Best buys for the ‘ber’ season

Gift-giving has been a tradition with the onset of the "ber" season, and Filipinos are known for getting the best bargains. This early, Christmas shoppers typically prepare their lists to properly guide them in planning. With several malls and bazaars mushrooming all over town, one needs to plan ahead so the "best buys" are made despite going through the traffic hassle. More than avoiding the shopping rush, consumers need to revert back to pointers so they need not go through the headache of being shortchanged given their limited budget, especially for impulsive buyers who usually overspend.

Here are among the processes shoppers go through to ensure that they get things that would be appreciated by their loved ones and help lessen the stress:

• Prepare a "Santa’s list" and intended gifts for these people.

• Categorize this list based on item classification so you’d know exactly what and where to get them. This way, you reduce the hassle of forgetting items you need to get.

• Gather ideas on shopping venues and prepare a budget. Make sure the budget you set matches with what is "realistically" available in the market.

• Test your list. Shop around and compare actual prices and items so you would know if the budget you’ve set actually fits.

• When you make purchases, remember to keep the receipts, especially for unexpected return of defective items, duplicate gifts or even wrong sizes. Inquire how long the store will accept returned items to make sure you meet these deadlines.

Similarities exist within the corporate arena. Purchasers are typically tasked to coordinate gift-giving plans within departments as part of the tradition of expressing gratitude to customers that have been part of an enterprise’s growth. Most, if not all, however, have taken the smarter route via e-Marketplaces. Participation in exchanges removes discomforts in activity coordination to ensure that the end-users get the desired results.

Here’s how:

• Online catalogues available via e-Marketplaces aid in item selection. By granting access to respective end-users, for example, these catalogues become useful in identifying those they could select from that are usually accompanied by pictures/brochures and prices. Canvassing becomes easy, as end-users could appropriately rank alternatives from where they could choose.

• Communication flow within key departments or units is streamlined, as purchasers could appropriately set deadlines prior to collating those that their internal customers prefer. From here, detailed item specifications can be outlined, which may include design description for a corporate giveaway, for example, including shape, size and color, among others. These details would help purchasers in the negotiation round, especially when there is a need to recommend which specifications can be offset and help fit the budget.

• Supplier search becomes easy, and sample submission is harmonized. E-Marketplaces provide an organized way to relay a buying company’s terms and conditions, and how the awarding process will be made. Here, potential conflicts are zeroed in or minimized, as issues become focused on criteria that may have been debased by any party in the negotiation-to-delivery round.

• Lastly, e-Marketplaces allow faster and easy retrieval of records during negotiations, especially in rectifying or monitoring possible returned items. This helps reduce clerical work in filing, and provide access to chief financial planners and auditors during the financial planning and evaluation.

Intangibles exist when defining what "best buys" are during any hectic season. Most get desired results the smartest way, without necessarily compensating for transparency and affordability.

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Mariflor P. Santos is the senior e-Marketplace administrator of Source-Pilipinas.com Inc. For comments, e-mail her at [email protected].