The Philippines has yet to see the prepandemic vitality of its retail sector, but the improving COVID-19 situation in the country bodes well for retailers who are looking to recover lost sales during months of lockdown.

"We expect a slow but careful recovery by next year, hoping that no future lockdowns and no surge of a new virus variant will occur," said Philippine Retailers Association (PRA) president Rosemarie Bosch-Ong in an email interview with Inquirer Property.

The easing of restrictions, which resulted in more mobility, and the continuous vaccination drives have given retailers a more optimistic though still cautious outlook.

To be more competitive and resilient, "frictionless omnichannel retailing" is a must for retailers, Ong suggested. "Retailers who can provide consumers a seamless shopping experience that combines the best of both online and physical stores are seen to thrive and win during this transformative time in retail."

The traditional brick-and-mortar stores will remain relevant, according to Ong, despite the fact that the past two years have seen a boom in e-commerce and online platforms as people shopped for essentials from the safety of their homes.

"Shoppers, especially Filipinos, still prefer to shop personally to see, touch and check first-hand the products we intend to buy," she added.

‘Home of big ideas' continues to fly high

For Wilcon Depot, where Ong serves as SEVP-COO, the pandemic was a test, a chance to prove how far the home improvement and construction supplies retailer can handle business difficulties.

While no one was prepared for the challenges that the pandemic brought upon businesses, those who are willing to adapt and respond accordingly can turn the crisis into new opportunities, she noted.

As with everyone in the retail industry, Wilcon faced equally tough and challenging situations over the past 20 months.

"Staying afloat during the hard times is Wilcon's testament to our commitment and values," Ong said.

Wilcon Depot's paramount ingredient for success? The company's ability to remain focused on the things that matter most.

"For Wilcon, the most important things are our stakeholders: our employees, our valued customers and our industry partners," Ong said.

It has always been the company's thrust to serve Filipino homeowners and builders by providing them not only with top-notch and high quality home improvement and building needs, but also excellent customer experience.

"We always seek to give them delight at every possible touchpoint in their shopping journey, whether in our physical stores or online shops," explained Ong. This level of customer experience has reinforced Wilcon's position as everyone's go-to store when it comes to home and building essentials.

Despite the pandemic, the company has remained unfazed, even managing to add to its growing roster of stores by opening nine new branches in key areas around the country. The company took the opportunity to enable more Filipinos, who are now doing everything from the confines of their homes, to make their living spaces "their safest and most loved place to stay in" during this time. Seeing the rise in the demand for home improvement and construction supplies, Wilcon went on with its store openings to bring its services closer to its valued patrons nationwide.

The retailer is set to open another Mindanao branch before the year ends as it steadily moves forward with its #FlyingHighTo100 store expansion campaign. Located in Bukidnon, store number 73 brings the company closer to its goal of having 100 operational stores by 2025. Ten more branches are being set out to open in key cities in the country in 2022.

Taking note of how the pandemic has exposed the retail sector to many business uncertainties, Ong pointed out that retailers have also gained invaluable experiences through it, which "will keep us going and bring us to new heights." She added: "Let us be retailers who find opportunities to innovate and never stop growing."

Ikea

It's probably one of the most anticipated store openings in the country.

Eight years after news first broke out that Ikea will be setting up shop in the country, the Swedish furniture giant finally opened its doors to excited Pinoys on Nov. 25. And it couldn't have come at a more opportune time, right when many of us are giving our homes a makeover, whether it's for the Christmas season, a (hopefully) more favorable new year, or to simply make it a lot more comfortable and sustainable, especially after we've endured most of the past 20 months indoors.

Officially, the Philippines is now home to the biggest Ikea branch in the world. While the typical Ikea store in other countries measures 35,000 sqm, ours is almost double that size at some 68,000 sqm of space. It is proof of strong confidence in the local market comprised of a young population, a growing middle class, and a robust real estate industry that has seen continued launches of residential, office and commercial projects.

Nestled within the SM Mall of Asia Complex in Pasay City, the supersized store is filled with every imaginable furniture, fixture or decor that you'd need—or want—for your home. This has thrilled many Filipinos who have long been fans of the brand's distinct Scandinavian aesthetic marked by clean, simple lines and functionality without sacrificing beauty.

Great pieces for your living spaces aside, a unique experience awaits shoppers in Ikea. You can choose to get your items from the store or shop conveniently and safely thru its website, Ikea.ph. If you'd rather shop on-site and feel intimidated by the self-service shopping concept, there are service kiosks throughout the store to help you. Or you can simply ask anyone of the 500 Ikea co-workers for some guidance.

Today, we no longer have to rely on "pasabuys" courtesy of family and friends who have access to Ikea stores abroad. Those timeless, easy-to-assemble, value for money yet quality Ikea pieces are simply a click or a car ride away.

Vista Malls

Market research company Euromonitor International, in its 2021 scan of consumer megatrends in the Philippines, reported that Filipinos are now more inclined to spend on what matters most and have developed a preference for the premium. It also disclosed that consumers, regardless of their income level, are now seeking products, services and experiences which reflect their personal identity.

Vista Malls, through its tenants and especially through the AllValue Group affiliates, is thus gearing its marketing concepts toward this trend of "premiumization." AllValue has, in fact, been constantly innovating and differentiating their selling concepts over the course of the pandemic to cater to the ever changing and ever evolving needs and wants of consumers.

AllValue's innovations include AllDay Supermarket's self-checkout counter, the first of its kind in the country, and AllHome, Coffee Project and other AllValue brands expanding their reach through various e-commerce platforms such as Lazada, Shopee, GrabMart and Foodpanda, to make it more convenient for customers to get their hands on essentials even during lockdowns.

For its part, Vista Malls differentiates itself by providing mall-goers with an ambiance "that prizes experiential beauty through its flow, design and accessibility to communities."

The major shopping mall retailer was not spared from the challenges that assailed retailers the past year. The low foot traffic in its branches impacted not only Vista Malls but its tenants and merchants as well. It then brought forward attractions and services to better serve and assist its customers.

During the pandemic, the mall chain launched its personal shopper service called GetAll Services that allowed customers to shop from any of its stores without having to leave the safety of their homes. As many turned to bikes as their mode of transportation especially during the lockdowns, Vista Malls added parking spaces for bicycles. Bike repair stations were also set up for the convenience of cyclists.

The shop prides itself on being a mall that is pet-friendly and has thus introduced Pet Parks. Its malls have continued to shift towards renewable energy as well through the installation of solar panels, an initiative that will not only reduce its operating costs but more importantly, its carbon footprint.

With the easing of restrictions and with kids now being allowed back inside malls, there has been a steady increase in shoppers. "We are optimistic (that we'd) have a more joyful Christmas season," said Camille Villar, managing director for Vista Land Commercial Division. The company is gearing up to open more branches in the coming months, with its newest flagship branch in Mintal, Davao, being something that patrons can look forward to.