Sari-sari store matters: Ensuring Product Quality

The quality of the products you sell in your sari-sari store can define the reputation of your business. As a small business owner, it’s important to remember the two Ps in your business: Product and Price. Simply put, you have to sell quality products that your target market needs and wants and you have to sell it at a competitive price. Chances are, this will translate to you having more customers and in return, more revenue. Condura has been using its brand as a platform to help and educate negosyo owners in the Philippines to build and sustain their businesses. Their negosyo-friendly refrigerators prove that they are a reliable business partner because they offer affordable yet star quality refrigerators that can keep up with your venture. As a suking tindahan, it is your job to ensure that you are selling products that are of quality. You don’t want to be labeled as the store that sells expired or stale-tasting items. That’s a pretty sure way to lose customers.

Sell old stocks first

Always apply the first in, first out method when selling items from your store. You sell out what you first bought in. It’s a basic rule to avoid having old stocks and will ensure that all your customers get their products in good quality.

If you have a convenience store where people are free to select products for purchase, display items with the nearest expiration date and then replenish when it’s all been sold. Always keep a list of your stocks to know what items should be sold first. Lastly, always do a routine check of the expiration date among your items. If you expired items, throw them away immediately.

Never expose products to sunlight

The charm of sari-sari stores in the country is that they offer people more options because the products are displayed like a catalog but sometimes, because of the location or lack of shade covering, some items get exposed to direct sunlight. When you go to a sari-sari store, the usual items that will welcome you are candies in different varieties of the stacked container upon the container. When candies get exposed to sunlight, they tend to wrap around their film packaging and as a result, it may develop an off-flavor or change in color. Canned goods are best stocked in a room temperature environment. In general, food stored in cans will spoil quickly if exposed to high temperatures. For chips or chichirya, store it in a dry cool place to ensure that they stay fresh in the bag. Instant or cup noodles should also be placed away from sunlight because this could cause their packaging to wear down and rip. At the same time, they should also not be exposed to wet areas to prevent bacteria and mold infection. Sari-sari stores usually have shampoos and conditioners in sachet hanging above a rack in their store. Make sure these items also don’t get exposed to heat because it can affect the fragrance of the product and the packaging can wear down.

Make sure your refrigerator is functioning properly.

A reliable ref is a huge factor for your business. Its function and performance can affect the cold or frozen merchandise that you sell. Since you always open the ref when someone purchases soft drinks or tetra pack juices, you must maintain the cleanliness of your fridge. For soft drinks, it’s best to put them on shelves instead of placing them on the bottom rack in the door. When you open the ref every time, the temperature tends to change in that particular section so it can affect the taste of the soda. If you are selling frozen meat or ice cream then make sure that you keep your refrigerator turned on at all times. Some stores, in their attempt to save energy, tend to turn off their refs after store hours. The shift in temperature will affect your products. So think twice about trying to save money on refrigeration. Fortunately, Condura’s Negosyo Pro No-Frost Inverter prides itself with energy efficiency features, with electricity cost amounting to as low as P9 pesos per day, the perfect appliance for sari-sari stores. It also has a 68-liter freezer, which can fit up to 14 ice cream tubs. The unit has a door alarm, which activates after it is left open for 1 minute. It also has a deodorizer, which eliminates odor-causing bacteria, and an anti-bacterial gasket which prevents bacteria build-up. Read: Awesome Hacks to Help You Keep Your Refrigerator Unit Clean and Organized

Always clean your store

The cleanliness of your store should be a priority especially if you have customers going in and out of it. Make it a habit to clean the products you sell at least every other day after closing the store.

Wipe canned goods with a clean cloth and remove dust in your store regularly. Clean shelves and candy containers regularly as well. Rats are the number one enemy of sari-sari store owners. They just chew their way around your products on display and this usually happens at night when the store is already closed. Inspect your store for openings where a rat or any other insect can enter and cover them. Place sticky traps for mice on the floor and on the wall, where they are likely to run. Ants could also be silent attackers in your store so when you see a swarm of ants, try tracing the root of their trail, there might be biscuit crumbs or fallen candies that they are trying to feed on. Make your store ant-proof by wiping your walls with a vinegar and water solution. Vinegar not only kills ants, but it also repels them. Ensuring the quality of the products you sell relies heavily on how you maintain the storage of the items and the cleanliness of your store. Being a responsible store owner will help you gain usual customers because they get their products at the best quality from a well-maintained store.