Lazada Philippines becomes all things to all e-shoppers

Customers are buying both cheap groceries and expensive jewellery online.

More Filipinos are buying high-value items online such as video cards worth as much as $2,000, showing their growing trust in e-commerce platforms like Lazada. 

Policies such as money-back guarantee, return and refund, and an assurance that they are getting the real deal are all pushing them to buy expensive products on the online platform, Alvin Ching, senior vice president and head of Buyer Operations at Lazada Philippines, told Retail Asia. 

More e-shoppers are also buying groceries on Lazada instead of enduring long queues at physical supermarkets. 

Ching also noted how users are now using their app to search for new products. “It is interesting because the app is now being used to discover products rather than search engines,” he pointed out. 

The Philippine e-commerce market is projected to hit $14.66b this year and grow 11.3% annually through 2029 to $25.01b, according to German business intelligence platform Statista. Most revenue is generated in China. 

People can now order just about anything online, including antique furniture, precious jewellery, CPUs, and expensive computer components that used to be only available in person and required a great deal of management and expertise to ship. 

Ching said Lazada strives to make sure that consumers are supported throughout the entire process, from product discovery to after-sales service, using technology that ensures the end-to-end process is delivered seamlessly. 

“We provide a lot of support to our consumers, particularly in the discovery part, because this is where they are trying to understand what would work for them and what would respond to their needs,” he said. 

He cited the app’s virtual try-on tool as an example. The technology allows makeup buyers to know what shade will suit them best through augmented reality. 

There is also livestreaming, which helps buyers imagine how a clothing piece would look on them by interacting with a presenter, Ching said. 

“They can explain to consumers in real time how the product feels and works, and that helps with buyer satisfaction,” he added. 

Ching said it is a challenge for Lazada to exceed the expectations of their customers especially with policies such as 30-day returns or change of mind, which are available to LazMall and LazChoice items. 

“How then do we level up from that?” 

He said the challenge of giving the best experience at the best price is not just a matter of expanding operations and reaching more customers. 

“Our goal is for the Philippines to be less discount-driven and more centred on delivering exceptional value,” Ching said. 

“It will require a balanced approach, but I believe we can meet rising consumer expectations whilst upholding our commitment to high-quality, value-for-money products,” he added.