POLYTECHNIC UNIVERSITY OF THE PHILIPPINES

CHAPTER 2

REVIEW OF LITERATURE AND STUDIES

The researchers gathered resources through newspapers, journals, books, magazines

and other related literature in relation to the profitability of expansion of convenience stores in

barangays in Rodriguez Rizal. In connection with this, past related studies from theses, case

studies and dissertations were also gathered to support this study. The gathering of related

resources was done to gain a thorough understanding on the subject matter presented in the

paper, and to provide a background for the discussion and analysis of findings, which is found

on the fourth chapter of this paper.

History of Convenience Stores

In the Philippines, the sari-sari stores is the most commonly known convenience store.

These “traditional” convenience stores have been up and around for many years, and are

literally everywhere in the Philippines, often privately and family operated out of small-scaled

bamboo huts, inside the shopkeeper’s house or (semi-) detached in front of or solitary next to

the proprietor’s homestead.

Sari-sari means “various kinds”, referring to the goods that are available in a wide range

of sorts and sizes, from candies, detergent, soap, toothpaste, canned goods, coffee, soft

drinks and ice-cold beer, instant canton noodles up to a load for your cellphone. Most basic

necessities are sold in a single-use packets, allowing everyone to purchase the goods they

need, at an affordable price and at any convenient time. Sari-sari stores have the suki system,

wherein a customer buys certain products and the vendor (of the store) offer discounts and

other perks – such as buying on credit – as long as the customer buys frequently. Sari-sari