Even with the COVID-19 pandemic still ravaging the local (and even
worldwide) economy, it’s still encouraging to hear success stories because
of the creativity of many enterprising Filipinos. While many of these
individual business owners rely on social media and word-of-mouth to promote
their products and tell their stories, it’s reassuring to know that there
are platforms such as Pili Lokal where Filipino artisans and entrepreneurs
can showcase their craftsmanship.
How Pili Lokal Is Emphasizing The Strength Of Filipino Craftsmanship
Who is Pili Lokal?
Pili Lokal is a combination of the Tagalog words “pili” which means “to
choose” in English and “lokal” which is the vernacular for “local.” Pili Lokal
thus means to choose local Filipino products.
Pili Lokal is more than just an e-commerce site. It’s a website made solely
for Filipinos, as such, it features an all-Filipino lineup of products. Pili
Lokal was born during the pandemic, a time when many Filipino small businesses
also began to take off.
Pili Lokal is not just a trading hub to highlight Filipino products but it
also aims to help business owners and craftsmen bring their ideas to fruition
and aid them in their marketing strategies.
Ways in which Pili Lokal is helping Filipino business owners
What’s good about e-commerce platforms is that it connects buyers and sellers
in a fast and convenient manner. However, the disadvantage of the typical
online shopping sites is that they are cluttered with commodities that are
mainly from abroad. The problem with that setup is that it draws the spotlight
on foreign brands.
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| The Pili Lokal website |
Pili Lokal aims to veer away from this mainstream arrangement and is helping
Filipino small and medium enterprises (SMEs) though the following:
1. It puts the limelight on Filipino businesses
One thing that Pili Lokal is particular about is that it’s strict when it
comes to merchant onboarding. Pili Lokal underscores that companies have to be
100% Filipino-owned in order for them to list their products in the Pili Lokal
website.
2. The products have to be made in the Philippines
While Pili Lokal understands that not all raw materials are locally-available,
it stresses that SMEs have to assemble their products in the Philippines to
qualify for listing in the e-commerce website.
3. Pili Lokal aims to introduce Filipino products globally
One of Pili Lokal’s objectives is to introduce the quality and ingenuity of
Filipino products to Filipino consumers. However, that does not mean that
going global is not part of its goal. The cyberspace is wide-reaching, hence,
Pili Lokal has a lot of potential to reach a worldwide audience.
Navigating the Pili Lokal website
The Pili Lokal
website
is divided into six categories: health essentials, home living, clothing,
accessories, event supplies, and delicacies. Visitors can also easily check
the products that are new, on sale, and featured as these are highlighted in
the homepage.
Some of the products that are available in Pili Lokal are vegan shampoo bar
and conditioner, scented candles, sugar body scrub, beach shorts, dresses,
sandals, colognes, bags, decors, gifts sets, tea, coffee, condiments, and so
much more.
What’s nice about these products is that they are affordable, with prices
ranging from P140 to around less than P2,000.
In terms of ordering products in Pili Lokal, it's not different from any other e-commerce site. Just choose what you want, add to cart, checkout, and pay.
Visiting the Pili Lokal website is indeed a good opportunity to get to know
many outstanding Filipino products.
Epilogue
Pili Lokal was launched in a time when many local small businesses needed a
platform that puts priority on Filipino merchants. Pili Lokal gives Filipino
SMEs a fighting chance, so to speak, because it’s made for local
entrepreneurs.
At the same time, it’s also a great platform for Filipino buyers to acquaint
themselves with products that they will be truly proud of.
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