A sari-sari store, anglicized as neighborhood sundry store, is a convenience store found in the Philippines. The word sari-sari is Tagalog meaning "variety" or "sundry". Such stores occupy an important economic and social location in a Filipino community and are ubiquitous in neighborhoods and along streets. Sari-sari stores tend to be family-run and privately owned operating within the shopkeeper's residence. Commodities are displayed in a large screen-covered or metal-barred window in front of the shop. Candies in recycled jars, canned goods and cigarettes are displayed while cooking oil, salt and sugar are stored at the back of the shop. Prepaid mobile phone credits are provided. The sari-sari store operates with a small revolving fund, and it generally does not offer perishable goods requiring refrigeration. The few that do have refrigerators carry soft drinks, beers, and bottled water. Economic value Sari-sari stores are an integral part of the ecosystem of society and contribute to the grassroots micro-economy. According to the Magna Kultura Foundation, the network of sari-sari stores nationwide accounts for almost seventy per cent (70%) of sales of manufactured consumer food products, which makes it a valuable part of the economy and an important conduit for making vital goods available to Filipino neighborhoods. Sari-sari store are the backbone of the grassroots economy. An estimated 800,000 sari-sari stores hold significant portion of the domestic retail market and the country’s GDP. 13 percent or Php 1.3 trillion of the Philippines GDP of Php 9.7 trillion in the year 2011 came from retail, which is composed largely of micro, small, and medium-sized enterprises (MSMEs) or small businesses like sari-sari stores. Often sari-sari store owners apply a markup of about 10% on average, compared to the 20% average markup of the 24/7 convenience store alternatives such as 7-11, so most Filipinos tend to buy at sari-sari stores when possible. Sari-sari stores have higher prices when compared to supermarkets but provides several benefits to their customers. The sari-sari store provides easy access to basic commodities at low cost. Without them, villagers must go to the nearest market town, which may be quite far from the village itself. In the Philippines, following the concept of tingi or retail, a customer can buy 'units' of the product rather than whole package. For example, one can buy a single cigarette for (5) five pesos (0.10 US dollars) rather than a whole pack. This is convenient for those who