Shopee sellers share the digital tools and features which help them thrive online

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These Cebu entrepreneurs prove that digitizing their business is seamless with Shopee

With its commitment to helping online businesses start, scale, and succeed, Shopee continuously innovates its platform to enable them to reach new customers and provide them with the tools needed in order to make their venture into e-commerce as seamless as possible– wherever they are in the Philippines. 

Driven by this goal, Shopee recently held the second iteration of the Shopee University Roadshow and Shopee Kumustahan in Mandaue City, Cebu—two events designed to support MSMEs through expert-led learning sessions, as well as discussions with Shopee sellers, who successfully grew their businesses on the platform.

Martin Yu, Director at Shopee Philippines, said “With consumers’ changing needs and shopping behavior, it is important that we provide our sellers with the necessary tools to help them adapt and thrive in the e-commerce space. We are committed to helping each of our sellers find success on our platform through our seller engagement events, newly developed tools, monthly campaigns, and more.”

In line with this, Cebu-based sellers Azela Taladua, Jimmy Martinez, and Hilaire Labalan, shared how they found success on Shopee.

E-commerce 101 anytime, anywhere via the Seller Education Hub

Azela Taladua of BigGrocer Food and Grocery, went from having zero knowledge on e-commerce to efficiently running their online business with the help of the Shopee Seller Education Hub. “I was hired by BigGrocer to oversee their e-commerce channels, even though I did not have any background in this field. The different tools readily available on the Seller Education Hub, like Business Insights, made it easy for me to learn how to effectively manage our online operations,” shared Azela.

The Seller Education Hub is one of the many learning resources that Shopee makes available to digital entrepreneurs to help them find success online. It contains webinars and courses, available in both English and Tagalog, designed to cater to the needs of all kinds of sellers – whether they’re starting out, leveling up, or scaling up. 

Building Relationships and Reputation via Shopee Live and Live Chat

In Sweet J&J's Jimmy Martinez enjoys engaging with customers, and was able to grow their online business by using the different tools available on Shopee Live. “Hosting Shopee Livestream sessions has been crucial in helping us maintain relationships with our customers. Through our livestreams, we’re not only able to interact and engage with customers directly, but we’re also able to attract even more customers online,” Jimmy shared. Shopee Live features such as the Livestream Flash Sale, Audio and Video Calls, and more, help shops like In Sweet J&J increase engagement and establish connections with users.

Jimmy also mentions that thanks to Shopee’s Live Chat feature, In Sweet J&J were able to develop good customer service and build strong relationships with their customers. “With Live Chat, we’re able to assure our customers that our products are of high quality, and that their orders are in safe and trusted hands.”

Boosting Visibility and Sales with Big Campaigns

In addition to the features and tools readily available to local sellers, Shopee’s monthly campaigns and sales have also been pivotal to the growth of these businesses. In the recently held 9.9 Super Shopping Day, local sellers saw a 6x uplift in items sold along with 87M views on Shopee Live.

For Hilaire Labalan, a 20-year old student and the founder of Ithra Jewelry, participating in the various sales and offering discounts and vouchers has enabled her to attract new customers each month. “From starting out with five weekly customers, we now have around 200. Joining the monthly sales and offering discounts and promotions has enabled us to grow our customer base and generate even more sales for the business,” shared Hilaire.

For those who want to venture into an online business, Shopee is here to kickstart your online selling journey today. Download the Shopee app for free via the App Store or Google Play.

 

Shopee expands hubs in Visayas to deliver a better shopping experience to Filipinos

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Cebuano shoppers can now enjoy faster delivery and better deals. Hear about the highlights of their e-commerce journey with Shopee.

For many Filipinos, online shopping has become an integral part of their daily lives, as they continue to enjoy the numerous benefits of e-commerce. 

Shopee, the leading e-commerce platform in Southeast Asia and Taiwan, recently launched a slew of initiatives with the aim of bringing a fun and seamless online shopping experience to even more Filipinos across the country. Part of Shopee’s efforts includes the continued expansion of its Shopee Xpress hubs across the Visayas region. By establishing more hubs in Cebu City, Bogo, Moalboal, and other areas in Visayas, Shopee has expanded its serviceable areas, allowing Visayan shoppers to enjoy a wider product assortment, as well as faster and cheaper delivery.

Through this expansion, Shopee was also able to introduce Visayas Barato Deals—special offers, shipping discounts, and more promos exclusively for Bisaya shoppers, in line with the launch of its 6.6-7.7 Mid-Year Sale. “We have always believed in the transformative power of technology to connect buyers and sellers within the community, no matter where they are. By expanding our serviceable areas within the Visayas region, we aim to give our Visayan shoppers a seamless online shopping experience at Shopee, as we go through every step of this exciting e-commerce journey together,” shared Martin Yu, Director at Shopee Philippines.

In line with these efforts to improve the overall online shopping experience for Filipinos across the country, four Cebuano shoppers shared about the benefits they’ve enjoyed throughout their e-commerce journey with Shopee.

A rewarding shopping experience that offers great value for money

Grashelle, 35, became an online shopper when she found out she was pregnant. As an expectant mother, online shopping made things more convenient, and with Shopee, she was able to get the best deals. “Cebuanos like myself generally look for products that offer the best value for money. With its lower shipping fees, cheaper prices, and wide variety of products, Shopee has become my e-commerce platform of choice. Compared to when I first started shopping on Shopee, I noticed that shipping in Cebu has gotten faster, and that makes everything even more convenient.”

Online shopping made easy and fun

With his tight schedule as a physical therapist, Vincent, 27, needed an easier way to shop, and that’s when he discovered Shopee. “Once I got the hang of using the Shopee app, everything else followed. Apart from shopping, I got hooked on the games, especially Shopee Bubble and Shopee Candy. Shopee not only gives me a convenient way to shop, it’s also a fun in-app experience with all the games, flash deals, and more.”

Patricia, 26, started shopping online in 2017 after hearing about all its benefits from her friends, and she has been a Shopee user ever since. From pet care needs to fashion finds, she always has a great time shopping on Shopee. “My favorite part about Shopee is the excitement you get when you’re waiting for your parcel. I check the status of my order every day because I love the feeling of anticipation when waiting for my Shopee parcel to arrive. It’s also fun to window shop online, and add items to my cart that I can’t wait to check out.”

Bigger discounts and better deals on Double Day sales

As an enthusiast of custom PC building, Ernest, 19, purchases all his PC parts and tech needs on Shopee. Since most of his orders are electronics, he often shops during the Double Day sales so he can get bigger discounts and exclusive vouchers. “With the upcoming 7.7 Mid-Year Sale, I’m looking forward to the lower shipping fees in Visayas, since it used to be more expensive in Cebu. I’ve always been a big Shopee fan and with my experience through the years, I’ve been able to find everything I need and save more with Shopee’s deals and offers.”

Don’t miss exclusive shipping discounts, 10% off vouchers, ₱66 and ₱77 deals, and more at Shopee’s 6.6-7.7 Mid-Year Sale!

The First-ever SO SHOP! A Social Sellers Bazaar Empowered by LBC

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Leading logistics company LBC Express Inc. held Shopping and Learning in One: First-ever So Shop! Bazaar brings hundreds of online sellers together last October 5 at Function Room 4, SMX Convention Center, Mall of Asia, Pasay City. 

In its effort to empower online business owners, as the So Shop! Bazaar,  LBC highlights commitment to empowering MSME's.

More and more Filipinos are starting to venture into micro, small and medium enterprises nowadays. With technology, anyone can be an entrepreneur and it has served as one of the personal goals for a lot of us - from fresh grads to millennials to retirees. However, starting your own online business may be a daunting task but with the right support, succeeding in it is not a farfetched dream.

The bazaar brought together over 100 online business owners, thousands of shoppers, industry speakers, and influencers in one venue, making it both a shopping and learning experience in one. It also gave social sellers the opportunity to meet and connect with their customers in person, showcase their products, and transact using LBC's Cash on Pick-up (COP) and Cash on Delivery (COD) services.

"With more and more Filipinos setting up their businesses online, we at LBC, believe that it's high time to bring online businesses together, in one venue, and get to interact with their buyers live. "

"So Shop! is our commitment to empowering micro, small, and medium enterprises in the country," said Oliver C. Valentin, Executive Vice President and Chief Operating Officer for Philippine Branch Operations of LBC Express Inc.

LBC's COP and COD services are designed to make online purchasing easier and more convenient for shoppers. With COP, LBC's over 1,400 branches can serve as pick-up points for buyers to get the products they bought online while COD allows them to get it right at their doorstep.

So! Shop for all your lifestyle must-haves

Featuring diverse products from over a hundred booths, So Shop! became a haven for a weekend to shopping enthusiasts and people with various interests.

For techies and gadget lovers, online gadget stores such as Kimstore, Juan Gadget, Droud Hero, and JBL Store PH provided exclusive deals and discounts. Beauty and makeup fans went gaga over the vanous shops from Korean and Japanese beauty brands to sustainable beauty products.

Those who love customized lifestyle pieces were also able to see their favorite online shops making it a perfect venue to shop for personalized gifts including travel sets, accessories, and oven kitchen wares. Moms who were on the lookout for early Christmas gifts brought home items that are perfect for the whole family.

So Shop! also treated the shoppers to a host of surprises including Mystery Box gifts from participating social sellers and gadgets raffled off by LBC.

Growing one's online business

Aside from the shopping experience, business owners and aspiring entrepreneurs also learned from a lineup of industry speakers, business owners, and influencers who gave talks on topics relevant to growing their business

Facebook Philippines Head of Agency Liam Capati showcased the power of Facebook ads and how it can help businesses reach their customers especially at a time when cutting through the clutter in the online space is crucial. Canva Community Team Lead Gladys Lacorte emphasized the importance of  having visually appealing social media pages through designs that represent a business personality.

Creative Boss Founder Rachell Araja-De Luna knows very well why a website is a must-have to an online business, with it being a repository of one's products online. Through her talk "DIY Your Dream Website," Araja-De Luna discussed the simple ways a budding entrepreneur can create a website without breaking the bank. The power of online communities cannot be dismissed too-this is what PLDT Vice-President for Digital Strategy and Consumer Disruptive Business Carlo Ople highlighted in his talk. Ople shared why businesses should be present on the digital space and how to effectively tap online communities to reach a specific target market.

Not only was So Shop! a learning-filled experience, it was inspiring too with panel discussions and success stories that moved the audience.

Celebrity mom, wife, and entrepreneur Neri Miranda talked about her businesses and her role as a homemaker. Miranda, owning multiple businesses including Neri's Gourmet Tuyo, online bedding and accessories store. Very Neri, and an events place in Tagaytay called Neri's Not So Secret Garden, gave mompreneurs tips on how to juggle it all. 

Content creator Wil Dasovich, who owns online merch store MerchBy alongside other influencer friends, shared how he remained authentic throughout the years of being a known digital personality. Dasovich also sold products at his MerchBy booth at So Shop!

A panel discussion on the social impact of online businesses featured Jamico Jamlang, founder of sustainable businesses The Bamboo Company and Chesca De Mesa, co-founder and managing director of Refuse PH. Joining them was Havas Media Ortega Head of Data and Analytics Phil Tiongson who gave the audience a glimpse of Havas' global study centering around consumers mindful consumption.

Women entrepreneurs also took center stage with Kimstore Founder Kim Lato and Neon Island Founders Alyssa Gibbs and Aira Medina. They shared what it's like starting and growing a business, as women, and how they overcame the challenges that came with it.

Hosted by 101.1 Yes FM DJ Rico Panyero and Love Radio DJ Raqi Terra, So Shop! was not just a star-studded bazaar but one that has taught online business owners new techniques to move their businesses forward.

Javier Mantecon, Chief Marketing Officer of LBC Express-Global Marketing, reiterated the company's commitment to move lives, including those of the social sellers. "As the e-commerce community continues to grow, LBC remains your partner. We hope that this is just the beginning of our long partnership. We want to help you take that move, wherever that may be."