(Source: Manila Times | October 9, 2017)
SM Prime Holdings, Inc. (SMPH) the largest shopping mall and retail operator in the Philippines, said over the weekend that it was planning to create a new e-commerce strategy expected to be launched before the year ends.
“We’re doing efforts on e-commerce, efforts to extend click to bricks. That’s in the works,” SMPH Chief Finance Officer John Ong told reporters on the sidelines of COL Financial’s property market briefing held in Pasig City over the weekend.
“Clicks to bricks” is a term that refers to when an online or e-commerce retailer establishes a physical store.
The SMPH version, however, will allow a buyer who is in a certain area to purchase products on the website and have it delivered to another area, such as in the province, as long as the same brand of store has a presence there.
He cited an example where a buyer who seeks to purchase grocery products for his family and relatives in a faraway area can purchase it online and address it to an existing nearby SM Supermarket where his relatives can pick it up.
“It’s an option still. We’re maintaining that option of whether we will partner with a provider kasi nandiyan naman sina providers ngayon [since the providers are there today]or there’s an option also for us to develop our own platform. It’s open but we do really recognize naman ‘yung [that there is]e-commerce,” he said.
“We are currently working on that. Hopefully we can come up with something before the year ends,” he added.
Ong said the plan is also in support of SM Group’s tenants who will be able to sell products no matter where their location may be.
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