AI drives surge in sari-sari store sales - Packworks

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June 11, 2026 | 12:00am

MANILA, Philippines —  Sari-sari stores using artificial intelligence (AI) for inventory planning have seen a 79-percent surge in sales of top-selling items, according to technology startup Packworks.

The findings are based on the analysis of over one million monthly transactions across Packworks’ network of 300,000 micro-retailers.

Packworks said that stores using the AI-powered Store Insighting Project (SIP) posted revenue improvements within just two months of adoption.

SIP was developed by Packworks with support from the Department of Science and Technology-Philippine Council for Industry, Energy and Emerging Technology Research and Development’s Startup Grant Fund Program.

Using sari-sari store transaction data, SIP generates recommendations on inventory, product mix, pricing and demand patterns.

Packworks said  the median gross merchandise value (GMV) of the top 50 items sold by sari-sari stores surged by 79 percent to P335,818 per store from P187,229.

Store owners also used the SIP to better manage slower-moving products. This allowed stores to post a 96-percent surge in their median GMV sales to P14,429 from P7,361.60.

Overall, stores using AI-driven insights saw a 29-percent increase in total sales and a 20-percent growth 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,” Packworks chief data officer Andoy Montiel said.

Packworks’ move to bring AI to micro retail stores is in line with the government’s overall development blueprint, the Philippine Development Plan (PDP) 2023 to 2028.

Under the PDP, the government is promoting the use of emerging technologies like AI for more efficient industries and services.

“By equipping sari-sari store owners with the insights to stock smarter and operate efficiently, we are not only boosting individual store sales but expanding access to technology to build a more resilient grassroots economy,” Montiel said.