Sari-Sari Stores Using AI See Sales of Top Products Increase by 79%

Sari-sari stores that leverage artificial intelligence (AI) for inventory planning see a 79% increase in median sales among their top 50 products, according to a report by Filipino tech startup Packworks.

The findings also show that store owners using the AI-powered Store Insighting Project (SIP) saw improved revenue within two months of adopting the platform.

“Dinagdagan ko ang pag-order ng mga top 10 product na nasa SIP document (I increased my orders for the Top 10 products identified in the SIP document),” shared Elizabeth Veluz, a sari-sari store owner from Camarines Sur, in a June 10 press release.

The report analyzed over one million monthly transactions across Packworks’ network of 300,000 micro-retailers.

The optimization of high-demand items drove median gross merchandise value (GMV) sales from P187,229 to P335,818 per store.

The survey found a 47% increase in median GMV sales of seasonal products among stores using SIP reports, suggesting that store owners were better able to anticipate purchasing patterns during rainy days, weekends, and other high-demand periods.

“Nakikita rito ang mabebentang produkto, kaya makakapag-stock kami nang marami at maiiwasan ang ‘out of stock’ (The report helps us identify products that will sell well so we can stock more and avoid running out),” said Lucia Bongot, a store owner from Cavite, from the same press release.

Store owners also used the reports from SIP to better manage slower-moving products, increasing their median GMV sales by 96%, from P7,361.60 to P14,429. Some also pushed these items identified by SIP to make up for potential sales deficits and improve inventory turnover.

Overall, stores utilizing the data recorded a 29% increase in median total sales and a 20% increase in the median number of transactions.

“Our findings show that when data is democratized, we give grassroots entrepreneurs the power to chart their own growth,” said Packworks Chief Data Officer Andoy Montiel.

“We are not only boosting individual store sales but expanding access to technology to build a more resilient grassroots economy.”

Packworks’ SIP project was developed with DOST-PCIEERD’s Startup Grant Fund Program, awarded in 2024 to support wider AI adoption in the country’s micro-retail sector. 

The company is also in partnership with ST Telemedia Global Data Centres (Philippines) and Ateneo’s Business Insights Laboratory for Development. 

In May 2026, Packworks’ collaboration with Connected Women also won the Activate AI Challenge. The award recognizes the program’s potential to expand economic opportunity, strengthen small businesses, and help more women participate in an AI-enabled future.

“Sari-sari stores remain the economic lifeblood of our communities, and women serve as the backbone of this ecosystem,” added Packwork Co-Founder Ibba Bernardo.

“With the help of ecosystem partners such as Connected Women who ensure that there is a human-in-the-loop, Packworks strives to deliver accessible, equitable digital tools directly into the hands of our saripreneurs, to further unlock the full potential of grassroots retail while nurturing these communities for sustainability and scale.”