Improved CCCI Marketplace app set for relaunch in July

THE Cebu Chamber of Commerce and Industry (CCCI) will launch in July the newly improved CCCI Marketplace after it sought the United States Agency for International Development’s (USAID) technology and e-commerce expertise.

While it will be offered exclusively to CCCI members initially, the app is meant to connect and boost trade among CCCI members and bring on board those companies that need online exposure.

“CCCI understands the power of digital platforms and the potential they hold for expanding the reach of our businesses,” said CCCI president Charles Kenneth Co during the second day of the 15th Media Seminar hosted by the US Embassy Manila on Wednesday, June 7, 2023 in Cebu.

The business chamber introduced the web-based marketplace app at the height of the Covid-19 pandemic in 2021, with the intention of helping members reach a wider market and promote Cebuano e-entrepreneurs.

The CCCI Marketplace, developed by chamber member Paulo Uy, is an inclusive ecosystem where members of the chamber can work together and do business with each other.

Products featured in the app range from food to clothing, hardware goods and electronics, among others. Twenty-two companies initially joined the marketplace.

But Co said the app wasn’t fully utilized by its members, especially since not all of the chamber’s members are digitally ready because of the lack of infrastructure, skills and knowledge.

“Many sellers, merchants and platforms in the region are encountering difficulties in these areas, hindering their ability to fully utilize the CCCI Marketplace,” he said.

Co said the chamber collaborated with organizations like the USAID to bolster efforts in promoting digital readiness among sellers, merchants and platforms.

“USAID’s expertise and resources can contribute significantly to our shared goal of empowering Cebuano e-entrepreneurs and ensuring their success in the digital marketplace,” he said.

At present, the web-based app is undergoing a design overhaul. Its interface will become modern but user-friendly, just like other e-commerce sites.

CCCI also tapped digital bank Maya as the back-end payment channel.

Promoting SMEs

Co lauded the efforts of USAID in supporting the growth of the digital economy in the country, particularly in promoting e-commerce among small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs).

The US is infusing P1 billion (US$18 million) to help the Philippines grow its digital economy through the Strengthening Private Enterprises for the Digital Economy (Speed) project, a five-year program in partnership with the Philippine government.

“This initiative will surely help SMEs transition into mature e-commerce businesses,” Co said.

The Speed project encompasses various objectives, including improving SMEs’ capacity to adopt digital technologies, facilitating integration with e-commerce platforms in logistical supply chains, promoting the use of e-payment systems and other fintech innovations, and strengthening consumer awareness and protection.

“The presence of USAID and its commitment to empowering SMEs in the digital economy will undoubtedly have a transformative impact on our business landscape,” Co said. (KOC)