Making E-commerce easy, and for everyone

When the Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) launched its 2022 E-commerce Roadmap earlier this year, the message was very clear: basta e-commerce, madali. E-commerce should be synonymous with easy commerce, wherein all kinds of businesses and shoppers should be able to access the things that they need wherever, and whenever. Shopee supports this endeavor because by making e-commerce easy, e-commerce will be for everyone.

Shopee started in the Philippines in 2016, and the challenge then was to introduce not just the platform to Filipinos, but e-commerce as a whole. While the last two years have definitely led more Filipinos to transition online – both entrepreneurs and shoppers – the bigger challenge is to keep finding new ways to serve them better. And as the world is gradually easing up restrictions, Shopee is continuously running to meet the ever-changing preferences and needs of its stakeholders.

Innovating further to simplify taking businesses online

When e-commerce demand spiked at the peak of the pandemic, getting businesses to go online was limited to training and educating them virtually. Shopee provided training and support to help MSMEs venture into e-commerce through the virtual Shopee University Summit and online seller Masterclasses. In 2022, as restrictions loosened, Shopee was able to take this endeavor face-to-face, nationwide. With the help of the DTI and local government units, the Shopee University Roadshow was held in Cebu, Davao, and Pampanga where aspiring entrepreneurs were able to learn about the benefits of e-commerce through a series of on-ground masterclasses. Existing Shopee sellers were also able to share their success stories on the platform, thus inspiring other MSMEs who are not yet on the platform to make the leap into the digital space. 

Shopee also launched a variety of new features to better help sellers succeed on the platform. Better tracking of inquiries and appeals via self-service portals on the Shopee Seller Center was rolled out, along with a new pricing calculator which helps sellers set profit margins. A new multi-warehouse feature for growing sellers to help them fulfill faster across the country was also introduced, along with self-collection spots for buyers to easily claim parcels. 

The online shopping experience made more meaningful

Shopee’s monthly big campaigns also continue to drum up excitement among Filipinos, and in 2022, these campaigns have led to more savings and growth for shoppers and sellers. For 9.9, local merchants saw a six-fold increase in items sold while Filipinos were keen to maximize the available deals, with one shopper saving as much as ₱200,000 for essential back-to-school items like a new laptop, laptop accessories, and desk accessories. For 11.11 and 12.12, local sellers saw a 4 times increase in sales versus a regular day, while shoppers got to enjoy ₱64 Million in savings for 12.12 alone. Filipinos also continue to get their essentials on Shopee, as Home & Living and Health & Personal goods were the leading categories for 9.9, 11.11, and 12.12. 

Alongside these campaigns are initiatives that make the Shopee experience even more meaningful. In time for 12.12, Shopee launched Pamaskong Pambata where users can purchase donation vouchers from Shopee’s partner charities to provide essentials for Filipino children and their families for Christmas. To celebrate Filipino entrepreneurs, Shopee Celebrates Local was also launched to give a spotlight to local sellers from Luzon, Visayas, and Mindanao, and showcased their popular products. 

Serving the underserved — wherever they are in the Philippines 

At the core of all these is Shopee’s mission: to better the lives of the underserved through technology. Alongside helping businesses and catering to the needs of shoppers, Shopee also ensures that it is able to create an impact on communities that need help the most. 

Through its umbrella CSR program, Shopee Bayanihan, more and more Filipinos are able to benefit from the power of technology wherever they are in the Philippines. Just recently, Barangay Punta-Baja in Rizal, Palawan received 1,200 school chairs for its public school while Barangay Pinagtung-ulan in San Jose, Batangas had their church renovated as part of the Barangay Shopee initiative. Through Shopee Bayanihan, Shopee was also able to deliver relief to disaster-stricken areas all over the Philippines that needed help the most – from Surigao, to Batangas, Cavite, Mandaue, Abra, and Sorsogon. 

Martin Yu, Director of Shopee Philippines, says, “The needs of our market and stakeholders are ever-changing, but our commitment to push for digital inclusion in the Philippines is constant. We want everyone to benefit from our platform — users, businesses, existing sellers on Shopee, and the communities that need immediate relief and help. It is an honor and our greatest pleasure to serve their needs, and this will continue to 2023 and beyond.” 

Download the Shopee app from leading app stores and follow Shopee Philippines on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, TikTok, and YouTube.

ADVT.