“Shopping is cheaper than therapy—and more fun”
Sometimes the best things in life are purchased. I’m pretty sure you know what I mean especially if it’s finally payday and you have the money to purchase from your favorite online shopping platform. Did you know that the Philippines is the third-largest eCommerce market in the region? The United States has $22.95 billion in revenue which is similar to their neighboring countries. The Philippines represents a great opportunity for business looking to expand into Asian markets—with cross-border selling still being fairly-free and loosely regulated–without significant barriers to entry nor high import taxes as well as the country’s openness to foreign brands.
Here are the top five online shopping apps love by Pinoys:
Shopee PH
Shopee continues to dominate as the leading B2C eCommerce platform in the country, boasting nearly thirty million more visits than Lazada. What’s even more impressive is that the Shopee brand gained significant popularity shortly after its 2015 launch, positioning itself against Lazada in nearly every major Southeast Asian market. Initially starting as a C2C platform, the Singapore-based eCommerce giant has now become synonymous with B2C offerings in the eyes of its many customers across Southeast Asia.
Lazada PH
Supporting consumer-to-consumer (C2C), business-to-consumer (B2C), cross-border, and flagship brand sellers. One of Lazada’s key strengths is its advanced logistics capabilities, which provide same-day and next-day delivery in numerous urban areas. The company is in the process of expanding its network, with new warehouses creating fresh opportunities across the nation. Similar to Shopee, Lazada offers products across a wide range of categories. In the Philippines, the fashion segment is the most popular among these categories.
Carousell
Carousell has become the second-largest marketplace in Singapore and stands out as a key competitor in Southeast Asia, functioning in several countries throughout the region. Initially launched as a classified ads platform primarily for electronic gadgets, it has transformed into a marketplace that facilitates both consumer-to-consumer and business-to-consumer transactions, providing a wide range of items from fashion and beauty goods to both new and pre-owned cars, as well as real estate.
Zalora
This well-known e-commerce application is a fashion and beauty retailer based in Singapore. The site stands out as one of only three in the nation to attract over a million visits each month. Zalora features an impressive selection of more than 50,000 items, including both established global brands and emerging labels from the Philippines. This strategy is part of Zalora’s ongoing efforts in every market where it operates, promoting internationally recognized products while also elevating the presence of local brands.
Temu PH
Temu made its entry into the Philippine market in August 2023, emphasizing the sale of extremely low-priced products. As a sister company of Pinduoduo, which ranks as the third largest online marketplace in China, Temu is certainly one of the cross-border eCommerce platforms to watch in the coming months. Shortly after its launch in the Philippines, it expanded to Malaysia, and Temu is expected to pursue further regional growth.
The Philippines and the rest of the countries in Southeast Asia is home to some of the biggest mobile and social media users on the planet. The country’s explosive economic growth in recent days has translated into huge opportunities for the industry.
Don’t be fooled, it’s not that easy. Entering the market is never an easy task. Knowing your target market is important, which makes you ask the question on what is suitable for the population and what will benefit them in the end. There are many ethical considerations that we must consider in building a business and buying as a consumer.
