FOOD

FEATURE | FOOD

Untangling the Taste of Online Selling

Written by Mdpn. Jashem A. Bardies In this time lapse of history where points are crossed and drawings started to fade, it is a job to seek another job or to sell another sell. The pantry was set open to cater piled up stocks of needs amidst this pandemic. Food is as essential as human beings struggled to get used to live in the new normal.

Online business flood the newsfeeds and dimensions of social media in the height of this pandemic. Fortunately, staying at home makes sense while ensuring the safety is a priority. In this era of new normal, life will become more and more coated with mixtures of flavor grind through this challenging time. In the aroma of nature sprang, people who continuously makes every effort to sustain their living in everyday. Meet Maria Suzzete Hijosa, a 29 year-old online seller from Iloilo City. She started her frozen foods business before the quarantine began in March but progress her dealing online. As an online seller, it is her significant attributes to sustain effectivity of her business in any way. However, as the pandemic continues to shadow the economic integrity of our country, her business was gradually affected by the first onslaught of the lockdown. “Mabudlay mag online selling tungod damo kompetensiya, pero kung makaumpisa ka na baligya sa online nami man sa pamatyagan.” (Online selling is a hard job since there are lots of competitors but once you’ve started it actually feels good.) By posting her product in social media she gets instant customers and a lot of inquiries regarding her products. Using social media is a functional manifesto of making your business in more creative and easygoing venture. Through this platform it will really help to attract more people and encourage them to buy your products. This pandemic also greatly affected their business venture since most of the food stalls they supply have been closed due to enhance community quarantine. Canteens and other carinderias they have supplied before the lockdown also lessened their orders. Some customers who purchased their products also did not pay totally their debts because of the severity of the effect of the lockdown. For her, it is quite a challenging but satisfactory achievement to sell online but along with it is the problem of losing the vibes of the business since competition is always there.

“Basta may gabakal lang sang akon baligya, enjoyable man japon ang pagbaligya.” (As long as there’s someone buying what I’m selling, I still find enjoyment in it.) This COVID-19 pandemic brought people to a point in their life that they need to venture out another means of surviving through this series of community quarantine.

Hernalyn Mercado from Barotac Nuevo Iloilo, an online seller of homemade shomai and progressively gains not only monetary benefit but a lot of selfconfidence. “Before I am not that confident to sell or promote my products because sometimes I feel shy and I am afraid of criticisms from others. Another thing is I get to know new friends and meet new people.” She came up with the idea of online selling because she wants to earn money on her own and wanted to help her family in their business. “I tried online selling because it is the most convenient and popular way where you can have fast and easy transaction with your customers“. This version of new normal trading initiated a purposeful impact to her by developing her skills and be able to meet new people towards this progress. It also stirs some of the indispensable ingredients of mental health effectivity which is important in this war against an invisible enemy. “I always have fun with what I’m doing online, getting excited with what I’m learning and what results I’m getting. It feels like success to own a business. I am always motivated everyday to work especially when managing and promoting the business. Whenever I achieved my goals, I feel fulfilled when I receive positive reviews from my customers.” As this pandemic continues, challenges of maintaining our safety is as essential as gaining money to support daily needs. Miss Hernalyn business’ was also challenged by this threatening time of virus. One of the challenges she encountered is the limitation in the delivery of orders since some areas might be under imposed lockdown. She also need to be extra careful during meet ups. Despite these complications she has to face, online selling according to her is a productive venture and a sort of convenience for her buyers since they just had to order it online.

“Online selling is the most convenient way of promoting your business especially during this pandemic, where most of the people have their phones, it is easier for them to communicate and make transactions. As a seller, I need to fit in every change and find possible ways where both my customer and I can benefit.” Working 24 hours a day or 7 times a week becomes easier through online selling since it reduces boundaries where distance no longer matters. It allows customers to buy and choose whatever they want wherever they are especially in this time of global health crisis. These stories of online sellers and how they started and how the pandemic sufficiently or greatly affected their business makes them an empowered manifestation of the unraveled resiliency of the Filipino in whatever circumstances.

For interested customers just send a direct message to Hernalyn Macado for her Homemade Shomai business. Delivery schedule is every Saturday but they are open for special orders. Delivery time and place is negotiable as per the benefit of the customer and seller.

For any inquiries or any interested buyers of frozen foods just visit the owner’s Facebook account Maria Suzette Hijosa since most of her products are posted in her Facebook timeline.

Sample Product of Ms. Macado and Mrs. Hijosa.