Event Geek

They’re called discount vouchers or coupons and consumers in the US, UK and some countries in Asia have been buying them online to avail themselves of items or services sold at half their usual prices.
This online discounting concept has finally caught on in the Philippines with the launch of Buyanihan.com (http://buyanihan.com), a group buying site developed by Platform2u.com Phils. Inc., a provider of complete e-commerce solutions.

A pun on the word bayanihan, the Buyanihan website offers discounts ranging from 50 to 90 percent on goods and services that many Filipinos love to indulge in like eating out, shopping, sightseeing, taking holidays, spa treatments, among others.

The deals are featured for a limited time only, not more than seven days. Buyers will be asked to sign up for the discounts and will be charged only if the minimum number of customers is reached and that will make the deal valid.

Group buying adds excitement to the buyer’s experience because those who like the discount promo so much will have to pass on the information to their social network to make the deal successful. If not enough sign up for the offer, the deal will not push through.

Victor Fajardo, Buyanihan.com Vice President for Business Development says, “We’re the first to bring to the Philippines this business model. It is a cost-effective business strategy because a company can continue generating income even during their ‘off-season’ or ‘off-peak hours’. It is also a guaranteed means to increase brand/company awareness and bring in new customers to the business without resorting to paid advertisements.

In a nutshell, the business, the brand and the customer base keeps growing. It’s a win-win.”
Buyanihan.com founder Eddie Lee concurs, “Companies, big or small, can turn their non-utilized capacities into upfront cash sales. Buyanihan.com features one deal at a time so that the company offering a deal enjoys the spotlight to itself. Through the website, our merchant-partners can reach directly customers 24x7. We promote the deals through e-newsletters, e-mail, Facebook, Twitter and other social media. In like manner, customers will share the information virally if they like the deal.”

Eddie adds that the easiest way to know about the different discounts being promoted is to sign up as a subscriber. Subscribers can even recommend to them what businesses they like to be featured on the website. “When consumers suggest deals, this gives companies 100% confidence that what is being offered is what buyers want,” he says.

Initially, Buyanihan.com’s service covers only Metro Manila, but now we have expanded here in Cebu and by the second half of 2011 we target to service Davao and many other key cities in the Philippines.

About Buyanihan:

Launched on 2 August 2010, Buyanihan is the first ever group buying website in the Philippines where Filipinos can find the best deals or discounts offered by commercial establishments in the country. Products and services are offered at reduced prices for a limited period (1-7 days) and online consumers who want to get the items must sign up to commit to buy. Discount deals go live when the targeted number of buyers is reached during the time offer.

About Platform2u.com Phil. Inc.

Platform2u.com Phils. Inc. is a provider of a brand new complete e-commerce platform that small, medium and large enterprises who go into the Internet retailing industry, can use. The company began operations in July 2009 and the following month, it launched SMILDS.com, a fourth generation e-commerce solution that is now being used in the country by over 200 online retailers selling nearly 2,000 products on the Internet. The company’s vision is to be the largest e-commerce platform company in Asia Pacific, and to be the leader in providing a complete, brand new Business-to-Business-to-Consumer-to-Consumer (B2B2C2C) platform in Asia’s internet retailing industry.