Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
One of the problems he quickly identified was the PriceSmart practice of stocking sea-
sonal items. “A lot of products we found we could only get for three months, and the other
nine months they were unavailable.” It became a problem when customers wanted a year-
round supply of goods that Emilio could only source when PriceSmart stocked them. He
didn't want to disappoint loyal customers, so he began importing his own products directly,
especially items he knew they would be selling throughout the year. Although he still uses
distributors, this gives him greater access to important lines.
As is usually the case, every tiny step leads to the next, and now Emilio imports con-
tainer loads of goods from both the U.S. and Panama twice a year, with plans to go further.
“My dream is to go directly to China,” he says. “That will give me the opportunity to offer
much better prices.” Indonesia is also on his list as a place to acquire new products, and
he wants to expand into fresh produce when the new store is complete. “We are so excited
because in our new store we will have products we never had before, like fruit and veget-
ables. I personally want to take care of this section - this is going to be my baby! Because
I really love fresh produce,” he explains. “I'd really, really like to buy them directly from
the farmers and get them from San Jose three times a week. Buying products directly is the
only way to have cheaper prices and freshness. I want great quality.”
