SSI Group Provides New Shopping Experiences In-Store, At-Home, And Online
A new normal is in place. As customers shift to new needs and new wants, the SSI Group, Inc. stays committed to provide new shopping experiences that meet the new lifestyle.
Known for its many retail innovations, the SSI Group continues to pivot and adapt in response to the changing needs of the market. Throughout its more than 30-year history, the Group has successfully introduced new concepts and services to the country. Among many, it was the first to open stand-alone luxury stores and the first to bring fast fashion into the Philippines. It also proved its resilience; having successfully responded since 2017 to changing market conditions, increased competition, and an increasingly sophisticated consumer market.
This year is no different. Albeit the unique challenges brought by COVID-19, SSI remains steadfast in its ability to innovate and adapt. As a result of multiple digital launches in 2019, the Group was able to adjust more seamlessly at the wake of the pandemic. Additionally, its digital expansion has propelled them to become the brick and mortar specialty retailer with the widest and most diverse e-commerce presence. As the Group continues to leverage on this unique position through 2020 and over the next few years, it promises to bring more brands into the online space, making them available across multiple channels.
Safety Protocols
As select malls and establishments resume operations, the SSI Group commits to keep stores clean and safe for all customers and staff through necessary measures that ensure proper hygienic standards. In all SSI stores, fitting rooms are sanitized before and after each use. Thorough sanitation of all stores is conducted daily, before opening and closing hours. Cashless transactions in-store are also highly encouraged while keeping card terminal keypads and store surfaces properly sanitized regularly to ensure safe transactions. Additionally, all store frontliners maintain precaution by being equipped with face masks, face shields and hand sanitizers throughout each shift.
Customers are also expected to adhere to certain guidelines for the welfare of everyone. This includes wearing face masks and shields while shopping, maintaining at least 1-meter social distancing from other shoppers, and disinfecting by using the hand sanitizers provided at the counters and store entrances.
The SSI Group continues to operate its brick and mortar stores with the necessary safety measures and precautions to ensure the health of not only its customers, but more importantly of its employees and staff. Apart from expanding the ways through which its customers can interact with its portfolio of signature brands, the SSI Group has also strengthened the experience in its stores, communicating the health and safety measures that are in place, and ensuring that relevant merchandise continues to populate its stores, coupled with selective but compelling promotions to draw shoppers in.
“The Specialist” Concierge Service
Despite the quarantine, beloved brands remain accessible through The Specialist, an at-home concierge service. Through the Specialist, customers can shop the wide range of SSI brands without having to leave the comforts of their homes. The Specialist concierge service is able to help facilitate and assist customers by connecting them to personal shoppers, who will help select merchandise, arrange deliveries, and settle orders.
It only takes a few simple steps to shop through The Specialist. First, customers can inquire about a particular brand or product by getting in touch with SSI’s Customer Service Team via email, landline, mobile and the SSI Life Facebook, Instagram and Viber Community. Once orders are confirmed, customers can settle payments through online bank transfer, major credit cards, and/or Cash on Delivery. Proof of payment will be required to confirm the purchase. Finally, customers can expect orders delivered to their doorstep within 3 to 5 days for Metro Manila and 5 to 10 days for provincial.
E-commerce Sites
SSI is bringing more brands to the online space this 2020 through monobrand sites, third-party marketplaces, third-party delivery apps, and its very own multi-brand site.
Making beloved premium, luxury, and lifestyle more accessible to Filipinos, the Group currently carries 10 brand.com sites including Lacoste, ZARA, GAP, Banana Republic, Marks & Spencer, Payless, Dune, Superga, Lush, and Beauty Bar. Third-party marketplaces like Rustans.com, Zalora and Lazada also serve to reach customers through the most convenient and reliable channels trusted by online shoppers.
Apart from beauty essentials, home, and casual wear—which were among those that remained relevant to the new normal conditions of SSI customers—food brands rose as one of the most sought-after services within the quarantine period. The Group pivoted by making Shake Shack and SaladStop! widely available through 3rd party delivery apps, while also establishing new systems that would provide an easier experience for customers to contact the restaurants for pick-ups and take outs.
Redefining luxury retail in the Philippines is SSI’s newest e-commerce site, Trunc.ph. This first-of-its-kind digital portal is a multi-brand treasure trove of the finest luxury and premium items and the most coveted beauty labels. It currently features four unique concepts tailored to excite the modern shopper:
TRUNC - trunc.ph
A multi brand marketplace featuring some of SSI’s most sought after brands. Trunc customers will have access to the latest trends as well as to established classics and quality fashion and home essentials.
TRUNC SHOW - truncshow.ph
Trunc Show—a dedicated shop-in-shop within Trunc for the most premium designer brands—features an edit of the latest from Milan, New York, and London to complement the modern shopper’s lifestyle.
POWDER ROOM BY TRUNC - trunc.ph/powderroom
PowderRoom is the go-to for beauty and skincare enthusiasts, with its wide assortment of cult-favorite and iconic brands.
TRUNC AT HOME
Trunc at Home—dedicated destination within Trunc for the world’s top home and living brands—will feature an expertly crafted collection of the finest furnishings and accessories, wine, and food.
From its mix of top global brands to its curated selection of the finest and freshest merchandise, trunc.ph is definitely the go-to digital lifestyle hub for the market’s most luxurious collections.
#WeRiseTogetherPH
What started as a social media campaign that encouraged people to share in each other’s strength through posts of positivity, #WeRiseTogetherPH takes on its second phase, focusing on financially supporting COVID-19 relief projects. To achieve this, SSI Group mobilized donation drives in partnership with RCBC Bankard and Security Bank. For every purchase at participating SSI Group stores, a collected percentage of sales are earmarked to benefit the most vulnerable families and individuals.
From November 1 to December 31, 2020, customers can pledge donations whenever they shop at participating SSI Group stores. For every P5,000, P25,000, and P50,000 purchase using RCBC Bankard or Security Bank credit card, P100, P500, and P1,000 respectively will be donated to RCBC Bankard’s partner charity, Gawad Kalinga’s Kusina ng Kalinga—a program that provides healthy meals to children in communities, in public schools, in the streets, and in conflict or disaster-stricken areas to end hunger and malnutrition; and to Security Bank’s partner charity, the Philippine Red Cross’ COVID-19 Samaritan Program—a program that supports individuals by covering the P4,000 processing fee for the RT-PCR swab tests and other related fees.
Within the #WeRiseTogetherPH campaign period, RCBC Bankard and Security Bank credit cardholders can also enjoy a variety of offers from select SSI Group brands whilst extending help to the beneficiaries. Perks include 70% off from select brands, exclusive freebies and limited edition items, and an installment plan of up to 12 months for a minimum purchase from select home, fashion, and luxury brands.
Holding on to hope, #WeRiseTogetherPH aims to continuously uplift and inspire Filipinos to keep fighting, to keep rising to challenges faced each day, and to look towards the future with certainty and anticipation.
About SSI Group, Inc.:
The SSI Group is the Philippines’ largest specialty retailer, with an established brand portfolio that includes some of the world’s most recognized international brands. We lead the country’s specialty retail market through the size and breadth of our brand portfolio and store network, with 95 brands, more than 580 stores and 11 e-commerce sites. With our growing e-commerce presence, we are also the Philippine specialty retailer with the most diverse and extensive e-commerce offering.
Our unique brand portfolio covers a wide range of specialty and lifestyle concepts, spanning the luxury, casual and fast fashion, beauty, footwear, home and restaurant categories.
Established in the 1980s, SSI has been at the forefront of the Philippine retail industry for more than 30 years. Throughout this time, we have sought to inspire and enhance the lifestyle values of our customers, and to cater to the evolving tastes and aspirations of Filipino consumers.
The Group has also launched “The Specialist”, an At Home concierge service dedicated to providing customers with personalized service to address their unique shopping needs. Customers may get in touch with SSI’s Customer Service team through any of the following channels to inquire about a particular brand or product:
SSI GROUP CUSTOMER SERVICE TEAM
Email: customerservice@ssigroup.com.ph
Telephone Number: 8-830-5000
Mobile Number: (0917) 552 9359
Facebook: facebook.com/SSILifePH
Instagram: @ssilifeph
The SSI Group’s unique portfolio of brands provides the Group with distinctive merchandise, most of which is not yet available to Filipinos through digital platforms. Leveraging on this value proposition, we will continue to make more of our brands available online, across multiple channels – through brand.com sites, third-party marketplaces, and our own multi-brand platforms, such as the newly launched Trunc.ph and others more coming soon. The acceleration of the SSI Group’s e-commerce expansion is one of our responses to the challenges and unique operating conditions brought about by COVID 19. As we continue to be at the forefront of delivering retail innovations to the Philippine market, and as we look to strengthen our e-commerce presence, we remain committed to bringing the best of fashion, beauty, home, food and lifestyle to Filipino consumers, through multiple, world-class retail channels.