US firm introduces more home products in Cebu

CEBU, Philippines -  Noting a high demand for more of its products in Cebu, American designer brand for home essentials DwellStudio  is  expanding its  product lines inside the Rustans Department store in Ayala Center.

In an interview,  Anne Gretchen Choa-Uy, marketing manager of   Quirks Marketing Philippines, the sole distributor of DwellStudio in the country, said that the company has started to deploy more  DwellStudio products in Cebu, particularly for bed sheets, baby products, and home furnishings, among others.

DwellStudio is an American brand that offers bedding, baby products and furniture and has been in Cebu for two years with Rustans Department Store   as its home.

According to Choa-Uy, the market for their products in Cebu has expanded thus they have decided to add more to their collections and soon will be adding the furniture line once the new wing of Ayala Center Cebu opens.

“The market is ready for our products because here people have developed a taste for quality products that don’t only offer durability but also the element of design which is what Dwell Studio is actually known for with a fashion designer and home retail veteran for a founder,” said Choa-Uy.

“Indeed, Cebu is a tough market but if they like a product or brand they stick to it, regardless of the price,” she added.

Besides, she said, the Filipino taste has become sophisticated. They now value the quality of lifestyle, thus making “homes” their “haven” or comfort zone, and choices for home essential products have become more sophisticated too.

Choa-Uy said that the market has expanded because the people have more purchasing capability and are more up to date with what’s new for their “dwelling” places or their homes that includes the bedrooms and living rooms.

Although most of Dwell Studio’s products are available in Rustan’s Department stores, Choa-Uy said the brand has also expanded its distribution network to selected specialty stores both in Manila and Cebu.

Based on National Economic and Development Authority (NEDA) figures, the purchasing power among Filipino consumers have increased significantly and was noted in the figures shown in 2011.

NEDA record indicated that the availability of high-paying jobs specifically offered by the outsourcing sector and the increased confidence of the consumer market on the country’s economy have fueled the growth of the retail sector, and improve the level of purchasing power among Filipinos, including the Cebuano market. (FREEMAN)