by Gwen Marie De Leon
Somebody has taken the crown from the coronavirus and it is this 20-year-old Bicolana who is currently reigning in her booming scrunchie business amid the pandemic.
Maxine wakes up to the sound of her phone notifications in the morning. With a mug coffee in one hand and her phone on the other, she checks out order updates for her online business. Her hectic day goes on, shifting from sewing scrunchies to answering modules, to sewing again up until midnight.
This first year medical technology student and entrepreneur from Tabaco City, Albay started a silk scrunchie business online last July 2020 after getting inspired by a Tiktok video. It started out as a way to beat boredom and spark productivity during the lockdown, but it has now become a major contributor to her family’s income.
The pandemic has revolutionized online shopping— e-commerce in general. It has pushed people to make transactions online, leading to the boom of online businesses. It has also given opportunities for small-time enterprises to make profit. Because of the high demand and promising income, even students like Maxine are taking on the challenge of juggling school and business online.
E-conomy on the rise
The limited movement brought by the pandemic has pushed many people to rely on online services for their necessities. According to “E-Conomy SEA 2020”—a report from Google, Temasek and Bain & Company—8 out of 10 people in South East Asia consider technology to be helpful in the pandemic.
It also said that in the past year, there has been a 55 percent growth in e-commerce in the Philippines.
The Department of Trade and Industry recorded a 4, 000 percent increase in registered online businesses in the country only six months into lockdown. From only 1, 753 the numbers skyrocketed to 75, 029 after quarantines were enforced.
This number does not even include off-grid stores and retails yet, like Maxine’s scrunchie outlet.
Caught in between business and school
Opening a business at a young age is not easy, more so if you are suffering through a global health crisis, but Maxine was more than willing to take the ordeal.
“Nahilig ako magbenta kasi nagkakaroon ako ng sarili kong pera. Nabibili ko yung kailangan ko o yung gusto ko na hindi na inaasa sa parents ko,” she said.
(I eventually liked selling because I can earn money from it. I can buy the things I want or I need without asking money from my parents.)
According to Maxine, the key is proper time management. She usually starts the day by sewing to keep stocks of scrunchies and other products. After that, she completes her modules, attends classes, then goes back to making scrunchies until past midnight.
Maxine admits that it is hard to continue with her classes when her business is flourishing. But education for her is just as important.
(Online class is not effective for me. I do not have much learning, but that does not mean I can risk my studies; it is just the setup that is difficult.)
Her family’s circumstances motivated her to work harder and now she is able to help in financing her education.
“Gusto ko talaga siyang ipagpatuloy kahit hindi siya consistent,” she said. “After ko mag-graduate gusto ko masabi na nakaya ko, na napagtagumpayan ko both ang business and ang pag-aaral ko.”
(I really want to continue even when it is not consistent. After I graduate, I want to say that I was victorious in both my small business and studies.)
Risky business
Just a few weeks after starting her business, Maxine had already encountered a bogus buyer who pretended to be interested in reselling her items. Maxine had already finished making the scrunchies, but the buyer bailed, wasting her time, money and effort.
“Sakto pa na kailangan ko na yung pera for tuition. Bago ko pa lang i-deliver, di na siya nagrereply. Pinuntahan ko kaso hindi tinanggap ng mama niya. Kinagabihan, nag-dm pa ako kaso di na kami nakapag-usap kasi blinock niya ako.”
(It was very untimely that I needed the money for my tuition. Even before I deliver, he is already ignoring my messages. I went to their homes, but his mom did not accept the orders. I messaged him that night but we were not able to talk because he already blocked me.)
The Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) said that along with the expansion of the online market, there has also been a high increase in complaints like this regarding online transactions that affected both sellers and consumers.
According to DTI Secretary Ramon Lopez, from 2,457 in 2019, the numbers jumped to 12,630 as of August 31 last year.
To mitigate such issues, DTI has pushed for passing of Senate Bill 1591 or the “Internet Transactions Act,” authored by Senators Win Gatchalian and Nancy Binay.
“With the bill’s regulatory framework for internet transactions, the bill will promote and support Filipino platforms and businesses based on the principle that domestic online platforms shall be treated under the law equally as offshore non-resident online platforms,” Lopez said in a statement.
“This bill will balance the interests of entrepreneurs, consumers, and the government by establishing a forum for stakeholders to raise issues and concerns surrounding e-commerce,” he added.
The bill, now on its final reading, aims to protect both sellers and consumers and to police and regulate the online market.
Maxine believes that the Internet Transaction Act, if passed, can be helpful in strengthening e-commerce.
“Maganda yung mayroong batas para maproteksyonan kaming mga maliliit na negosyante tsaka para rin sa mga customers na hindi sila maloko,” she said.
(It is good to have a law that will protect us small business owners as well as for
customers to avoid getting scammed.)
Comments