The website, www.88db.com.ph, has formally launched its services in the country, making it possible for a Filipino to find a job, sell a product or tap a service without leaving the comfort of his or her home.
"You not only avoid the hassle of traffic jams, you also save on money, because we offer the services for free," said Jayjay Viray, country manager of 88DB, during the jam-packed launch of the website in Manila.
As explained by Viray, 88DB is a premier search engine, reference tool and advertising space all in one website. "It is a one-stop shop, a community and a lifestyle, where you can find a job, an event, a service. Are you a tutor looking for students whose pay will augment your income? Or are you a parent looking for a tutor who can help your kids raise their grades just a bit higher? You can both find what you’re looking for in 88DB.
"Are you a writer looking for companies that will hire you on a part-time basis to write and edit copies for their website or brochures? Or are you that website looking for a competent writer who can help manage the site’s content? You can both find what you’re looking for in 88DB.
"Or maybe you are an executive looking for a driver, or a driver looking for a boss, a restaurant chef looking for customers, or a diner looking for the newest fine-dining restaurant in town. Or maybe you are a massage artist who does house calls, or a tired business executive who yearns for a good home service massage. Our website helps match these people."
"The services, products and business opportunities you can find in our website are almost limitless," said Viray.
The website’s range can also be far-reaching and elicits responses well beyond Metro Manila. Meryl Santelices, sales manager of the Palawan-based Dive Link and Coral Bay Resorts, said that their travel agency got a lot of responses and inquiries because of their ad in 88DB. She says, "A lot of internet users visited our website. It was a good exposure of our property and made it attractive to our target market.
"With 88DB, we can easily access [the responses] everyday. All in one click!"
Diday Alcudia, a strategic planning director, read about the website in the newspapers after its launch last August 8. She decided to try selling her Grand Vitara vehicle by posting a free ad on the site, and happily found a customer who bought it. It only took two weeks to conduct the negotiations and finalize the sale. The quick and accurate reply was a far cry from the usual effort of texting friends for possible referrals which she tried for three months.
"If you just ask someone to look for a buyer for you, ang tagal," Diday elaborates. "One interested customer emailed me — and he was the one who bought my car."
Testimonials like those from Meryl and Diday do not surprise people at 88db. "Our website has 400 categories, but we have organized them in such a way that they do not appear cluttered," Leah Cabalde, Brand Officer emphasized. "You need household help, a private eye, a wedding planner, a pediatrician or even a mortician. Name it, we have it."
According to Viray, the website was developed because "there is a serious gap in between customers, service providers and people that just do not have the resources to advertise themselves on a ‘level’ playing field. At 88DB, we want to change that by giving everyone who registers to our site a free ad for anything and everything that they need, want or can provide. Our goal is for us to create a meeting place online for anyone who is looking for something by being the platform on which communities and interactions are built."
Viray expressed optimism the Philippine website will prove just as successful as its parent website in Hong Kong.
"We already have made our mark in other countries such as Thailand, Malaysia, Singapore, and of course, Hong Kong," said Viray. "Now we are bringing the service to the Philippines."
For more info, log on to 88db.com.ph or call 914-88DB.