Why are you interested in trade marketing, and how familiar are you with the Philippine sari-sari store landscape?

Why This Is Asked
URC wants to gauge your genuine motivation and whether you understand the critical role of general trade in the Philippine FMCG landscape, since the role heavily involves that channel.
General Approach
Connect a personal story or observation about sari-sari stores to your professional interest. Show that you've done your research on the importance of this channel and mention something specific about URC's trade approach to prove you're not just giving a textbook answer.
Sample STAR Answer▾
Situation
Growing up, my Lola ran a sari-sari store in our barangay. I helped restock shelves and observed how customers would buy single-serve shampoo sachets or a stick of cigarette instead of whole packs.
Task
My task was to understand why I wanted a career in trade marketing, so I reflected on that experience and later sought a marketing internship at a consumer goods company.
Action
During my internship, I volunteered to assist the trade marketing team and visited several sari-sari stores to conduct shelf audits. I learned that sari-sari stores account for over 70% of FMCG sales in the Philippines, yet they are often underserved with basic merchandising support. I also read articles about URC's Facebook-based social commerce platform, which uses a digital assistant called 'Ate Chat' to help sari-sari store owners order directly from distributors. This inspired me to apply for this role.
Result
That combination of personal experience and professional exposure solidified my passion for trade marketing, and I am eager to contribute to URC's channel strategy efforts.
Attempt Your Answer
Write your own answer, then get instant AI feedback graded against:
- •STAR Structure
- •Specificity & Numbers
- •Ownership Language
- •PH Workplace Context
Log in to get AI feedback on your answer.
Log In