"What sets us apart from the rest is our complete range of products, competitive price points, and the product awareness of our sales representatives," said Margaret King, an optometrist by education and Electronic Boutique general manager by choice. "We have the most compete electronic tools from blowers for cellular to the complete line of batteries–from cordless phone batteries and camcorder batteries to the most difficult to find LR batteries for cars at P15 per piece and camcorder batteries at P3.750 per piece. We have the most complete line of accessories for audio video and telephone. Everybody has a few of everything but not as complete as ours."
Started in 1994, Search Commercial currently supplies more than 60% of the cordless phones in the country. It also provides almost 50% of the Philippine Long Distance Co.’s total call ID requirements.
"My husband, Abell Jim Ngo, and his cousin started Search, which then sold hands-free telephones. My husband convinced me to quit my own job and do the business," said King. "At first, nobody knew us. We had no brand. We put our brand into our slim phones from China and named it AG Bell. We offered a warranty for the units, which also helped us tracked their sales."
For four years, Search Commercial was a single-table office in the home of Ngo’s cousin-partner. The jobs were handed out. King handled sales and marketing. Ngo took care of the inventory, importation and computerization of operations. The cousin made the product choices.
"The first year that I joined the business, I was the delivery girl and collector. I was pregnant but I was lifting heavy cartons, driving the load to Abenson and Automatic. When there were problems in the repair service, I faced the angry customers. When I advertised my products in the papers, I encountered fly-by-night buyers, people who order big quantities with no intention to pay. But I never complained," said King.
Only after the fifth year did the company budget for the hiring of a collector and the purchase of a delivery truck.
To date, the retail chain’s most profitable store and smallest at 50 square meter is located in Alabang. The oldest store (and the one with the biggest sales) is located at Robinson’s Galleria.
As a merchandising strategy, the chain has focused on phones, which sell the whole year round. It, however, also carries unique gadgets and gifts relating to home comfort, personal care, travel, and outdoor, gifts by age bracket, special lighting/table lamp, remote control for light and camping lanterns.
"We sell I-scale for weighing jewelry at P9,900 each, and money counters and money detectors for detecting fake bills at P300. We also sell a very compact, fully automatic Scense-branded washing machine worth P3,500. This brand was developed in Singapore as a result of the SARS scare and is suited for small-space apartment living. It can be used for washing diapers, dry-cleaning gowns, and even for washing jeans," said King.
To give customers value, the chain provides repair services for compact electronic appliances and parts. It is thinking to putting up a service center for all products sold in its stores.
"There is no secret behind a successful business. You have to be passionate about your work. Don’t complain, act on it first. You have to study your products. I like to learn as much as I can about my products because I’m going to sell them," said King.