Online classifieds, transactions show growth of C2C e-commerce

MANILA, Philippines – The steady increase in the volume of online classified ads and resultant buy and sell transactions among private individuals demonstrates the growing acceptance in the Philippines of consumer-to-consumer (C2C) e-commerce, apart from its business-to-business (B2B) and business-to-consumer (B2C) marketing and sales applications.

According to Rebecca Ricalde, Marketing Manager of AyosDito.ph, the Philippine affiliate of an international conglomerate of online classifieds portals operating in more than 30 countries, the volume of ad placements on its site, for the most part posted by individuals, has grown by an aggregate 40 percent from January 2013 to January 2014.  Specifically, she said product categories with significant growth during the period included home and personal items at 53 percent; leisure, sports and hobbies also at 53 percent; and phones, tablets and electronics at 33 percent.

“These numbers show the growth of the online buying and selling industry in the country, with both buyers and sellers in the market, who are ordinary consumers and not businesses, being able to benefit economically.

“As an online classifieds portal, we want to promote the growth of the industry and in particular to keep transactions safe and secure, in order to help people who have items or need items that can be bought and sold online,” said Ricalde. As part of an international conglomerate, she said, AyosDito.ph is able to share best practices with other affiliates and continuously address concerns to make transactions as orderly and trouble-free as possible for buyers and sellers.

The advantages of online buying and selling are convenience, ease and speed of transactions, which traditional commerce may not be able to offer to the same extent, Ricalde said, noting that one only has to compare the benefits of logging on to AyosDito.ph versus needing to buy a publication for its classified pages. In addition, she explained, AyosDito.ph has a team of ad reviewers who thoroughly check ads to ascertain their legitimacy. At the same time, she said, the group continuously reviews its procedures and puts enhancements in place when necessary to promote consumer protection.

She said that even as AyosDito.ph invests heavily in measures to facilitate orderly buying and selling, in the end, online buyers and sellers on the internet also bear the responsibility for their own safety and security when conducting transactions. She cited four important guidelines in that regard: (1) avoid  sending payment in advance to the seller; (2) avoid shipping an item in advance to the intended buyer; (3) buyer and seller should complete the transaction face to face; and (4) they should meet in a safe, public place acceptable to both of them.

AyosDito.ph puts a unique emphasis on bringing together buyers and sellers within the same locations all over the country, to facilitate the completion of transactions in person.

“Given the advantages, we want to increase awareness that all of us can easily avail of online buying and selling. Practically anyone can do it. You have many items at home that are still useful, can be sold for cash, which in turn frees up space for other uses,” Ricalde said.