the safety of our members and our employees the most.  We want to make sure our members are safe and protected while shopping at Landers and that our employees are also in the best physical condition to serve them,” said Pieter Lukman, COO of Landers Superstore. “The Safety Seal award from the DTI is a confirmation of our continuing commitment to follow strict health protocols within our store.” 

 

Since the onset of the pandemic in 2020, Landers Superstore has been implementing health protocols to comply with the requirements of the COVID-19 Inter-Agency Task Force for the Management of Emerging Infectious Diseases. This also aims to assure Landers Superstore members are protected against the threat of COVID-19.

 

As they enter the store, members can conveniently sanitize their hands with an alcohol dispenser available at the entrance and checkout counters. Body temperatures of members are also checked.  A sanitized foot mat is also located at the entrance for the protection of shoppers. 

Within the store, security personnel ensures that physical distancing, proper wearing of face masks, and face shields are being observed by shoppers. To guide members on physical distancing, floor and directional signages are installed all over the store. 

 

Checkout counters, pushcarts, and display fixtures where members have direct hand contact are sanitized regularly to ensure that there will be no virus contamination 

Landers Superstore also limits the number of members allowed to shop inside the superstore.

With the DTI Safety Seal award and all its employees fully vaccinated, Landers Superstore has made shopping a safe and truly enjoyable experience for its members. 

 Landers Superstore in Metro Manila are located at at Landers Alabang West – Daang Hari Road, Almanza Dos, Las Piñas City; Landers ArcoVia City - 99 Eulogio Rodriguez Jr. Ave, Pasig; Landers Balintawak - 1240 EDSA Balintawak, Apolonio Samson, Quezon City; Landers Otis - 1890 Paz Guazon St., Paco, Manila.

GrabMart Inks Deal with SM Markets to offer Reliable, Convenient Online Grocery Shopping for Filipinos

MANILA, PHILIPPINES, June 23, 2021 – Grab, Southeast Asia’s leading superapp, continues its commitment to helping Filipino shoppers conveniently access their groceries and everyday essentials through a new partnership between GrabMart and SM Markets. GrabMart consumers can now place orders from selected SM markets via the app- including SM Supermarket, Hypermarket, and Savemore- and receive their orders at home in just an hour.

From June 21 onwards, GrabMart shoppers in Metro Manila and Cebu can order fresh and frozen produce, groceries, home care products, personal care essentials and so much more from SM stores. “We are thrilled to welcome SM Markets as GrabMart’s latest partner. At Grab, we always strive to give the consumer the best shopping experience, and SM’s vast network of stores and wide range of products will make shopping more convenient to Filipinos, especially people short on time or unable to easily visit stories, such as families and busy young workers. As we continue to manage the pandemic situation, we hope that the addition of SM Markets to GrabMart will encourage more people to adopt online shopping,” said Grab Philippines Head of Deliveries Anton Bautista.

SM Supermarket’s President, Jojo Tagbo, also believes that the company’s partnership with GrabMart will help shoppers more easily manage during today’s challenging times, particularly thanks to SM Markets’ wide variety of products and Grab’s fast delivery times.

“The pandemic has affected the lifestyles of our customers including how they shop for groceries. Our goal is to provide them with multiple convenient ways of how they can get what they need from SM Markets. From physically going to the store, shopping online, and call-to-deliver, we offer choices where they can be comfortable. And now, we are partnering with the leading superapp in the country further strengthening our omnichannel offerings,” he said.

As a welcome treat to consumers, GrabMart and SM have exciting offers available to shoppers when they make their next digital grocery run! With a minimum order of just PHP 1200 from any SM Markets branch on GrabMart, groceries delivery is FREE with code SMFREEDEL! Shoppers can save even more by getting PHP 300 off with a minimum order of PHP 2500 with code SM300!

A stronger partnership to serve Filipinos better

SM Markets’ availability on GrabMart is the latest strategic partnership between Grab and SM.

SM and Grab also recently partnered to provide ride discounts, shopping vouchers and free parking vouchers to mall goers who visit SM Supermalls. The campaign, which aims to promote safe shopping at malls, lasts until June 30.

The two brands also entered into a cooperation to allow users of Grab’s in-app wallet GrabPay to top up their accounts at SM Supermalls.

All set for your online shopping experience with Grab and SM? Be sure to check out Grab’s Facebook page for more updates and information about the partnership.


About Grab

Grab is the leading super app platform in Southeast Asia, providing everyday services that matter to consumers. Today, the Grab app has been downloaded onto over 214 million mobile devices, giving users access to millions of drivers, merchants, and agents. Grab offers a wide range of on-demand services in the region, including mobility, food, package and grocery delivery services, mobile payments, and financial services across 397 cities in eight countries. (www.grab.com)

Landers Superstore Celebrates its 5th Anniversary with Exciting Activities and Promos

Landers Superstore is turning 5!

To celebrate this milestone, the country’s leading superstore has prepared lots of exciting activities and promos as a treat to its loyal members.

Kicking off the festivities is Landers’ super offer of 50% off on membership fees until June 30, 2021. This means that new and existing members may renew or avail of membership for only P400 and business membership for only P500. This definitely is the perfect time to sign up and enjoy a host of shopping privileges and fantastic deals that only Landers offers.

The 50% off on membership is available both in-store and online, exclusive to those applying or renewing primary premium and business memberships only. Terms and conditions apply.

Alongside this special promo, Landers will also be launching an impressive line-up of show stopping deals and promos both in-store and online throughout the whole month of June. These include Super Crazy Online Sale at www.landers.ph on June 2-4, All Home 50% Off Sale on June 5 to 13, Super Appliance Sale on June 14 to 20, and Super Fuel Sale on June 21 to 27.

The festivities will culminate in a special online musical show featuring power couple and Landers ambassadors Sarah Geronimo and Matteo Guidicelli.

“This is our way of saying ‘thank you’ to everyone who supported Landers Superstore since it started,” says Landers president Gwen Lim. “Reaching 5 years in the industry in these times is a great reason to celebrate, especially with the challenges brought on by the pandemic. With this offer, we expect more people to enjoy our special deals and benefits.”

In the past 5 years, Landers has won the hearts of Filipino families with its array of topnotch products, some of which are not found in other local stores. Aside from that, they have also gained a reputation for offering awesome perks that truly level up the shopping experience.

For starters, Landers pioneered giving fuel discounts of up to P10 off per liter through their Landers-Caltex gas stations. Members also enjoy the lowest priced medicines at Capital Care, the superstore’s in-house pharmacy, and free haircut at Federal Barbers, their in-house barbershop.

Serving delicious meals and drinks is also one of Landers’ specialties. Coffee lovers can grab their favorite brew at the in-house café, Doppio, while those with big post-shopping cravings will surely enjoy Landers Central’s New York-inspired menu.

Those who cannot visit the physical stores have the option to shop online at www.landers.ph, and the orders will be conveniently delivered to their home within their preferred two-hour timeslot.

Don’t want to miss out on all these exciting happenings? Head over to the nearest Landers Superstore in your area and sign up now.

For more information, check out www.landers.ph

Landers Helps the Community Bounce Back with Member Support Program

Landers Superstore, the country’s fastest growing membership shopping store continues to give back to local communities. From the partnerships with the Philippine Army, local hospitals, and local governments in distributing donations and food to those in need, and now in supporting small local businesses to bring livelihood and jobs back to our communities. Landers Superstore understands that in order for businesses which started in their homes, selling homemade food products, clothes, and other goods to sustain its growth they need new platforms to showcase the many great products that has shown its resilience during this time of the pandemic.

To help and support these small business owners, Landers Superstore has launched Landers Member Support Program, a livelihood program designed to support small entrepreneurs – from moms who have established a home-based business to online sellers and small business owners, among others – by allowing them to sell and showcase their products in Landers branches in Balintawak QC, Daang Hari Alabang, Otis Manila, Arcovia Pasig, and in Cebu.

The Landers Member Support Program is part of its Share the Hope campaign which was launched during the pandemic to bring back hope, joy, and comfort to those who have been affected by the pandemic. Through the program, Landers members who run small businesses will be provided with the support and retail space to help them overcome the challenges they face. In the same way, the program also entices existing Landers members to support fellow members in their small businesses.

To join, members can apply at http://bit.ly/landersmsp where they will need to fill out a form with necessary information and upload photos of their products. Applicants will be required to present their company profile and other relevant business documents. Members can also apply in-store by simply going to the Landers Member Support Program booth where they will have to scan a QR code that will lead them to the application site. Once requirements are met, qualified members will then be given the opportunity and the support they need to sell their products at Landers for one month at no cost.

For more information, visit www.landers.ph or follow @LandersPH on Facebook and Instagram.

DTI Lifts Quantity Limits on Essential Products Except for 4 Essential Products

Amid the community quarantine, the Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) issued Memorandum Circular (MC) 20-36, amending the previously issued circulars on Anti- Hoarding and Anti-Panic Buying, MC 20-07, MC-20-10 and MC 20-25 that limit consumer purchase on essential and vital products.

Under the latest circular, the general public can now purchase a maximum of five (5) bottles for sizes of 1Liter and below and a maximum of three (3) for sizes more than 1Liter for products such as disinfecting alcohol, hand sanitizers, and disinfecting liquids.

Meanwhile, a maximum of 50 pieces of face mask per person, whether N95 or N88 may now be availed of under MC 20-36 as compared to 10 pieces previously in MC 20-25.

Disinfecting alcohol	5 bottles for sizes one liter and below 3 bottles for sizes more than one liter
Hand sanitizers	5 bottles for sizes one liter and below 3 bottles for sizes more than one liter
Disinfecting liquids	5 bottles for sizes one liter and below 3 bottles for sizes more than one liter
Face Masks  (N95 and N88)	1 box of 50 pieces

It can be recalled that the quantity limits for alcohol, sanitizers, and disinfecting liquids were limited to two (2) pieces regardless of size under MC 20-07 which was issued last March 2020.

Further, under MC-20-36, the quantity limits for basic necessities and prime commodities such as locally produced instant noodles, canned sardines, canned regular milk, powdered milk in sachet, instant coffee in sachet, mineral water, loaf bread, canned pork, canned beef, detergent soap, bath soap, and condiments have been lifted.

“As we continue the battle against the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) while at the same time adjusting to the new normal, our manufacturers and retailers continue to assure us of the sufficiency of supply of finished goods as well as raw materials necessary for production of these basic necessities and prime commodities, hence the need to relax the restrictions on some products and increase the quantity of limit per transaction for those that are vital and essential during this pandemic”, says DTI Consumer Protection Group Undersecretary Ruth B. Castelo.

The Department enjoins the consumers to always observe physical distancing when doing grocery shopping or doing business outside their homes and to always sanitize their hands.

For consumer-related concerns and queries, you may send an email to ConsumerCare@dti.gov.ph or reach us thru the One-DTI (1-384) Hotline.

8990 Holdings’ Deca Mall welcomes SM Hypermarket as Anchor Tenant

Top real estate developer 8990 Holdings, Inc. recently signed up SM Hypermarket as the lead anchor tenant of Deca Mall, a P452-million community shopping mall within Urban Deca Homes Manila, its 13-tower mixed-used community in Vitas, Tondo, Manila. Set to open in the second quarter of 2019, Deca Mall is envisioned to host up to 430 small and medium enterprise (SME) tenants. The two-storey mall has a total gross area of 18,000 square meters and a gross leasable area of 14,000 square meters. With the presence of SM Hypermarket, Deca Mall aims to address the lifestyle needs of Urban Deca Homes Manila residents and those in surrounding areas. 8990 Holdings, Inc. is listed on the Philippine Stock Exchange, under the symbol "HOUSE." Present during the contract signing were: (from left) SM Hypermarket senior vice president Arnold Paul D. Daluz, 8990 Holdings president and chief executive officer Willie J. Uy, SM Prime director Herbert Sy, and 8990 Holdings chairman Mariano D. Martinez.

Steady retail growth spur expansion of Landers Superstore

Inspired by the increase in spending power of Filipinos and the year on year growth in retail, Landers Superstore, the country’s fastest growing membership shopping establishment, recently announced its plans to expand to the southern and eastern part of Metro Manila.

Backed by thorough research and the success of the first two superstores, Landers Superstore is poised to take advantage of the rapid developments in Pasig and Muntinlupa Cities.

Two Landers Superstore outlets will be opened in these areas, as confirmed by Atty. Lowell Yu, chairman of Southeast Asia Retail Inc., which recently formalized an agreement with Megaworld Corporation, the developer behind ArcoVia City along C5 in Pasig and Alabang West in Muntinlupa City. The expansion, he explained, will provide residents from these two townships and from neighboring areas with an exclusive one-stop shop where they can find a complete array of their everyday lifestyle needs.

“The retail industry has been growing exponentially, propelled by the steady increase in the spending power of Filipinos specifically towards household consumption expenditures. These factors, plus the strategic locations where we are setting up, made us decide to expand our investment in this category,” added Yu. In the second quarter of 2016, the company launched the first Landers Superstore in Balintawak, Quezon City, followed by another three-hectare store in Paco, Manila.

Given the overwhelming response from the first two Landers Superstores, Yu is optimistic that the new superstores will have a positive reception. “It’s all about giving our members better value for their money.  As members, they have access to products and brands that are not available elsewhere in a setting that lets them shop minus the stress, the long lines, and tight grocery area. Many of our members bring the entire family to our store because the spacious layout makes shopping really convenient and enjoyable. This way, we also promote family bonding.”

With an average of 10,000 square meter vast space per outlet, Landers Superstore takes pride in having well-lit and spacious aisles packed with an assortment of goods, including a wide range of imported products coming from as far as the US, Canada, and Australia and high-quality local and exclusive brands.

From food and other grocery items to  furniture, appliances, and even hardware products,  Landers Superstore houses a range of treasure finds including Badia Spices, Mercer’s Wine Ice Cream, Double Rainbow—which is the best Gourmet Ice cream in San Francisco—Luvo (easy-to-cook health food), Every Man Jack, and President’s Choice products, to mention a few.

Landers Superstore is also the first membership superstore in the Philippines to have a cozy coffee shop, Doppio; a comfortable diner, Landers Central; and a delectable bakery, Dough & Co. The superstore also provides a lavish dining area where members can enjoy a delicious New York Pizza, chicken, hotdogs, bagels, fancy cakes, and pastries while taking a break from shopping.

Waiting husbands and kids can also get their own pampering in Landers’ very own barbershop (Talas Manileño in Landers Balintawak and Federal Barbers in Landers Otis). Plus, exclusively for members, Landers Superstore also offers year-long gasoline discounts from its very own gasoline station, Caltex.

For more information, visit Landers Superstore at 1240 EDSA Balintawak, Apolonio Samson, Quezon City or Landers Superstore - Otis at 1890 Paz Guazon St., Paco, Manila. You can also check them out at http://landers.ph/.