Lazada plans PH expansion due to ‘11.11’ sale surge

Updated 11:17 p.m., Nov. 12, 2018

CABUYAO CITY, Laguna — The local unit of online retailer Lazada aims to double its one-day revenues from Sunday’s annual Singles Day sale which offered discounts of as much as 99 percent on products sold on the popular shopping portal.

In a press briefing, Lazada Philippines CEO for logistics Juan Pavez Spencer said the company — majority-owned by China’s Alibaba Group — had already recorded 60 percent of its sales target as of 9 a.m. of the 24-hour shopping event dubbed “11.11.”

“Our team is prepared for the high volume of orders and deliveries thanks to the continuous expansion of our ecosystem of warehouses and logistics partners,” he said.

He added that the continued growth of the business prompted the firm to start scouting for another logistics hub that would raise its footprint from 60,000 square meters in warehouse space to 120,00 square meters by 2021.

“Most likely, our new warehouse will be in Clark, Pampanga,” Pavez said.

Launched in 2012, Lazada is the top online shopping and selling destination in Southeast Asia — present in Indonesia, Malaysia, the Philippines, Singapore, Thailand and Vietnam.

With 300 million stock keeping units available, Lazada offers a wide range of products in categories from beauty, fashion, and consumer electronics to household goods, toys, sports equipment and groceries. The Philippine logistics hub is its biggest in the region.

During the online sale, Philippine shoppers were given access to over 50 million deals, including discounts of as much as 99 percent ands P1 deals and vouchers.

Lazada has about 30,000 listed sellers offering more than 80 million products in the Philippines. It also offers a thousand of authentic brands, including Apple, Samsung, Xiaomi, JBL, Philipps, Mac, L’Oreal, Dove, Olay and Levi’s, under the recently launched LazMall.

“In the Philippines, 11.11 ushers in the gift-giving season, as more Filipinos take advantage of the exciting deals and discounts to tick off their Christmas shopping lists,” Lazada Philippines CEO Ray Alimurung said.

Online shoppers can avail of same-day/next-day delivery. The shipping option called Premium Service is available in certain parts of Greater Manila Area, Metro Cebu and Davao City.

“Online shopping allows Filipinos to enjoy the convenience of browsing through millions of products at their fingertips and receiving their purchases right at their doorstep without enduring the heavy traffic and crowded malls during the Christmas rush,” Alimurung said. /atm