Integrative action research on starting up a small online family business - What's in the box

• Main Author: Baguisi, Zyril Gabriel Giron
• Format: text
• Language: English
• Published: Animo Repository 2021
• Subjects: New business enterprises; Small business; Electronic commerce; Family-owned business enterprises; Business Administration, Management, and Operations
• Online Access: https://animorepository.dlsu.edu.ph/etdm_manorg/61; https://animorepository.dlsu.edu.ph/context/etdm_manorg/article/1041/viewcontent/baguisi_Redacted.pdf
• Institution: De La Salle University

The action research sought to help a family of two business owners, mother, and son, to create a small online business – What’s In The Box in the recommerce industry that focuses on selling pre-loved and new bags and shoes of branded quality. As there is a demand for an affordable and sustainable alternative than buying new goods, even in a pandemic, we took that opportunity to sell items stored in our wardrobes and make profit out of it. However, just like any other small online businesses in the recommerce industry, there are issues that needs to be solved. The project aimed to determine what are the building blocks that this business needs to start and maintain to continue as this business is not simply just creating an online shop to just sell whatever is in the family wardrobe. Two whole cycles were done in the action research. The first cycle aimed to solve issues through having business objectives using SMART. The business objectives highlighted that the business should be able to (1) Increase the inventory to sell, (2) Generate income, (3) Gain additional rolling capital, (4) Reach out to more buyers, (5) Commit an x number of hours to manage the business (6) Determine the profile of our customers in terms of socio-economic class, (7) Build trust and create customer relations under our business. The first objective was achieved through sourcing and purchasing from sellers through social media. Second to fifth objectives were done with the help of selling in Carousell, improving our photo-ops and posting improved photos and going through a consigner that is a close friend of the business owner (mother). Eventually, as we were able to sell and made profit, were able to achieve the sixth and last objective of the first cycle. The second cycle was immediately done after the evaluation from the second cycle. The issues in the second cycle focused on (1) improving the process of ensuring the authenticity of our items, (2) checking on the item condition, (3) further increasing the market reach of our business, (4) having better packaging, and (5) improving the logo of What’s In The Box. The business owners solved the first issue through business process modelling and analysis that led us to have a two-authenticity check before purchasing and after receiving the item as part of our new process before having the item for sale. Second, we improved item condition by researching and purchasing cleaning items. Third, we were able to increase market reach with the use of Facebook feature to boost our page to get more followers. Fourth, we simply purchased brown kraft paper bags to be used as packaging. Lastly, we improved our logo with the help of friends that have expertise in designing logos. These interventions made from the second action research cycle was evaluated with the use of Business Model Canvas tool to determine how can we further improve our business based on the actions made in the second cycle. These evaluations helped us learned that there are still plenty to build in a recommerce type of business.