Lazada sellers back online as customers tap to new normal

MANILA -- Online marketplace Lazada said Monday a "majority" of its sellers in the Philippines are back online, reflecting how small and medium enterprises have begun to reboot from the COVID-19 pandemic.

Ahead of the last day of the lockdown in Metro Manila and other urban areas on May 15, SMEs and those involved in the logistics chain have secured rapid passes to move around, Lazada Philippines COO Carlos Barrera said.

"More and more people are coming online. People are shopping from home. They value convenience," he said.




From food and essentials, looser restrictions elsewhere allowed Lazada to offer more products such as office supplies and hardware, Barrera told ANC's Market Edge.

Lazada is "ready" for the new normal in e-commerce in coordination with trade authorities on which products can be delivered, he said.

There's also a "very good recovery" on the customer side, he said.

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Online selling platform aims to help maximize business profits

Our wallets may be a bit slimmer, but our hearts are definitely fuller, especially after having spent the holiday season with loved ones, sharing gifts and making beautiful memories. 

Now, as you gear up for the New Year, it's time to write down your resolutions and put into action your plans for 2019. 

For some, it's nurturing a healthier mindset and achieving work-life balance. For others, it's increasing their income and becoming more financially stable and independent through business. And there's no greater time than now to become an entrepreneur as there are so many opportunities to start your own enterprise. 

By using the right tools, you don't have to spend too much on setting up your business as you can take more conservative steps and bringing your goods and services to the digital sphere as an online seller. 

Introducing, CheckMeOut. It's the perfect partner for you as it takes care of all your payments and delivery needs through its easy-to-use platform. 

Here's how CheckMeOut can help you build your online business and maximize your sales.

1. For many budding entrepreneurs, online selling becomes the ideal option as the market is dynamic and accessible.

CheckMeOut fits into your want for flexibility as it’s a platform that you can easily access from your phone and laptop - and it's absolutely free.

Simply register online on the CheckMeOut website, and you can start selling immediately.

2. When it comes to your items, there's no limit to what you can offer. From brand-new to preloved items, to knick-knacks, clothes and beyond – you can sell anything and everything online.

CheckMeOut also gives you links that you can share via social media networks and chat apps, allowing your store to operate 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.

3. Not only does CheckMeOut offer ease and efficiency as a tool, it presents buyers with convenience and security, making several payment options available such as cash on delivery (COD), credit card and online banking. CheckMeOut allows you to offer these options for free.

4. With CheckMeOut, you can sell and coordinate deliveries with ease, shipping your packages safely across the country.

CheckMeOut also offers free pickup of items for deliveries and includes insurance and flat national delivery rates for buyers. Now you can boost your business and build a relationship based on trust with your customers. 

5. Futurepreneurs also don't have to worry about overcoming the learning curve of business as CheckMeOut assists sellers through its Axxelerate program. 

This program not only teaches you how to run your business, it also brings buyers and sellers together to create a friendly and positive community. 

CheckMeOut's Axxelerate even hosts unique opportunities for entrepreneurs like the CheckMeOut Sellerfest Bazaar.

In 2019, take that crucial first step and become an online entrepreneur now with CheckMeOut.

Register and get your FREE account on www.checkmeout.ph.

NOTE: BrandNews articles are promotional features from our sponsors and not news articles from our editorial staff.

source: news.abs-cbn.com

Xiaomi back in Philippines with phone under P5,000

MANILA - Xiaomi, the world's fourth largest smartphone vendor, is back in the Philippines after a two-year absence, launching on Tuesday twin handsets that challenge its fellow Chinese competitors in terms of price.

The near bezel-less Redmi 5 Plus is priced at P9,990 while the Redmi 5A costs P4,590. Both will be available this week, ahead of rival Huawei's Nova 2 Lite, also priced at P9,990.

Since Xiaomi left the Philippines in 2016, Chinese brands like Huawei, Oppo and Vivo have flooded the market with bang-for-buck handsets, challenging Apple and Samsung.

The company is "building confidence" among Filipino consumers, said Xiaomi overseas business development manager John Chen.

Since February, Xiaomi opened 2 stores in the capital and plans to open 3 more, including one in Cebu and another in Davao, Chen said.

"If you look at the Philippines market, there's still a lot of vibrance," Chen said, adding Filipinos still bought Xiaomi products from the grey market while there were no official stores.

Xiaomi was ahead of Samsung and Apple with near bezel-less screens with the glass and ceramic Mi Mix from 2016.

Chen said that Xiaomi left the Philippines 2 years ago because the company expanded too fast and saw its resources spread too thin. 

Xiaomi, which built a following in China by selling online affordable phones with above-average specs, had only around a thousand employees then. 

Since leaving the Philippines, Xiaomi focused on fast-growing markets like India where it quickly rose to the top, Chen said.

With its current workforce of 10,000, Xiaomi is looking to increase its market share in the Philippines and the rest of Southeast Asia, he said.

source: news.abs-cbn.com

Seal for online selling sites being developed

MANILA, Philippines - The Digital Commerce Association of the Philippines (DCOM) and the Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) are coming up with a seal to be placed on online selling sites which comply with certain rules covering service given to consumers in line with the promotion of growth of e (electronic)-commerce transactions.

DCOM president Jack Madrid said during the DCOM Summit 2013 yesterday that the group is currently in discussions with the DTI on a seal to be placed on online selling sites based on certain criteria.

“We are just collaborating on a self-regulating seal with agreed on criteria for what we call DCOM seal that will be approved by the DTI to certify (the site) is compliant to code of ethics,” he said.

For an online site to be given a DCOM seal, it has to be able to respond to consumers’ queries or concerns, make the buying or selling process easier as well comply with other rules to be set by the DCOM and the DTI.

Madrid said the group is ready to present to the DTI its proposed seal and criteria.

“The purpose of the seal is to establish a seal of protection to provide reassurance to customers that we are able to self-police our members,” he said.

For his part, Trade secretary Gregory Domingo told reporters the seal as well as consolidated criteria for the grant of such, will be ready within the first-half of the year.

The plan, he said, supports the government’s promotion of the growth of e-commerce transactions in the country.

“We are promoting the use of trust marks for online business. A trust mark is akin to a good housekeeping seal to increase the consumer level of confidence transacting in an e-commerce site,” he said.

He said there is no better time than now to engage in e-commerce in the Philippines given the country’s strong economic performance.

“We share the industry’s goal of moving e-commerce forward and taking it to the next level. We therefore encourage industry to police its own ranks,” he said.

He noted that ideally, consumer complaints should be dealt with by online selling platforms within 48 hours to avoid massive fraud and allow the industry to grow.

Madrid estimates that the country has at least 10,000 e-commerce transactions per day.

The DCOM groups 50 firms in the e-commerce industry.

source: abs-cbnnews.com