Setting up a new business like a sari-sari store can be exciting, even with a small budget. But it requires a lot of thinking and execution of plans. Sourcing your capital money, designing your shop, registering the business, and promoting it are just a few items on your checklist.
We aim to help you plan your business, and this article tries to provide a basic checklist of items you can consider selling as you launch your sari-sari store business. For shop owners already starting their businesses, the list below can also help generate ideas on what to add or replace in your existing merchandise inventory.
Factors in product selection
- Which items are in most demand in your neighborhood? Is it a residential area far from larger supermarkets so buyers are willing to pay a premium for convenience? So daily needs like shampoo, detergent soap, or soy sauce often bought nearby are popular items in your shop.
- Which items are currently being sold by competing shops nearby? Will these products, while popular, be available at every sari-sari store in the neighborhood? Consider items that are not often bought every day but are unavailable at other shops.
- Which items are most profitable? These are sometimes not the easiest to sell out, but research in your sales logbook can reveal which items are most profitable and you can start building up your stock inventory.
How can you decide which ones to pick
Should you consider fast-moving consumer goods that sell out fastest as priority items?
Even with tiny markup, as long as goods are sold fastest, profits still accumulate compared to those with longer shelf life but sell out longer. It allows you to both a) collect profits from items exhausted in the inventory and b) earn that reputation as the go-to shop for those types of goods.
Which items are sold year-round?
Will the bulk of your inventory consist of items that customers often use/consume, like rice, soy sauce, or shampoo? Or those your competitors don’t usually display and give you the edge in customer loyalty?
Which items do your competitors sell or do not sell?
Competing for products commonly sold in all sari-sari stores is hard, so you can consider establishing a niche. Beyond the FMCG items listed below, you can think of unique merchandise not found in your neighborhood stores.
For example, your store can be the go-to shop for things manicurists need: nail polish, nail cutter, cotton balls, and other accessories. They may not be your top sellers, but your niche customers identify your shop as a solution to their needs.
Below is a sample inventory of products your sari-sari store may want to consider. Prices are based on research from online shops and DTI’s latest suggested retail price as of writing time. It contains the purchase cost of merchandise, the volume of purchase, and the selling price based on a 20% markup.
You’ll also factor in expenses such as transport, packaging, and other costs to be deducted from your income and the computation of profits.
Hopefully, it helps us answer how much a sari-sari store earns. You can then decide if the sari-sari store is the way to go and confident you can grow it or if it’s a bad business to invest your money in.
Please note this is based on 2021 prices, and inflation may have influenced the changes.
Vol/Pcs | Price (PHP) | Purchase Cost (PHP) | Selling cost (PHP) | |||
Food products | ||||||
Instant noodles (Payless Beef 55g) | 25 | 7 | 175 | 210 | ||
Canned sardines (Mega 155g) | 10 | 20 | 200 | 240 | ||
Canned corned beef (Argentina 175g) | 10 | 38 | 380 | 456 | ||
Canned meat loaf (Argentina 150g) | 10 | 21 | 210 | 252 | ||
Canned sausage (CDO 70g) | 10 | 23 | 230 | 276 | ||
Loaf bread | 10 | 60 | 600 | 720 | ||
Canned tuna (Century 180g) | 10 | 37 | 370 | 444 | ||
Canned pineapple (Dole 822g) | 5 | 90 | 450 | 540 | ||
Eggs (free range large) | 48 | 8 | 384 | 460.8 | ||
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Daily necessities | ||||||
Instant coffee (Kopiko 10x27.5g) | 4 | 70 | 280 | 336 | ||
Rice | 50 | 45 | 2250 | 2700 | ||
Powdered drinks (Tang) | 24 | 17.5 | 420 | 504 | ||
Soy sauce (Silver Swan 350g) | 12 | 17 | 204 | 244.8 | ||
Vinegar (Silver Swan 350g) | 12 | 15 | 180 | 216 | ||
Sugar | 5 | 55 | 275 | 330 | ||
Salt | 1 | 21.5 | 21.5 | 25.8 | ||
Pepper | 1 | 300 | 300 | 360 | ||
Garlic | 1 | 160 | 160 | 192 | ||
Ketchup (UFC 320g) | 12 | 35 | 420 | 504 | ||
Sinigang mix (Maggi 25g) | 20 | 11 | 220 | 264 | ||
Milo (24g) | 28 | 9 | 252 | 302.4 | ||
Cooking oil (4L) | 1 | 330 | 330 | 396 | ||
Fish sauce (Datu Puti 350ml) | 12 | 24 | 288 | 345.6 | ||
Evaporated milk (Alaska 370ml) | 12 | 27 | 324 | 388.8 | ||
Condensed milk (Alaska 168ml) | 12 | 28.75 | 345 | 414 | ||
Pasta / spaghetti (Dolce Vita 500g) | 12 | 57 | 684 | 820.8 | ||
Mineral water (SM Bonus 325ml) | 10 | 6 | 60 | 72 | ||
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Snacks | ||||||
Biscuits (Sky Flakes 25g) | 40 | 2 | 80 | 96 | ||
Candies (XO 50s) | 2 | 32 | 64 | 76.8 | ||
Margarine (Star 100g) | 12 | 35 | 420 | 504 | ||
Peanut butter (Skippy 340g) | 6 | 140 | 840 | 1008 | ||
Cheese (Eden 165g) | 6 | 49.5 | 297 | 356.4 | ||
Cheese spread (Cheez Whiz 210g) | 6 | 80 | 480 | 576 | ||
Mayonnaise (Mayo Magic 470ml pouch) | 6 | 96 | 576 | 691.2 | ||
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Health products | ||||||
Rubbing alcohol (Rhea 60ml) | 24 | 22 | 528 | 633.6 | ||
Cotton balls (50s) | 3 | 20 | 60 | 72 | ||
Band-aid / medicated strip (100s) | 2 | 25 | 50 | 60 | ||
Efficascent oil (100ml) | 6 | 98.75 | 592.5 | 711 | ||
Salonpas (40s) | 1 | 445 | 445 | 534 | ||
Face mask (3ply 50s) | 1 | 29 | 29 | 34.8 | ||
pinoynegosyo.net/business/sari-sari-store | ||||||
Sanitary / bathroom / cleaning products | ||||||
Diapers (Huggies 38/76s) | 1 | 578 | 578 | 693.6 | ||
Sanitary napkins (Caress 8s) | 2 | 72 | 144 | 172.8 | ||
Tissue paper (12 rolls) | 1 | 225 | 225 | 270 | ||
Toothpaste (Closeup 20g 6s) | 3 | 33 | 99 | 118.8 | ||
Toothrbrush (10s) | 1 | 40 | 40 | 48 | ||
Shampoo (Palmolive 11s) | 2 | 55 | 110 | 132 | ||
Bath soap (Irish Spring 3s) | 3 | 131 | 393 | 471.6 | ||
Conditioner (Cream Silk 12s) | 2 | 55 | 110 | 132 | ||
Detergent powder (Speed 55gx6) | 4 | 49 | 196 | 235.2 | ||
Detergent bar (Surf) | 12 | 28 | 336 | 403.2 | ||
Bleach / disinfectant (1gallon) | 1 | 99 | 99 | 118.8 | ||
Fabric softener | ||||||
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Miscellaneous | ||||||
Battery (Eveready size D) | 12 | 35 | 420 | 504 | ||
Battery (Eveready size AA) | 12 | 25 | 300 | 360 | ||
Battery (Eveready size AAA) | 12 | 25 | 300 | 360 | ||
Candle | 24 | 5 | 120 | 144 | ||
Light bulb (Philips 9W) | 3 | 107 | 321 | 385.2 | ||
Ball pen | 10 | 30 | 300 | 360 | ||
Pencil (Mongol #2) | 12 | 5 | 60 | 72 | ||
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TOTAL | ||||||
P18,625 | P22,350 | |||||
Purchase cost | Sales income | |||||
Expenses | ||||||
Transport | P350 | |||||
Packaging (for menudo/tingi) | P150 | |||||
Miscellaneous expenses | P750 | |||||
Expenses | P1250 | |||||
Purchase | P18,625 | |||||
Profit | P2,475 |
You may download a PDF version of this document here.
Read more:
- How to Register Your Sari-Sari Store Business in the Philippines
- How to Chase Unpaid Sari-Sari Store Debt
- 10 Great Benefits of Managing Your Own Sari-Sari Store
- How to Pick a Name for Your Business
- Top 4 Reasons Why Your Sari-Sari Store Failed
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