First Cebu virtual sale hopes to draw in more consumers

CEBU, Philippines —  Organizers of the ongoing Great Cebu Sale (GCS) expect to draw more consumers online and offline, as the event sets to culminate in the next 30 days.

The GCS, which started on September 15, 2020, recorded over 3,000 visitors on its official website, reported Camille Aldeguer, the event’s overall chairperson.

GCS 2020, Cebu’s first ever industry-wide virtual sale event, has noted a growing online traffic, as organizers urged consumers to take advantage of the best deals they could get from their favorite merchants.

“We expect this to increase moving forward especially if more people will be aware that some of Cebu’s famous brands are offering great deals and promos this time,” said Aldeguer urging consumers to take advantage of the industry-wide virtual sale.

Most of the site visitors come from the Philippines, followed by the US, Japan, Singapore and Qatar. On a city basis, top visitors come from Cebu City, followed by Iloilo City, Davao City, Quezon City and Makati City.

“Based on the feedback we’ve received, people are eager to go out and relax, many have therefore purchased overnight stay promos offered by our resorts and hotels,” Aldeguer said.

In fact, the sites of tourism-related companies are the most accessed by GCS visitors. They are followed by electronics, lifestyle, home essentials, and food and beverage (F&B).

  “The promos offered by our resorts, hotels and F&B establishments are our top deals,” she said.

The GCS official website is up and running to promote the promos offered by the participating merchants.

  “The website does not have a payment platform. The fulfillment of the order or purchase lies directly under the responsibility of the participating company,” she said.

  Meanwhile, GCS organizers have also scheduled various webinars throughout the sale period to stimulate interest from the public, added Raki Urbina, co-chairperson of the GCS.

  “Apart from the industry-wide virtual sale, the GCS will also be hosting various webinars to help guide businesses, retailers and consumers on the new normal,” he said.

  On Sept. 28 and 29, GCS has scheduled a two-part webinar series entitled “Rethinking our Business and Repurposing our Facilities for Survival and Sustenance #Diskarte” on Sept. 28 and 29 (for the first part) and on Oct. 5 and 6 (for the second part).

  On Oct. 12 and 13, another webinar dubbed as “Redefining and Optimizing the Essential Components of Retail in these Most Challenging Times” will also be conducted.

  Likewise, on Oct. 19 and 20, GCS will also host a webinar on “Leading by Emotional Intelligence with Stressed-out Workforce and Anxious Guests and Customers.”

  According to Chester Lim, president of the Philippine Retailers Association in Cebu, the main organizer of the GCS, they are planning to extend the conduct of webinars through the holiday season.

  Extending the webinar towards the holiday season is a good idea. In fact the initial plan is to do a monthly sale per industry. We will just probably wait for the outcome of this one before deciding to proceed with the next sale,” Lim said.

  If the virtual sale will be extended, there will be a different set of offers and promos for the Christmas season, Lim added.

  The GCS introduces Cebu’s top brands in the hospitality, wellness, travel, automotive, fashion, hardware, electronics, and food industries.

  Also, participating in the sale are wellness facilities such as Maayo Well Cebu, Prosel Pharma Inc., and UV Care; food and beverage merchants such as Cafe Laguna, Dessert Factory, Margets Deli, Nanays Best, The Lemon Co., Fujinoya Café and Bakery, Amarillo, Lighthouse Restaurant, Freshco Cebu Brand Dried Fruits, Uy Masuy Wine Factory, Bubble Tea Station, Casa Verde, Bricklane Doughnuts, Bon Chon, Asian Wave Seafood Corp.,Lemon Grass and  D+B Wines, Global Pacific, and 10 Dove Street; travel and tourism brands such as Waterfront Hotel and Casino, Marco Polo Plaza, Bai Hotel, J Park Island Resort & Waterpark Cebu, Crimson Resort & Spa, Ano World, Seda Hotel, Cebu Grand Hotel, Kasai Village, Mezzo Hotel, Cebu White Sands, Savoy Hotel Mactan Newtown, Radisson Blu, Plantation Bay Resort & Spa, Citadines, Summit Galleria Cebu, Southwind Travel & Tours, The Henry, Solea Mactan Cebu Resort, Quest Hotel, Destination Specialists Cebu, Cebu Parklane International Hotel, Golden Prince Hotel and Suites, Residencia Isabella, Goldberry Suites and Hotels, San Remigio Beach Club, Tambuli Seaside Resort & Spa, Mystical Rose Flower Farm & Lemon Orchard, The Hotel Elizabeth and Yello Hotel; hardware establishments such as Belmont Hardware Depot, Cebu Home and Builders Centre, Living N Style, Worldwide Home Depot and Worldwide Tile Depot; lifestyle brands such as ATE by Tatah, Mi Dept. Store, Island Souvenirs, My Jewels, %Outlets at Pueblo Verde and Loalde; home essentials merchants such as Ayala Centre Cebu, Ayala Central Bloc, SM City Cebu, SM City Consolacion, Belmont One, Gaisano, Gaisano Grand Malls, Robinsons Galleria Cebu, Prince Hypermart, Oakridge Business Park, SM Seaside City and Uratex Foam the Sleep Specialist; electronics merchants such as Aerophone, Junrex, NGenius, RC Goldline and Family Appliance; automotive companies such as Fast Autoworld Philippines Corporation, Global Star, Hyundai and JMC;  and other services such as DMC Busa Printers, Peel Uniform Printing Services and Architectural Interior Source.

  The Great Cebu Sale 2020 is organized in collaboration with the Resort & Restaurant Association of Cebu, Inc. (HRRACI); Cebu Chamber of Commerce and Industry (CCCI). Mandaue Chamber of Commerce and Industry (MCCI), Cebu Filipino Chinese Chamber of Commerce (CFCCC); Hardware Consolidated, Inc. (HCI); Cebu Alliance of Tour Operation Specialists, Inc. (CATOS); Cebu Business Club (CBC) and the Mactan Export Processing Zone Chamber of Exporters and Manufacturers (MEPZCEM).

  In a bid to revive the retail industry back to its feet again, the Philippine Retailers Association (PRA-Cebu) organized the CGS from September 15 to October 31, 2020.

One of the many first time initiatives under the new normal is to hold a virtual sale, to help retailers recover from big losses incurred due to the pandemic.