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New e-commerce platform Shoppedia is eyeing to onboard around 1 million users by September, one of the first major milestones in the company’s roadmap in becoming the top marketplace platform in the country.
Shoppedia chief executive officer Neil La-As told the Inquirer last week that they have over 10,000 registered users in their website to date, a number he said that is expected to be significantly bumped up when they officially launch their app around September.
“In Shoppedia, what you see is what you get,” he said during the company’s event at the Manila Heritage Hotel where the company previewed the latest version of their app.
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La-as, which touts his company as 100 percent Filipino-owned, expressed their commitment to thoroughly screen each merchant partner to avoid the peddling of fake goods in their online platform.
“Every merchant in Shoppedia undergoes a rigorous vetting process, ensuring that our valid consumers receive genuine products and true value for their hard-earned money,” La-As said in his speech at the event.
“No more counterfeit goods, no more shady sellers, just pure, unadulterated, pure Filipino quality,” he added.
He added that they also have an around-the-clock customer service staff available to answer consumer complaints and other concerns.
“Shoppedia offers 24/7 access to live agents ready to assist with any question or concern,” La-as said, adding that they are aiming to make the customer experience in their platform to be seamless, stress-free and enjoyable.
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When asked how they plan to deal with the high level of competition and market saturation in the e-commerce industry, La-as said that there is always room for more competition.
“At the end of the day, competition is healthy. At the end of the day, people need to choose,” he said.
The Philippines’ internet economy was valued at $7.5 billion in 2020, a figure projected to grow around five times to $35 billion by 2025, according to a 2023 study done by Google, Temasek and Bain & Company.
The same study reported that e-commerce, food delivery and video-on-demand were the top three growth drivers of the Philippines’ internet economy.