ECOMMER

In partial fulfillment of the requirements in E-commerce (ECOMMER)

Submitted to: Mr. Jaime Borromeo

Submitted by:
K32
Term 2, A.Y. 2015-2016

I.

Company Background
bookcop.com is a start-up conceptualized by four business students from De La
Salle University who all intend to apply what they have been learning so far and have a
stable source of income, at the same time. Eyeing on providing value to their fellow
students through their business, they had identified that one problem that is consistent in
the school setting is the need for cheaper, but legitimate textbooks. The group saw that
majority of the courses require textbooks and not all students are able to get their own
copy on time for a number of reasons. Some of which are bookstores not having enough
stocks and students themselves are unwilling to spend much money on books. This
problem was considered an opportunity by the young entrepreneurs, and not so long after
months of brainstorming and conceptualizing, there was the birth of bookcop.com.
bookcop.com will serve as an online marketplace and bridge where students from
different schools, colleges and universities in Metro Manila are able to make selling, and
renting transactions of college textbooks with other college students from their own
school or from others. With bookcop.com, not only are cheaper books a step nearer to
students, but the transactions are more convenient to do and are easily reviewed and
retrieved for they are organized and well-recorded. Moreover, the online marketplace
allows better browsing content and wider audience to reach regarding the sale and rent of
textbooks, thereby adding to the ease it provides. They saw that this might be a difficult
market to conquer since there are already existing separate book markets for some
schools; however, after thorough deliberation and studying of these said book markets,
the team is confident that the innovative idea of integrating all schools and giving them

some sort of interaction is the key solution to problems and issues related to book
markets, not to mention those values associated with these academic textbooks.

II.

Industry Background
Traditional bookstores in the past were far different than the modern bookstore of today.

Simple in design and layout, traditional bookstores had only one mission to sell books. Now,
the changing marketplace is exerting great pressure on chain and independent stores, alike.
Consumers shop at superstores which conveniently carry books and other entertainment
merchandise while small-scale bookstores have closed because of low customer traffic.
Many independent booksellers continue to exist in spite of big chain bookstores and
online services while other independents are turning to the Internet to increase their bookstore
sales. Smaller bookstores, especially those serving niche markets, closed their brick and mortar
stores and opened websites on the Internet for greater exposure. However, some people still
enjoy the browsing experience gained solely from visiting stores. Currently, the retail book
industry approaches 10,000 independent bookstores.
Bookstores are divided into three categories: General, college, and specialty stores. An
average of 30% of the sales are generated from general and college books as shown in a study
by Hoovers.com. Due to high prices, most bookstore sales are not from books, but from
miscellaneous items such as school materials. Independent booksellers survive as they provide
cheaper books by cutting down cost on rent.

III.

Mission/Vision/Strategies
A. Mission

To connect and bring together college students, and students from other levels as
well, across the metro by providing the best assistance and service when it comes to
academic-book-related transactions.

B. Visions
-

To be the primary online marketplace of textbooks for college students in Metro

Manila for the next two years.
To include other students in senior high school, junior high school, and if
possible, grade school, levels in the online marketplace within the next two years
and have growth in this market in the succeeding year.
To be the most overhead-efficient bookstore available
To be able to expand operations and reach in different regions and localities in the
Philippines for the succeeding year.
To be the market leader in online facility services for academic-book-related
transactions for college students in the Philippines after five years of operations.
To provide cheaper education to all students in terms of providing affordable
textbooks throughout its operations.

C. Strategies
1. Partnering with different social media accounts such as Facebook and Google
Plus and telecommunication companies like Globe, Smart and Sun Cellular to be
able to provide easier sign-up procedures.
2. Launching the website with the help of student organizations concerned or related
in the value proposition of the company in order to increase awareness at a
relatively higher level. In line with this, launching promos and discounts in
transaction and affiliate fees will be offered.
3. Marketing and advertising the website through social media in partnership with
the aforementioned student organizations.
4. Providing a place for students to look cheap and yet good quality books for use in
their subjects.
5. Offering students efficient and convenience in searching for books that can be
purchased in a cheaper price.
6. Adding boost ad feature so that users can have the chance to put their
advertisements on top so that other users can see their ads first and restart their
duration of posting their advertisement so that more users can see it again.
7. Offering promos and discounts occasionally to attract more transactions.

8. Providing excellent and convenient way of using the website so that the market
stays interested and engaged in using it.
9. Opening advertising spaces in the website.
10. Keeping all transactions in record and providing users the access to it to be able to
review and track them.
IV. Review of Similar E-Commerce Businesses
4.1 Mission / Vision / Strategies
A. Sulitbooks
a. Mission (information is not available)
b. Vision (information is not available)
c. Strategies
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.

Books are categorized according to their genre for easy lookup.

Website is simple and user friendly.
Brief description of the books are given.
Sellers contact details are complete for faster transaction.
There is no monthly or joining fees. Users can freely sell their books.

B. OLX PH
a. Mission
We improve Filipino's lives by bringing them together for win-win exchanges.
b. Vision
We provide highly vibrant local market place in the Philippines.
c. Strategies
1. Provide fast, reliable and guaranteed services
2. "self-moderated" community where members are encouraged to moderate their
own posts and also allowed to help others moderate theirs.
3. Offering customers to be a member to avail of the premium services
4. Value Added Services are different paid features used to manage and enhance
your ads.
5. Get additional exposure for your ads when its ad title is used as Search Keywords
in the Search Results Page with Sponsored Ads

6. Highlight gives extra visual boost to your ad by highlighting it in yellow to stand

out. Highlighted ads are definitely more noticeable than regular ones. With this,
your buyers just can't help but take notice of your ad, driving them to click and
view it.
7. Express Refresh, is a paid feature in order to push your ad back up in the
rankings.
8. Scheduled Refresh is another paid feature that automatically bumps the ad up
twice or four times every 7 days
9. Strong Marketing Strategies through social media and innovative advertisements
on television
10. OLX has also been available for mobile phones through an app
11. The OLX.ph has network of ambassadors that are sent out to different barangays
to educate the people about using OLX.ph to buy and sell products.
C. Blink (lex)
a. Mission (information is not available)
b. Vision
We're an online bookshop-slash-marketplace made by Pinoys for Pinoys, and you'll love
what we have in store for you.
c. Strategies
1. Wide selection of books from popular piece to rare creations & items available for
purchasing are not only limited to books, the site also sells other products to
complete your book buying experience
2. Blink offers book delivery to customers doorstep anywhere in the country for
Php99 for non-Metro Manila residents & P70 for Metro Manila residents (free if
purchase is worth Php1000)
3. Personal account is available for all users & account creation is in partnership
with Facebook & Google Plus
4. There is no monthly or joining fees. User can sell books & other novelty items for
a fixed transaction rate that is only charged after one makes a sale
5. Exceptional customer relationship management through regular customer
feedback, and quick response & accommodation to book users
6. Other distribution channels include social networking sites such as Facebook &
Twitter
D. Kaymu PH
a. Mission (information is not available)

b. Vision
Kaymu tries to provide the best quality at the most competitive price. Kaymu believe to
introduce the most latest and demanding products for its customers. They have a vision to
make sellers in each and every part of the country.
c. Strategies
1. The company makes use of the eBay business model where buyers and sellers
meet and exchange goods.
2. Kaymu provides sellers the excellent advertisements of their products through
social media, newsletter and Google Search Engine Optimization
3. The company maximizes its efforts to promote Kaymu through advertisements
but they only do it only; offline marketing is not allowed.
4. Uses Youtube as their largest media
5. Kaymu targets different celebrities as ambassadors, endorsers and promoters
6. Kaymu does not represent one or two kinds of products, rather a large variety of
them.
7. Kaymu allows sellers to take full control of the entire selling process, including
payment.
8. Helps big & small entrepreneurs get more exposure and gain more customers

4.2 Comparative Chart of the Features of Each Site (lex)

Features

Sulitbooks

OLX PH

Blink

Kaymu PH

Flash graphics

Basic
information

Newsroom

RSS feed

Social media
links

Mobile
applications

On-line

library/resources
Languages other
than English

Interactive
Career page

Vector world
map

Public
membership
feature

4.3. Analysis of Competitive Sites (jeri)

A. Sulitbooks

Strengths
User friendly website
Books are categorized for easy lookup
Transactions are fast and easy
Interaction between buyer and seller is
simple and easy because of complete
contact information of the seller

Opportunities
Daily number of internet users is
increasing
Growing demand

B. OLX PH

Weaknesses
Fraud is possible
People need to find the site; there is no
other marketing
Poor advertising
Limited financial capital to fund
website optimization
Not available to mobile phones
Lack of information about the website
or company
Safety concerns
No assurance of quality

Threats
Entry of new competitors
Buyers reluctance to buy online

Strengths
Easy availability of products that
customer needs at good costs
Easily design website with rich and
colorful listings with pictures and
videos
Can be viewed in local language
Available in mobile phones
Strong advertising campaigns have
made olx really popular among
television viewing audience
Established trafc and high number of
repeat customers may enable increased
sales through the addition of
complementary product lines

Opportunities
People who want to buy can buy the
products according to their needs
Sellers get millions of buyers so they
can sell their products easily and get
good benefits
Jobs and real estate are also available
Diversification of its portfolio to
include various other subcategories.
Setting up of offline/kiosks to increase
its brand awareness as well to acquire
new customers.
Increasing number of users
Similar products on the market are not
as reliable or are more expensive

Weaknesses
No assurance of quality
Fraud is possible
Unskilled workforce
Not registered in stock exchange
Some people post fake ads
Lack of strong features to convert noninternet users as potential clients
Security in term of payment process

Threats
Offline stores coming up with
marketing campaigns to provided
discounts on old goods.
Competitors such as Ebay, AyosDito
Buyers reluctance to buy online
Fears that information can be misused
lead to spam e mail or identity fraud

C. Blink

Strengths
First online bookstore and marketplace
for used books in the Philippines
Easily design website with rich and
colorful listings with pictures and
videos
Uses social media as another means of
channel
Huge selection of books
Offers book delivery to customers

Weaknesses
Buyers reluctance to buy online
No assurance of quality
Fraud is possible

doorstep anywhere in the country

There is no monthly or joining fees
Good customer service
Offers great deal
Safe and secure transactions
use of eco-friendly packaging
materials and recycling of used books

Opportunities
Daily number of internet users is
increasing
Entrance to new market
Growing demand for quality
Similar products on the market are not
as reliable or are more expensive

Threats
Growing competition and lower
profitability
Buyers reluctance to buy online
iBooks and tabletsonline texts
Pirating
Librariescounty and collegiate
Direct and indirect competitors

D. Kaymu PH

Strengths
Easily design website with rich and
colorful listings with pictures and
videos
Easy availability of products that
customer needs at good costs
Available in mobile phones
Uses good advertising techniques
Gives discounts and incentives
Opportunities
Entrance to new market
Growing demand for quality
Changing trends
Daily number of internet users is
increasing
Similar products on the market are not
as reliable or are more expensive

Weaknesses
Security in term of payment process
Long delivery timing
Impossibility of physical examination
Lack of personal services

Threats
Entry of new competitors
Competitors such as OLX, AyosDito
Buyers reluctance to buy online
Fears that information can be misused
lead to spam e mail or identity fraud

E. bookcop.com
Strengths
A new player, making it more
interesting for the users to visit and

Weaknesses
As a new player, it has limited users;
thus limited items.

check out.
It is a marketplace that allows users to
sell, buy or rent, which is something
unique in this website.
The items can be filtered to narrow
down the search.
Users can post their wishes when
such items are not yet available.
Secured payment options.
An after-sale verification system to
report mistaken, low-quality product
deliveries or fraudulent transactions.
Pick-up and delivery by a courier
service.
Bank remittances for users on a daily
basis.
Cash-less basis, making all payments
digital or with no physical appearance
involved.
Non-existence of in-your-face
marketing, which helps in the seamless
browsing experience.
Conditional discounts for transaction
fees.
Boost-ad feature availability.

The cash-less basis may make it less

attractive for people with distrust in
digital payments and for those who opt
or need cash-on-hand.
It has less connections in order to
enhance its operations performance.
It has less experience; as such various
potential problems may be more
difficult to solve.

Opportunities
Growing demand for used books.
The rise of e-commerce and its
integration with social media
platforms.
As an assumption, students are more
likely to go for cheaper alternatives for
their needs.
The rise of mobile commerce may be a
good investment in the future so that
bookcop.com becomes reachable via
mobile.

Threats
Slightly saturated competition
The competitors are well-established
and have been nearer to a economies
of scale or at a level that makes them
capable for more innovations.
Globalization makes the education
system more dynamic; thus, the books
may be easily outdated and may not
have a market anymore in the future.
The increasing demand for e-books,
which may make physical books
outdated or less-demanded.
The piracy of e-books online may be
the alternative for the target market as
such being free makes it more
desirable compared to the lowered
prices offered by bookcop.com

4.4. Possible Features for Adoption (lex)

All competitor websites have many features that can be adopted or further innovated in
bookcop.com. One of these include the usage of rich images, clip and other similar kinds for
decoration purposes and for the site in order to become more pleasing in the eyes of viewers. The
website can use the previously mentioned types of media but the business can explore additional
types such as flash images, slideshows and videos to make it more interactive. This is also one
way to invite more visitors on the site thus increase number of website users. In relation to the
previously mentioned feature, all sites have a complete listing of available books and other
related items ready for sale and this is considered as essential so this is another vital
characteristic that the company will make us of although the group plans to make some
adjustments and present all available materials to be up for business transactions in a more
organized manner for better customer experience. The company will provide variety of options
as to how the students and others customers would like to view available reading materials.
Another, it is noticeable that basic information regarding the businesses are readily available on
their website and this is another attribute that can be adopted since customers deserve to be wellinformed about certain details regarding bookcop.com. Also, it would give the user that feeling
of relief that the marketplace they are using not only legitimate, but also more than mediocre and
of quality. Moreover, all competitors also have a membership feature that allows all users to
register an account before starting a transaction among other users. This is also another feature
that bookcop.com will use so that the company will have one organized and coherent system
filled with all the profiles of all the users. First-hand registration is free and there will be no
additional monthly subscription fees, the creation of online accounts is just another way to
further organize all users and book negotiations, and to increase over-all security.

It is a trend to offer many promos and discount and this is clearly evident in most of the
competitors websites. During seasons of low demand (i.e. summer vacation) where the school
year is done/has not yet begun, bookcop.com can start offering discounts and promo packages
aside from the original pricing scheme in order to attract more students and customers under the
target market. Advertising efforts, particularly on the part of OLX Philippines, are very strong
which helps the said gain more popularity and customer loyalty. Seeing this as an opportunity to
dominate the industry, bookcop.com will definitely strengthen advertising tactics as well
specifically mixing traditional and newly advanced marketing and advertising techniques.
Nowadays, social media is going nowhere but up and companies try to make use of it as
an additional distribution channel and another opportunity for income generation. Most
competitors make use of different social media accounts such as Facebook, Twitter, Instagram
and other similar sites for news, updates, advertisements and other related activities. Since
majority of the intended customers of bookcop.com are teenagers and young adults and most
majority of their generation are the main users of the internet, using social media accounts will
be definitely adopted so that a bigger population of the target market can be reached and
maintained. Going further, social media accounts will be mainly used for marketing and
advertising techniques and announcements on the latest news, updates, promos and seasonal
discounts of the website. Referring to the figure on the features of each site, OLX Philippines
makes use of a mobile application and this is very effective since it can cater to busy individuals
are always on-the-go and do not have the luxury of time to turn on their desktops/laptops and
create a transaction. With that being said, the creation of a mobile application is one feature that
can be considered and explored in the future, when the business is up and running for quite some
time and when assets are more stable.

One other excellent feature that can definitely be adopted by the company is opting to
make use eco-friendly packaging materials initiated by Book Link because it does not only help
contribute to a sustainable supply chain management and improve the aesthetic value of
transacted books, it also helps minimize trash and leave a positive impact on Mother Earth.

4.5. How Recommended Features Supports Mission / Vision / Strategies (lex)

Having a unified marketplace that allows access to various college students from around
Metro Manila to interact with one another and create business transactions relating to selling,
buying, swapping and renting school books greatly supports the intended mission of the
company because it indeed aids needed assistance when it comes to academic-related books
transactions. Also, it allows students to interact and connect with co-students not only from their
own school but from other colleges and universities as well which helps them expand their
networks and connections.
Making the site exclusively for students in the Metro as the main customers is in line with
one of the visions of the company which is to be the primary online marketplace for college
pupils during the introduction stage of the business since it is natural to start with a small pool
of target customers. As time progresses, the group will study the behaviour of the said students
relative to business operations and gradually expand customer segment to invite more
opportunities. Possible additions to the target market are college students from the provinces,
high school, junior high school, and if possible, grade school levels which also supports another
vision which is to expand operations and reach in different regions and localities in the
Philippines. Although the company has a number of edges, entering the e-commerce industry
may still come as a challenge due to the presence of determined competitors but with the proper
and strategic application of all business plans, the vision to be the market leader in online

facility services for academic-book-related transactions for college students in the Philippines
can be achieved. Lastly, proposed pricing schemes and transaction fees (refer to revenue model)
is indeed cheaper and more affordable than those copies available in different bookstores which
validates one of the visions to provide cheaper education to all students.
As for the strategies, the creation of an organized marketplace itself supports one of the
main strategies of the company which is to provide a place for students to look for cheap and
yet good quality books for use in their subjects. Establishing a fixed, seamless and user-friendly
system together with providing cheaper prices than the usual also supports intended strategies as
it keeps customers engaged, interested and delivers the ultimate customer experience. The usage
of different social media accounts and linking the said accounts to the official website together
with creating business partnerships with different telecommunications providers is an effective
technique to reach out and increase customer base, and strengthen both marketing and
advertising techniques. Aside from the inexpensive deals that bookcop.com plans to implement,
the seasonal promos and discounts occasionally to attract more transactions is also a must and
can lead to more profit generation. Lastly, the membership feature is for the benefit of both the
company and the users as it greatly supports one of the strategies which is to keep track and
review all current users and past transactions for security and record-keeping purposes.

V. E-Commerce Business/Project
A. Evaluating E-Commerce Project using the 7 Elements of a Business Model
1. Value Proposition (tim)
It is a rising trend to become more practical nowadays; to look for ways to spend less and
maximize the worth of a cash amount or value. Thus, when purchasing a necessity, one always
finds the cheapest alternative with no compromise to quality as much as possible. The same goes

for college students when buying textbooks and other academic materials. The existence of
different book market pages in Facebook and various online posts selling these textbooks prove
this. These allow online transactions between sellers and buyers and for them to reach a wider
market and to have more choices to select from, respectively. Hence, it can be inferred that there
is an opportunity in this field.
The problem in the existing book markets is the cluttered set up it has. The features of the
platforms used are not necessarily fit for such kind of transactions. More often than not, the posts
are flooded, unorganized and are inaccessible due to various posts. This particular issue is
addressed by the online marketplace bookcop.com is as it allows seamless transactions with
better organization, listing and posts about books that are up for sale and rent. First, the users can
post the books that they wish to put into the market and place them under certain categories such
as subject matter, author, school used, publisher and price range. Next, they can also add their
wishlist or the ones they are looking for so that they get notified once such title has become
available or if there are close alternatives. Users can also browse books by having a full list in
thumbnails or by filtering them by (any) category(ies) they opt to. Hence, with these features, the
lists are more organized which leads to better selling posts and browsing of products.
Another issue in the existing online book marketplaces right now is the transactions
taking place within. bookcop.com offers more secured options that are easier to make use of. It is
powered by PayPal, which has good security features when it comes to online transactions
including the use of credit cards and debit cards. Apart from payment options, seller-buyer
interactions are improved as the website allows the records to be tracked and kept so that the
whole transaction has been covered. Once finalized, the fees are already charged. This improves

the prevention of online transactions fraud. It also provides increased efficiency and ease in the
dealings among the users as it is in a single, more organized platform.
In summation of the previously mentioned features, bookcop.com offers convenience in
thrift or used books shopping. The secured and recorded transactions, facilitation, posting,
wishing and browsing features contribute to the convenience value it provides. Users are able to
have an easier way to enter into book-selling transactions as everything is in one place. The
organization of the items allows a seamless browsing experience, hence smooth transactions.
With bookcop.com, cheaper deals on textbooks are accessible and easy as it can be acquired at
the comfort of the use of Internet, whether on desktop, laptop or mobile devices.
2. Revenue Model (tim)
bookcop.com is not going to have its own collection of books; rather it will organize
pieces contributed by the users to display and offer to other users. Thus, books or products sales
is not the main source of revenue for the company. Instead, the company will earn from
transaction fees and advertisement fees.
Being the bridge among these sellers, buyers, renters and traders, the company also
charges a certain fee depending on the transaction type and the amount or quantity of books
subject to the transaction. Here is a Exhibit 1 that organizes the transaction fees computation:
Exhibit 1: Transaction Fees Table
Transaction Type

Five transactions or less

More than five transactions

Selling

10% of the total sales against

the seller

7% of the total sales against

the seller

Renting

8% of the total renting

amount against either party
depending on agreement

6% of the total renting

amount against either party
depending on agreement

Note that the number of transactions is counted cumulatively for two weeks. In other
words, the counting begins at the time of the first transaction and continues for the next two
weeks from such date. If during such time period no transaction occurred, the counting goes back
to none. Moreover, the type of transaction does not matter in the transaction count; thus any
combination of transaction types works and the count from such combination(s) (or none, if a
single type of transaction only occurred) is the basis of the fees charged against the sellers. The
charging amount or rate, then, is respective to the transaction type. See Exhibit 2 for illustration.
The advertisement fees are charged to companies, entities or individuals that opt to place
advertisements in the advertising spaces in the website. These can be in the form of banner
advertisements, video advertisements and other website advertisements. Depending on the
duration of the advertisement and the type, the prices vary. Moreover, it is important to note that
the advertisements are placed to be integrated well with the website so they do not compromise
the browsing experience and the transaction processing in the website for the customers and
visitors. As such, necessary requirements of how the advertisements must be like will be required
for the advertisers to comply with.
Boost advertisements also serve as another source of revenue for the company. It is a
feature offering for sellers to enhance the saleability of their posted books. Once they have
availed of this feature for a cost of Php 50.00 per book for the duration of two weeks, the said
book is on top of the search results and display of the items under the categories it belongs to.

Exhibit 2: Transaction Fees Charging Illustration

Transaction
Date
(mm/dd/yy)

Transaction
Type

Transaction
Amount

Charging
Rate/Fee

Total

03/20/2016

Selling
Selling
Selling
Renting

Php 150.00
Php 185.00
Php 100.00
Php 100.00

Php 10.50 (7%)

Php 12.95 (7%)
Php 7.00 (7%)
Php 6.00 (6%)

Php 36.45

03/27/2016

Renting

Php 150.00

Php 9.00 (6%)

Php 9.00

03/30/2016

Renting

Php 200.00

Php 12.00 (6%)

Php 12.00

04/15/2016

Selling
Selling

Php 800.00
Php 300.00

Php 80.00 (10%)

Php 30.00 (10%)

Php 110.00

04/22/2016

Renting
Selling

Php 150.00
Php 100.00

Php 12.00 (8%)

Php 10.00 (10%)

Php 22.00

Total

Php 189.45

Legend: * - First two weeks with six (6) transactions; * - Second two weeks (continuous) with
two (2) transactions
3. Market Opportunity (lex)
Based from research, current book markets for students exist in the form of Facebook
groups. Almost each major university in the metro has their own official Facebook Book Market;
however, despite the presence of such marketplaces, lists of books are still incomplete and posts
are not unorganized thus, there is still an occurring need that the group can address. It is admitted
that textbooks are hard to find, usually books of such kind are available only in bookstores inside
the schools campus for a price higher than the usual. With the consistent need for academic
resources and the lack of completeness from the exclusive book markets that are existing gives
bookcop.com the opportunity to serve people who are suffering the same problem.
Since bookcop.com mainly offers college level textbooks and academic materials, the
business plans to initially target both male and female college students coming from different
schools, universities and colleges around Metro Manila as the main customer segment. The
company can also consider school professors and teachers as secondary customers since they
may also need such resources just as much as students do as aid for their lessons and lectures.

The site is still a start-up business so the group plans to accommodate just a small market first,
but as time goes by, together with the progression of business activities, bookcop.com plans to
expand outside the metro and serve a wider pool of customers, this time including students of
high school, primary students and may even be non-students.
4. Competitive Environment (lex)
Putting up a marketplace solely for books and other similar items is an uncommon
business idea. Moreover, most aspiring entrepreneurs do not explore that said field; as such it is
safe to say that competition is not highly evident compared to that of the other industries.
However, there are already quite a number of existing companies and brands that offer similar,
but not exactly the same, service to the public.
As mentioned in the previous parts of the paper, there are already existing book markets
in the form of Facebook groups. The said Facebook book markets play as the main direct
competitor of bookcop.com because it currently serves that main customer segment that the
company plans to target. There are book markets for each major university in the country and
their available books will most likely be identical to what bookcop.com will have. Another
present direct competitor is Sulitbooks which is a Filipino online bookstore where individuals
can buy, sell or search both new and old books for a price cheaper than the usual. Their books
are not limited to school books because their genres cover a wide array from popular and topselling novels to catalogs and magazines or different kinds. Last on the list for direct competitors
is Blink (Book Link) which is the first online bookshop/marketplace in the country. Similar to
previous competitor, the site allows people to buy and sell book items and it also has a huge
selection of books and specializes in out-of-print rarities at a lower price.

Aside from the direct competitors, bookcop.com also needs to take into account active
indirect competitors which can somehow affect business operations of the company. OLX
Philippines and Kaymu Philippines are considered as indirect competitors because both are
marketplaces for a wide variety of products, including books and other reading materials. With
that being said, it can be inferred that both sites cater to a much bigger market compared to what
bookcop.com intends to cover. Exploring further, OLX is a global brand currently serving forty
countries around the world, including the Philippines. The site provides prospective sellers an
opportunity to earn a little more cash from posting items that are no longer of use where potential
buyers may find value in at affordable deals. On the other hand, Kaymu is said to be the latest
marketplace in the country where Filipinos and other people interact to make great deals across
product categories such as fashion, computers & laptops, home & living and countless other
goods.

5. Competitive Advantage (lex)

Academic-related books and reading materials are admittedly hard to find; most need
extra effort in locating because it is either the material was printed with only a few copies to
begin with or it is just being sold in selected areas. People end up spending more time because
one still has to check multiple stores and cluttered online sites before finally being able to eye a
copy. With that being said, one of the main edges of bookcop.com among competitors is its
complete list of textbooks shown in a detailed and organized manner, which leads to better
shopping experience. The default arrangement of the books is from latest to earliest in terms of
date of publication but the user has the freedom to change the filter from the other available
options (alphabetically, author, price range, genre, etc.). Of course, there is no guarantee that the
website will have a perfectly complete list but with maximum effort, the group will try its best to

serve customers best beginning with offering a vast collection of books to choose from. Also,
students will not be limited to buying and selling from their schoolmates because the site allows
college students from across different parts of the metro to interact and integrate with one
another.
Currently offered services for the said market are only limited to buying and selling
transactions. bookcop.com tries to go beyond the two by creating another edge through offering
more options: the renting of books. The additional option can be very helpful to the intended
market because it helps provide more options for the customers. For one, there are people who
only want the book for certain period of time, say for an entire academic term and not
permanently, or for people who are not willing to actually sell their books but want to earn while
their books are not of currently under personal use. Swapping or trading of books is another
competitive advantage that the company can consider in the future when its overall system
evolves and improves.
Safety is another competitive advantage of the website as it assures that all business
transactions will be legitimate and not end up as a scam. The site will make use of a system that
will ensure that all profiles created are real and true college students, teachers and professors.
Payment methods will also not be limited to the typical cash or card selections as PayPal will
also be included as an option and the entire transaction will be tracked and kept for recordkeeping and security purposes. This does not only improve ease and efficiency of dealings in a
more organized platform but it also highly contributes to the prevention of any kind of online
transaction fraud.

6. Market Strategy (jeri)

The success of a startup will often depend on its approach to marketing; it takes time and
dedication especially for e-commerce sites. Since bookcop.com is an e-commerce that serves as
a trading of books using computer networks such as Internet, then more of online marketing
would be used. With the rapid growth of information through the Internet, attracting customers,
creating brand image and sticking claws in the market are going to be easy. One of the easiest
and yet effective strategy to be used is to increase the startups web presence through the use
social media marketing such as a dynamic Facebook page and the right Twitter page at a
minimum. An Instagram account can also be created to promote the website, its value
proposition, use and features. This is not to mention that Google Plus can be a consideration.
Since the target market of bookcop.com are students and if not all but almost all of these students
have accounts on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram and probably in Google Plus as well, it is the
best way to market the service offering. Social media websites allow brands and people to
communicate with one another. The medium also allows various forms of content to be shared
between networks easily. These social media accounts will not only serve as a channel but also a
tool for direct interaction with our current and potential customers. Another strategy to be used is
the utilization of online advertising. A Google AdWords program is the best place to start as it is
cost effective, flexible, results oriented and highly scalable. Following this Yahoo/Bing,
Facebook ads and banner campaigns can be considered and developed since there is a high
traffic of students in this site making it a very effective market strategy to use to be able to
penetrate the market and attract customers.
Search engine marketing is also an effective strategy that we will use since bookcop.com
is a website. Search engine marketing involves search engine optimization, a methodology of
strategies, techniques and tactics used to increase the amount of visitors to a website by obtaining

a high-ranking placement in the search results page of a search engine (SERP). Over 500 million
people search in Google every day; thus SEO is something that cannot be ignored. To get more
visits from search engines, it is ensured that the website is optimized for search. By investing on
a good SEO agency, the website is made sure to show up whenever a student searches for any
book trading or book-selling-related terms in the different search engines.
Lastly, mobile marketing is also a strategy to be used in this e-commerce business. With
the increasing number of mobile searches raises the importance of mobile marketing. Google
makes their stance on mobile very clear, mobile marketing isnt an option but its an imperative
for every business. To be able to provide bookcop.coms users with the best experience when
browsing it using their mobile phones, it is ensured that the website looks good, user friendly and
usable (e.g having a mobile version of bookcop website). As a future endeavor, if the company
has earned enough profit, then it would also penetrate the application industry for andriod and
iphone users to download. This will also help increase and attract potential customers.

7. Organizational Development
Two members of the team will be assigned to marketing and sales, where their task is to
increase sales and to entice Internet users to buy or sell books. They are in-charge of all physical
and online marketing operations, provide marketing paraphernalia and good customer relations.
The programmer and another member work together for operations. Together, they handle how
the company works and expand with third-party affiliates. Website performance and
maintenance are checked regularly, co-operated by the teams assigned operational manager.
They are also specifically tasked for different works. First, the programmer controls the inflow of
online traffic and threat security. Personal information of different users should always be treated

with great sensitivity. Second, the operations manager checks the statistics of the website and
assesses any needed actions to meet the companys requirements.
The last member is the financial manager. This member provides the specific budget for
marketing and expansion. The member also regulates fees and assigns advertisements on the
website. He/she also handles other financial activities such as tasks or work relating to financing,
investments and other financial considerations.
B. Operations
Positive market responses allow bookcop.com to pursue its mission and vision. The
teams initial step is to hire a programmer to remove the process of manual checking and
validating of orders and create automated purchase order forms. It will keep orders documented
and sent to the third-party affiliates to process orders more quickly and accurately. After the
update, the teams main focus will be expansion, as stated in the Organizational Development.
bookcop.com will build partnerships with companies such as couriers and telecommunications.
Bookstores will be approached and be offered with their personal shop account within the site.
Through this process, bookcop.com will soon cater a bigger, wider market.

C. Marketing Plan (tim)

1. Service Development: Quality Experience in Transaction Facilitation
bookcop.com, as aforementioned, serves as the bridge between sellers and buyers of
books (including and renting). Thus, primarily, its service is the transaction facilitation.
However, there is beyond the actual facilitation in terms of the companys service offering.
bookcop.com offers a quality experience in the transaction facilitation it serves. This is achieved
by seamless browsing, multiple secured payment options, well-tracked and recorded transactions

and the options to post items for sale, rent and swap and those items they wish to buy, sell or
rent.
First, the website ensures a seamless browsing and transaction for all the users. This is
done by a good browsing experience with appropriate display of products and excellent graphics
in the website. Technically, the websites functionalities are ensured to be working well and are
appropriate for the browsing experience offered so that the users are highly engaged with all the
website activities involved. This is also enhanced by ensuring that in-your-face marketing is
not prevalent in the website. Hence, website advertisements are appropriately placed so they do
not interfere with the overall seamless browsing value offered to the users.
Multiple payment options are also available. This includes credit card payment and debit
card payment. To ensure security, the card payments are powered by PayPal. All payments go
through bookcop.com and the necessary remittances are done to the appropriate users through
bank deposits to their respective bank accounts on a daily basis. As such, as a default, every
transaction is counted as one; thus is charged under the category of five transactions or less. This
is done so that the cash is automatically realized in the transactions. Moreover, the amount of
remittances are based only on those transactions that have been verified to be genuine and settled
through the after-sale verification system. As such, transactions that have not been verified will
not be remitted until otherwise. However, to account for lower charging fees for those
transactions accumulated for two weeks, in reference to the transactions fees mechanism
presented in 2. Revenue Model, all necessary additional remittances are done. See Exhibit 3 for
illustration.
There is a registration verification in which the users in a transaction must verify through
their accounts that the seller is genuine and their bank account is active. Next, the books posted

are ensured to be legitimate and correct, including the users and clients involved. This is done by
having a system of tracking and recording all transactions. This is in form of notifying that the
transaction is successful and it has been settled (the items delivered are correct, of an acceptable
quality based on the item description in the website, are authentic, etc.). Non-verification after a
period of time means that the transaction has been settled; hence, forfeits their right to redeem
losses from fraudulent and mistaken transactions and deliveries. If any problems do occur during
the purchasing process, the buyer or seller can file for a dispute together with their reasons. It
will be reviewed by the team before settling the issue. This ensures sellers to provide
descriptions with utmost accuracy since books are fragile objects. For transit damages, our thirdparty courier provides insurance for damaged and lost goods.
Lastly, users are not only able to post what is up for sale but they can also post items they
wish to buy. This gives them another option to be able to easily find the books they need if such
are not yet available in the current list. Other users can check the list of these wishes so they
know which ones are demanded and may consider posting the exact or relevant items to those in
the list.
On the other hand, the delivery of items are upon a service courier, the fees of which are
charged on the seller or lessor. After bookcop.com ensuring the payment from the paying user,
the courier service picks up the iterm from the seller (or the lessor for renting). Then, it is
delivered to the other party. After which, the receiving party must comply with the after-sale
verification system to confirm the delivery and the quality and correctness of the item(s)
delivered. Non-compliance, as aforementioned, after a period of time forfeits the right to
redemption.
Exhibit 3: Remittance Process

Transaction
Date

Transaction
Type and
Amount

Transaction
Fees Charged
ending March
30, 2016

Verified

Remittance
Date

Remittance
Amount

03/20/2016

SellingPhp 150.00
SellingPhp 185.00
Selling- Php
100.00
RentingPhp 100.00

Php 10.50
(7%)
Php 12.95
(7%)
Php 7.00
(7%)

Yes
(03/21/2016)
No

03/22/2016

Php 135.00
(90%)
-

SellingPhp 150.00

Php 10.50
(7%)

Yes
(03/21/2016)

SellingPhp 185.00

Php 12.95
(7%)

Yes
(03/22/2016)

Php 166.50

SellingPhp 100.00
RentingPhp 100.00

Php 7.00
(7%)

Yes
(03/22/2016)
Yes
(03/23/2016)

Php 90.00

03/27/2016

RentingPhp 150.00

Php 9.00
(6%)

Yes
(03/28/2016)

03/29/2016

Php 138.00

03/30/2016

RentingPhp 200.00
Renting- Php
150.00

Php 12.00
(6%)
Php 9.00
(6%)

Yes
(03/31/2016)
Yes
(03/28/2016)

03/31/2016

Php 188.00

03/20/2016

03/27/2016
03/20/2016

SellingPhp 150.00
SellingPhp 185.00
Selling- Php

No

No

Php 6.00
(6%)

Php 6.00
(6%)

Php 10.50
(7%)
Php 12.95
(7%)
Php 7.00

Yes
(03/21/2016)
Yes
(03/22/2016)
Yes

03/25/2016

(already
remitted)

Php 92.00

Php 3.00
(Remaining
2%)
Php 4.50
(Remaining
3%)
Php 5.55
(Remaining
3%)
Php 3.00

100.00
RentingPhp 100.00

(7%)
Php 6.00
(6%)

(03/22/2016)
Yes
(03/23/2016)

(Remaining
3%)
Remaining
Php 2.00

From March 20, 2016 to March 30, 2016, the transactions that have been accumulated are six, making the
transaction fees lower under the category of more than five transactions within two weeks cumulatively. On the
March 20, 2016 transaction date, the above transactions have been listed. On March 21, 2016, the first item was
only verified, as such, it is the only transaction that will be remitted. On March 22 and 23, 2016, the remaining
among the list have been verified, as such they are also remitted. However, there are only four transactions up to
March 25, 2016 remittance date; thus, the transactions are still under the five or less transactions category. On
March 27, 2016, there is another transaction that has been verified on March 28, 2016. Such transaction has been
remitted on the March 29, 2016, but still under the five transactions or less category. On March 30, 2016, another
transaction takes place and has been verified on March 31, 2016. This time the transactions are already six within
two weeks, making it fall under the category of more than five transactions. Thus, all are eligible to lower fees. On
the following remittance date, March 31, 2016, the March 31, 2016 transaction is remitted fully on the basis of the
lower fees while all other transactions have additional remittance on the basis of those amounts that have not been
remitted due to them having been remitted on days that the accumulation has not reached the count of six, yet.

2. Pricing
The pricing, as illustrated in the Revenue Model, has a consideration on the investments
and operations costs. Website development and maintenance costs, secured payment expenses,
office costs, advertising costs, tax liabilities costs, salaries and wages expenses and all other
business costs have been accounted for. These costs are considered to sum up to the overall
service offering that bookcop.com provides to its customers, especially to those who engage in
actual transactions through the website. As such, it is ensured that the pricing is not only
accounted for, but is made to be enough for the revenue and profit goals of the company, as well
as to maintain the affordability of the service; hence, the affordability of the books sold or rented
such service. The Financial Projection part illustrates the investment and operations costs, how
each yearly revenue is estimated and how annual profits are computed, which can give light how
the pricing is good for both bookcop.com and the users.
The advertisement spaces and boost ad pricing have also been priced in accordance to the
value such features provide. For advertisement spaces, it is not only based on the operational

costs involved, but also based on the placing of the sites and the market bookcop.com has that
automatically becomes the audience of such advertisments. For boost ad features pricing, it takes
into account the value of being a top result when items are looked for within the company. It also
accounts for the space it takes from what could have been for the latest posts. It also considers
the saleability enhancement it provides to the items when such feature is availed.

3. Placing
The graphics are ensured to be suitable and good enough to engage users to buy, rent or
swap. Moreover, it is ensured that there is an organized and appropriate display of products to
enhance their saleability. In particular, as a default, the items are placed from most recent
postings to the earliest ones. Website visitors have the option to filter the books by subject,
author, price, publisher, date of publishing, transaction type (sale and rent) and other categories.
This feature allows for a narrowed and convenient browsing for the users, allowing them to
locate the books they need easier. However, the boosted items, which have been paid for, will be
the ones on top in the default view and in the filtered categories in accordance to the categories
they fall under.
4. Promotion
In order to pool in a big number of followers and users, promotion tactics are heavily
used. Moreover, these promotional tactics heavily focus on online presence as the target market
is usually active in the online world. Moreover, as bookcop.com is actually an e-commerce
website, promoting it within the cyberspace enhances its reach and narrows the distance between
the act of seeing the advertisement and the actual checking of the website. In addition to, these
promotional activities focus on the interaction with the target market and the proliferation of the
awareness of the value proposition bookcop.com offers.

To further the information provided by Part V. A. 6. Market Strategy, specific plans

within the strategies presented are detailed here. The social media marketing strategy serves as
an avenue for announcements of activities, promos, discount offerings and promo codes. These
platforms become the main tools of bookcop.com to interact with its users apart from those
related to actual book-related transactions. In addition to, in these social media accounts, the
paid-advertisements features are availed as necessary in order to enhance the online presence of
bookcop.com. This is believed to be essential in increasing the awareness of bookcop.coms
existence and to gain more followers, which in turn, can translate to higher number of users
visiting and engaging in actual transactions in the website.
Promotional materials such as digital posters, photos and videos are also used to be
spread through the platforms and market strategies presented. As online presence is not enough,
it is imperative that the content and characteristics of the advertisements are suitable and
engaging enough. As such, bookcop.com ensures that every material it releases for advertising
purposes is consistent with its value proposition. This principle helps in spreading the value
proposition of the company. In addition to, the materials used are ensured to be suitable for the
target market, which are students. Thus, highly interactive, youthful and entertaining
promotional materials must be used. These should not compromise the intended message of
every advertisement to promote bookcop.com and its services.
In the future, television commercials, mobile advertisements and other forms of
advertisements will be utilized. These will become the options as the market and the business
operations reach of bookcop.com expand further. Once various customer segments, other than
the current ones targeted, have been tapped, the promotional materials used in the current
promotional tactics and the future ones will be adjusted or will have additionals as necessary and

appropriate for the new customer segments. This ensures that all customer segments have the
proper promotional materials for them; consequently, so as to properly communicate
bookcop.coms value proposition to them.

D. Financial Projection (group collab)

1. First Year of Operations
a. Investment Plan and Expenses

Expenses

Amount (per day, week,

month or unit)

Electricity Utility Expense

Water Utilities Expense
Internet Connection Expense
Office Space Rent Expense
Office Supplies Expense
Website Domain Expense
Website Hosting Expense
Website Maintenance
Expense
Advertising Expense

Partnership Costs
Representation and Meeting
Expense
Interest Expense
Estimated Depreciation

Facebook Ad Cost
Instagram Ad Cost
Twitter Ad Cost
Google AdWords Program

Total

Expense
Launching Event Expense
Business Registration
Expense
PayPal Service Expense
Office Transportation
Expense
Total

Investment Item
Website Layout and
Development
Office Supplies
Office Laptop or Computer
Other Office Equipment
Office Furniture and
Fixtures
Trademark and Intellectual
Property
Total Investment or Capital

b. Income Statement

Amount

Total

Particulars

Amount

Sales
Less: Operating Expenses
Net Operating Income
Less: Administrative Costs
Net Income

2. Second Year of Operations

a. Investment Plan
b. Income Statement
3. Third Year of Operations
a. Investment Plan
b. Income Statement

VI. Support to Nation Building

Using new technologies in developing countries can open up trade at home and abroad
for small and medium-sized enterprises and diversify national economies (Hussain, 2013). The
use of web site enlarges the potential global market and sales revenue, products, potential new
customers, services and geographical area. E-commerce has also reduced the transaction costs,
allied with purchase, sales, operating, holding inventory and financial costs. The non-financial
benefits such as performances of non-financial assets like human resource and timeliness, quality
of service, customers satisfaction are some of the indirect effects. E-commerce is definitely an
important tool for development especially of developing country like the Philippines.

Bookcop is a website where college student can trade and/or sell their textbooks to other
college student thus it is helpful in building a nation of readers. It also promotes the use of
traditional or physical books than use of e-books. Furthermore, bookcop also recognizes that the
sustained growth in reuse efforts of books, as well as the sustained interest of the reuse industry,
derives in large measure from the solid waste reduction hierarchy.

Reference:
http://www.hoovers.com/industry-facts.bookstores.1824.html
http://www.tradeforum.org/article/e-commerce-and-beyond-opportunities-fordeveloping-country-smes/