As one of the country’s pioneering tech stores celebrates its 15th year, Kimstore founder Kim Lato now aims to give back and pay forward to the community that helped Kimstore become the brand that it is today.
Driven by her passion for providing the Filipino access to affordable tablets, smartphones, and other electronic devices, she now wants to help aspiring start-up businesses and support other small business retailers through several efforts. Moving towards the future, she is also looking forward to expand her own logistics platform, build partnerships with learning organizations for masterclasses for e-Commerce, and explore with Filipino tech experts in creating and developing Pinoy-branded gadgets that can compete on the global stage.
DTI Secretary Ramon Lopez and other Kimstore partners spoke at the company’s 15th Anniversary Celebration virtual event, in which they discussed how the brand has developed over time: “Kimstore consistently demonstrates itself as the country’s go-to, pinupuntahan talaga pag dating sa online store for quality electronics.” He also lauded their efforts to provide the best bargains for customers and to create jobs for Filipinos. Last but not least, he expressed his wishes for their long-term success and continued prosperity.
Lato founded the company as a sophomore at De La Salle University, where she was a pioneer in internet selling. Her interest in technology devices led her to discover that many of these electronic items were being marketed by foreigners at a price that many Filipinos could not afford. Multiply was king of the social media world at the time, but Lato intended to give Filipinos a better option: an online shop that sold high-quality goods at moderate prices. To help the Filipino people get their hands on these devices, Lato says, “I think what really pushed us to strive harder is our vision of providing Filipinos access to these gadgets.”
As a pioneer of Philippine online selling and a woman, she first struggled to persuade clients to buy her products. In the end, she was able to overcome the buyers’ anxieties and concerns by being persistent, dedicated, and offering a highly customized service. Other businesses quickly followed suit, encouraged by Kimstore’s success in selling high-quality, low-cost electronics.
After 15 years, Kimstore is still one of the most trustworthy and trusted online gadget stores in the Philippines, from its tiny Tondo office to its present-day Quezon City headquarters and Valenzuela warehouse. Shop and Celebrate at Kimstore with PayMaya, 11.11 and 15.15 Deals, Payday Sale, Free Shipping, Crystal Anniversary Sale, and Black Friday Sale are just some of the promotions that have been launched to help customers celebrate since the beginning of November.
“Despite the hardships we’ve had in the past, we continue to serve our consumers by giving top-notch customer service,” Lato said of their 15-year journey. After starting in the McDonald’s next to the university, Kimstore.com has developed into the country’s first and largest e-commerce store for tech and gadgets.”
Visit Kimstore’s official website for additional information.
