By Espie Angelica A. de Leon
E-commerce firm Lazada is once again whetting the appetite of shoppers and sellers alike in the Philippines as it kicked off this year?s ?Lazada Online Revolution ? Shop the Universe,? which is claimed to be the biggest online shopping event in Southeast Asia with more than 28 million local and international products up for grabs and expected to draw 150 million visits.
Officially launched on Nov. 6 at the Manila House Private Club in Bonifacio Global City, Lazada Online Revolution?s mega sale begins at 12 midnight on November 9 and closes on November 11. This will be followed by the Christmas sale from December 7 ? 12.
Huge discounts on a wide array of products from leading brands will be in store at one of the most visited websites in the country. These include smartphones and electronics, apparel and fashion accessories, baby items, food, health and beauty products, appliances, and others.
More items will be on sale during Alibaba?s Singles? Day Sale on November 11 featuring the Taobao Collection which Lazada recently launched. The Taobao Collection is the largest e-commerce in the world with 1.6 billion items in its product line.
?The Philippines used to be the SMS capital of the world. Today Philippines is number 1 in Facebook penetration,? said Lazada co-founder and CEO Inanc Balci.
?So where is it going? In my opinion, it?s going e-commerce. I believe that Philippines is going to be number 1 in Southeast Asia.?
Lazada Online Revolution will also be offering 11 Peso Deals, flash sales every two hours, exclusive launches up to 95% off, raffle prizes, and free trips courtesy of Philippine Airlines and Star Cruises.
To de-stress bargain hunters and lend more excitement to their online shopping experience, Lazada?s newest collaboration with Voyager Innovations? free Internet platform Freenet entitles Lazada mobile app users to browse and shop without incurring data consumption charges.
Revealing that it is his personal challenge to make the Philippines one of the top e-commerce countries in the world, Balci said that e-commerce allows local industries to become more efficient despite the huge traffic problem in the metro and thus contributes to a better economy.
?Lazada is the biggest entrepreneurial opportunity in the country at the moment,? he said.
It levels the playing field for one. ?Even if you?re an SME or you are the largest corporation in the Philippines,? said Balci, ?you pay the same fees, you are exposed to the same resources, and for the first time, you can compete as good as it gets.?
He added, ?We believe that campaigns such as Online Revolution will someday set the Philippines to be the online shopping capital of not only Southeast Asia but also the world.?
In 2017, Lazada in the Philippines grew from P5 million to P28 million. It added new categories and brands in its product line such as Nike, Oreo, Giordano, and Drypers among others.
It also launched its Cash on Delivery payment system as well as its Lazada Wallet for electronic payments in the country.
