Everything’s going online now—food delivery, newspapers and magazines, bill payments, banking, education, shopping, etc. Created with the convenience of the consumers in mind, these online services challenge the traditional way and present a new world of opportunities to make one’s life easier and more manageable.
Online shopping specifically dated back to 1995 when Amazon.com and eBay were introduced. In the Philippines, it’s a mystery when and how it started. It just happened. But sustaining its relevance in a country with relatively conservative consumers surely was an uphill climb.
Thinking back to when the trend made a buzz, Multiply.com is the first to come to mind. Long before it became a full-on online shopping site (which has recently released a closure announcement), it was a blogging/media sharing and storage/social networking site which many business-minded Filipinos found as a great avenue for peddling online.
Back then, there were issues with these sellers not having DTI (Department of Trade and Industry) permits and cases of bogus sellers and buyers were rampant. An endeavor new to Pinoys, the system was understandably flawed.
Although the idea of shopping at your fingertips is quite amazing, online shopping in the Philippines unfortunately earned a bad reputation among the Pinoys being catered to. Assurance is a big missing link in this equation: assurance that 1) you’re buying from a legitimate seller, 2) you won’t get scammed upon paying, and 3) you’ll get exactly what you paid for in the best possible condition.
[[{“type”:”media”,”view_mode”:”media_original”,”fid”:”13175″,”attributes”:{“alt”:””,”class”:”media-image”,”height”:”425″,”style”:”display: block; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;”,”typeof”:”foaf:Image”,”width”:”1010″}}]]
Despite the setbacks and a lukewarm reception, many online shops continued to be active on Multiply.com, with some either transferring to or opening a new account on Facebook. But last year, Filipino consumers saw the birth of three big online shops, Zalora, Lazada, and Ava.ph.
Zalora and Lazada are both under Rocket Internet, which is said to be the most successful international online venture builder. These sites also have versions in Asian countries like Indonesia, Thailand, Vietnam, and Malaysia. With such impressive credentials, it’s easy to be convinced by how reputable they are, but sometimes you just have to see to believe.
[[{“type”:”media”,”view_mode”:”media_original”,”fid”:”13174″,”attributes”:{“alt”:””,”class”:”media-image”,”height”:”422″,”style”:”display: block; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;”,”typeof”:”foaf:Image”,”width”:”709″}}]]
Admittedly, though, I haven’t tried either Zalora or Lazada yet, but some of my friends have, and they can vouch for how smooth their systems are—from viewing the product you like at all angles, purchasing it with several payment options, to receiving your product at your doorstep on the promised day.
A similar site I have tried is Ava.ph, which calls itself “The Home of Beautiful Things.” I like that it’s a 100% Filipino-owned company. The products here are properly categorized, with each having nice photos to support the descriptions that come with them. Ava.ph’s varied product offerings are also unique, those that you can’t find in the mall.
For instance, they recently launched an Ava.ph exclusive collection of apparel and accessories by top model/entrepreneur Tweetie de Leon. In their words, they’ve carefully selected and “curated” each brand in the site to make your online shopping more enjoyable.
This is the edge the consumers are looking for, because if what’s being sold online is common, what’s the point in shelling out P100 for shipping? Better buy it from the mall instead, right? Hey, it’s also worth mentioning that I got my order wrapped in a nice box earlier than I expected.
[[{“type”:”media”,”view_mode”:”media_original”,”fid”:”13176″,”attributes”:{“alt”:””,”class”:”media-image”,”height”:”368″,”style”:”display: block; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;”,”typeof”:”foaf:Image”,”width”:”722″}}]]
Apart from the convenience to on-the-go people who don’t have the time to frequent the mall, the organized system, and the unique and fab finds, for me, the best thing about these three sites is that they have the COD (Cash on Delivery) payment option.
Typically, people shy away from purchasing online because they’re not sure if it’s safe to use their credit card; this COD provides solution to that dilemma and instantly eliminates other doubts about online shopping. And since they only work with reliable couriers, your order will surely get to you.
What’s more, like in the mall setup, they offer the latest goods, hold occasional sales, and even allow returns if for any reason you’re unsatisfied with your purchase.
So to answer my own question, yes, online shopping has a future in the Philippines. Having seen how the Filipinos are capable of adapting a new system and making it work efficiently is truly something exciting and a reason to be proud of.
As long as a good buyer-seller relationship is maintained, with each always reminded of their responsibilities to one another, online shopping can work in the Philippines. I bet you, it’s quite addicting. So, excuse me, I still have some shopping to do right here in front of my laptop, right about now.
