Buildmate: Embracing the Opportunities of Digital Transformation

When Buildmate launched on Lazada in 2015, it became one of the first online sellers of power tools and household hardware in the Philippines. The business was originally established in 2010 by Marlene Kaw, whose father was also in the building-supplies business. For the first five years, the company operated offline and focused mainly on B2B sales, but Kaw’s desire to explore new business avenues pushed her to bring Buildmate online.

Embracing Change

Becoming an eCommerce entrepreneur has been an eye-opening experience for Kaw. “Before, I thought of eCommerce as just a side business,” she admitted. But in 2017, she met a Lazada seller who had achieved great success through the digital platform. “That was my lightbulb moment, when I realized Lazada was not just for the sidelines but that you could go big on Lazada. I got inspired by that seller and, on that day, I decided to go all out on Lazada,” Kaw recalled.

Since making Lazada her primary sales channel, Kaw has benefitted greatly from the platform’s extensive resources. In particular, she credits her key account manager for offering much-needed guidance and support, especially when she was just starting her eCommerce journey. Lazada University has also been an indispensable resource, Kaw said, adding that the free courses offered through this platform have taught her everything from creating effective product listings to optimizing promotions and advertising strategies. By applying the lessons she’s learned through Lazada University, Kaw said she’s been able to increase Buildmate’s revenue per buyer by up to 15 percent.

Kaw has also enthusiastically embraced Lazada’s wide array of tools to grow Buildmate’s presence. For example, she leverages Lazada’s customer engagement management feature to proactively interact with shoppers. She has also tapped LazLive, which she describes as a “big game changer,” to engage with customers in a direct and personal manner in real time.

“As technology rapidly advances nowadays, understanding new tools and new seller programs can make you stand out from the competition. It makes you adaptable to the ever-changing market, equips you to handle complex situations and make better decision,” Kaw said.

Online-to-Offline Success

By bringing her business to Lazada, Kaw has been able to expand her customer reach exponentially. “When I was starting out, I only served the cities near my area of Camanava. With Lazada, I’ve been able to tap into markets from Luzon to Mindanao, all while staying in my office,” Kaw said.

While Buildmate’s operations are now mostly online, Kaw said business at her brick-and-mortar store in Manila has also increased as a direct result of the company’s digitalization.

“With Lazada, people search for our store and visit us to see the products physically, which has helped our offline store generate foot traffic,” Kaw said, explaining how her online and offline businesses complement one another. “This also gives our customers the 360 shopping experience, where they may buy a product online and exchange or upgrade the product offline. Most importantly, having an offline store creates trust with our buyers.”

Since embarking on her journey of digital transformation, Kaw has received many accolades for her business. For example, Buildmate received the top award in the home and living category at the 2020 Lazada Awards and was welcomed into the awards’ Hall of Fame in 2021. Kaw has also become a Lazada certified trainer and is committed to sharing her knowledge and experiences to help other eCommerce entrepreneurs achieve success.

“Consistency is key to surviving in the online business,” she emphasized. “You need grit, dedication, enthusiasm and a drive to continually learn and create memorable experiences for customers. Online business is not easy, and challenges are inevitable. Be ready for this, and you’ll succeed.”