I.

Introduction
On the past week, I have explored the products available in different store types around

Metro Manila. I have been to SM Supermarket, North Edsa branch, and 7-eleven, Sienna Del
Monte branch on July 29, 2011, and to RJs Sari-sari Store, in East Canumay, Valenzuela
City, on July 30, 2011. This paper aims to show you the findings that I have learned through
the store checking of my chosen product, toothpastes.
II.

PRODUCT
Close-up

Colgate

Pepsodent

Hapee

Learnings
A. Distribution

VARIANTS

SM SUPERMARKET

7-ELEVEN

100mL

50mL

25mL

sachet

100mL

50mL

25mL

sachet

100mL

50mL

25mL

sachet

Regular

N/A

1SKU

N/A

1SKU

N/A

1SKU

1SKU

1SKU

N/A

N/A

N/A

1SKU

Icy Frost

1SKU

1SKU

N/A

N/A

N/A

N/A

N/A

N/A

N/A

N/A

N/A

N/A

White Now

2SKU
N/A
N/A
N/A
TOTAL: 6 SHELF KEEPING
UNITS OF CLOSE-UP
TOOTHPASTE

1SKU
N/A
N/A
N/A
TOTAL: 4 SHELF KEEPING
UNITS OF CLOSE-UP
TOOTHPASTE

N/A
N/A
N/A
N/A
TOTAL: 1 SHELF KEEPING
UNITS OF CLOSE-UP
TOOTHPASTE

100g

90g

50g

sachet

100g

90g

50g

sachet

100g

90g

50g

sachet

Fresh Confidence Night

N/A

N/A

N/A

N/A

N/A

1SKU

N/A

N/A

N/A

N/A

N/A

N/A

Fresh Confidence CC

N/A

N/A

N/A

N/A

1SKU

N/A

N/A

N/A

N/A

N/A

N/A

N/A

Triple Action

N/A

N/A

N/A

N/A

1SKU

N/A

1SKU

N/A

N/A

N/A

N/A

N/A

Twin Pack

N/A
N/A
N/A
N/A
TOTAL: 0 SHELF KEEPING
UNITS OF COLGATE
TOOTHPASTE

N/A
N/A
N/A
N/A
TOTAL: 4 SHELF KEEPING
UNITS OF COLGATE
TOOTHPASTE

N/A
N/A
N/A
1SKU
TOTAL: 1 SHELF KEEPING
UNITS OF COLGATE
TOOTHPASTE

190g

75g

25g

190g

75g

25g

190g

75g

25g

Regular

1SKU

3SKU

1SKU

N/A

1SKU

N/A

N/A

N/A

N/A

Whitening

1SKU
1SKU
N/A
TOTAL: 7 SHELF KEEPING
UNITS OF PEPSODENT
TOOTHPASTE

N/A
1SKU
N/A
TOTAL: 2 SHELF KEEPING
UNITS OF PEPSODENT
TOOTHPASTE

N/A
N/A
N/A
TOTAL: 0 SHELF KEEPING
UNITS OF PEPSODENT
TOOTHPASTE

150mL

100mL

50mL

150mL

100mL

50mL

150mL

100mL

50mL

Icy Fresh Red

2SKU

1SKU

N/A

N/A

N/A

N/A

N/A

N/A

N/A

Fresh and Cool White

2SKU

1SKU

1SKU

N/A

N/A

N/A

N/A

N/A

N/A

N/A

N/A

1SKU

N/A

N/A

N/A

N/A

N/A

N/A

Kiddie Strawberry

TOTAL: 8 SHELF KEEPING

UNITS OF HAPEE TOOTHPASTE
Sensodyne

RJ's Sari-sari Store

Original

TOTAL: 0 SHELF KEEPING

UNITS OF HAPEE TOOTHPASTE

TOTAL: 0 SHELF KEEPING

UNITS OF HAPEE TOOTHPASTE

100g

100g

100g

1SKU

N/A

N/A

Gumcare

1SKU

N/A

N/A

Gentle Whitening

1SKU
TOTAL: 3 SHELF KEEPING
UNITS OF SENSODYNE
TOOTHPASTE

N/A
TOTAL: 0 SHELF KEEPING
UNITS OF SENSODYNE
TOOTHPASTE

N/A
TOTAL: 0 SHELF KEEPING
UNITS OF SENSODYNE
TOOTHPASTE

The number of varieties of products available on a store depends on the size, the location
and the number of possible customers the store may have. In the table above, we can see that SM
Supermarket has the most number of products available and RJs Sari-sari Store, on the other
hand, has the least number of products available.
This is caused by the size of the store; since the sari-sari store has the least space, the
owner needs to choose the product that will be more sellable in the area. This is also caused by
the location; sari-sari stores are most likely to be located around residential areas. So, the owner
chooses to sell products that are categorized as the basic needs of the residents. And the number
of possible customers; since the customers will most probably be the residents around the area,
the owner will limit the stocks in the store to provide enough for the people.
As we can see on the table above, SM Supermarket is not selling Colgate toothpastes.
According to www.sminvestments.com, since July 2009, SM has not been carrying ColgatePalmolive products, insiders say that Colgate-Palmolive pulled out their products from SM
stores. This was due to either an issue with the billing process or a disagreement with the terms
of trade.
B. Pricing

PRODUCT
Close-up

VARIANTS
Regular

SM SUPERMARKET
100mL
50mL
25mL sachet
-37.75
-6.13

100mL
--

7-ELEVEN
50mL
25mL
46.00
27.00

sachet
8.00

100mL
--

RJs Sari-sari Store

50mL
25mL sachet
--8.00

Icy Frost
White Now

Colgate

Fresh Confidence
Night
Fresh Confidence CC
Triple Action
Twin Pack

Pepsodent

Regular
Whitening

Hapee

Icy Fresh Red

Fresh and Cool White
Kiddie Strawberry

Sensodyne

Original
Gumcare
Gentle Whitening

63.75
66.75
100g

39.75
-90g

--50g

--sachet

-75.00
100g

--90g

--50g

--sachet

--100g

--90g

--50g

--sachet

----190g
57.75
72.75
150mL
61.75
59.75
-100g
99.00
110.00
110.00

----75g
34.75
38.75
100mL
46.75
42.75
--

----25g
7.5
-50mL
-29.75
36.75

-----

-78.00
75.00
-190g
--150mL
---100g
----

82.00
---75g
41.00
45.00
100mL
----

--48.00
-25g
--50mL
----

-----

----190g
--150mL
---100g
----

----75g
--100mL
----

----25g
--50mL
----

---7.00

Prices of products in different store types differ due to different factors. For example,
convenient stores and supermarkets. In convenient stores, which products are most expensive,
since they are open 24 hours, they need to pay more for their overhead. To be able to balance
their expenses with their sales, they need to increase the markup to the prices of their products.
Another is, for some travellers, they can buy things they need along the way. They do not need to
change their path, which is time consuming, to go to supermarkets. For supermarkets, they offer
a lower price because they can buy in volume from their suppliers. Also, they are serving at a
regular number of hours, so they do not need to give a higher markup to have profit.
For sari-sari stores, they also offer a high price because it gives the consumer
convenience. For example, if a consumer will only buy toothpaste, he would not go to a
supermarket just to buy toothpaste, a better choice would be visiting a sari-sari store nearby.
C. Facing
PRODUCT
Close-up
Colgate

SM SUPERMARKET
25%
--

7-ELEVEN
40%
40%

Pepsodent
Hapee
Sensodyne
Other brands

15%
15%
5%
40%

20%
----

The space given to a product brand depends on the number of SKUs that they have paid
for, which is depending on the number of variants they have. For example, in SM Supermarket,
Close-up has the most percentage of space on the shelf for toothpastes. This is because it has the
most number of variants; therefore it needs to pay an SKU per variant, resulting to a larger space
on the shelf compared to other brands that has less number of variants.
D. Merchandising
An organized display is a factor that attracts a customer to buy a product. A product must
be visible for the consumers to buy it. In SM Supermarket, toothpaste products are properly
displayed with their product brand facing the customers. This will give the customer more
convenience in finding the brand he plans to buy. Also, some brands have extra shelves on the
aisles and near the cashiers. This may attract more customers to buy a product, because they are
more visible than those on the original shelves. They may give a customer the idea of buying that
product after they have seen it displayed on the more visible parts of the store.
In convenient stores, since they have a limited space, not all products are displayed with
the product brands facing the customers. They have to maximize their space, besides, most of
their customers will have a specific product to buy set in mind before they go to the convenient
store.
III.

Conclusion

Different types of stores have a lot of differences, but they have one goal, that is to attract
customers. Each has their own strategies in doing it, because each type has a different role in
the society. A supermarket supplies the needs of the people even from different cities. A
convenient store serves well for busy travellers. A sari-sari store provides the basic needs of
the people in a neighbourhood. There are factors we must first consider before we compare
the three store types because they fall in different categories.
IV.

Recommendation
On my store check, I have not seen promos on my chosen products. I believe it is better

for a product to have promos like savings, buy one take ones, tie ups with other products and
other more, because it can attract more customers to buy those products. Especially for those
brands that are new in the market, they can build up their name faster if they will make an
alliance with different but related products that are already known to the possible customers.
The products on the shelves must be organized all the time. If many of a product were
bought that day, it should, at once, be replaced by a new stock, because though that will give the
customer an idea that that particular product is sellable, the blank space will give way for the
display to be disorganized. And a customer will never be attracted to an unorganized display of
products.