Introduction :
Tammy : Hi Ray and Hi everyone, this podcast is actually the part 2 of our Top products to sell online in the Philippines, in our part 1 topic it was actually more on giving ideas to entrepreneurs on what are the things to sell online, and I hope we’ve helped them with that, especially those who are planning to start their online business and who would like to enter the ecommerce world.
Ray : Hi Tammy, that’s right, we’re trying to give more information to our listeners about entering the ecommerce business and giving them ideas on why to start selling your products in the Philippines.
Tammy : I got a little information while doing research about this topic, that Entrepreneurs can expect more in the coming years as online shopping in the Philippines is expected to grow from 30 million users in 2018 to 53.8 million by 2022. Imagine how it grows in 4 years. I would like to share with you Ray and to our listeners regarding the lockdown here in the Philippines, the time it was lockdown, There’s this rule that only one person of the house can go out to buy essentials, whenever you need to buy medicines, groceries the queue are so long, it will take you about 3-4hrs to get inside the supermarket, no public transportations are allowed to travel. Anyway, to make the story short, we have an app here where people can post anything for sale or you can post if you’re looking for something. Example, food, facemask, sanitizers, etc. what i’ve noticed is that most of the people here are really into online buying and selling, there are a lot of people who open their own store thru instragram, facebook or any online platform, since there are a lot of buyers, people are starting to open their online shop. Of course, there are a lot more buyers than sellers. People think of that opportunity to open their own ecommerce store online. I also notice that, we usually have sales every month, like this month we have this 6.6 bounce back sale in Lazada, shoppee and Zalora. People waited for that day because its 10%-90% sale and a lot of freebies. What usually happens is, even if you don’t need it, you’ll buy for it because of the big amount of money you will save. That’s the other technique for your marketing, people here love sales! Who doesn’t? Even me. If there is a sale, I go for it.
Ray : Well, yes, who doesn’t love sale items? Actually I remember from the previous topic we discussed, you mentioned that there are a lot of people buying from online especially if the price is right.
Tammy : Yes Ray, that’s correct! Since lockdown here, a lot of people are buying facemasks, sanitizers, disinfectants, vitamins and things to protect themselves from the virus.
Ray : So do you think it is best to sell that in the Philippines?
Tammy : Yes, Ray, since those things are expensive here and they also check the quality if they like it, actually, of course, they will check first where it is made from before they buy, if the place is not reliable or the manufacturer is not reliable, they wouldn’t buy. So a lot of people are selling those but not all are reliable, so i must say, its still okay to sell those here.
Ray : other than those things, I remember you mentioned in our part 1 podcast, that electronics are the top 1 best sellers in the Philippines?
Tammy : Yes Ray, that’s correct. That’s what we are going to talk about in this part 2 podcast. 1. Things to sell here. 2. Your target market 3. How to enter the market.
Ray : That’s cool, i am so excited to hear that! Let’s start!
- Things to sell in the Philippines.
Tammy : Thanks Ray. First, let me start with the number 1, things to sell here – In part 1 podcast, I mentioned that electronics are the best thing to sell here, so i’m going to talk about that here in our part 2 podcast. It is an excellent opportunity for online sellers to strategize what are the best products that can be sold online. For those planning to venture into online retailing, online statistics portal Statista notes that the country’s largest segment is electronics and media.
Ray : Let me also add that, If you’re one of the many online merchants looking to enter the Philippine eCommerce market, it’s a good idea to start with the most popular product categories among Filipino online shoppers. Whichever product works well for the entrepreneur, online selling is a guaranteed approach in reaching thousands of customers.
Tammy : Yes Ray, and what are those most popular products? Since the market is huge, i’ll mention the top 3 in this podcast. But we’re only going to discuss only the first one :
- Consumer Electronics
- Fashion
- Personal Care (aka Health and Beauty)
For today’s podcast, let’s just focus on Consumer Electronics, that Gadgets & Electronics are the top eCommerce product category in the Philippines. Since a lot of people are using gadgets these days, they would also like to be always on trend, new launch gadgets? Of course, everyone wants to have it! Buying it online? Yes, it’s less hassle and sometimes, best sale price or lets say, it is cheaper online than on the store itself. Even it is accessible in physical shops, buyers prefer to buy through online sites because they can scan through the best offers and prices.
Ray : Electronics must be a huge market now, since there are a lot of brands coming from everywhere. Think of your own new technology. Yes, the technology is improving each year, lets say, there are basic filtered masks that can be bought online, what makes your mask different from the others? Yours can be a rechargeable facemask with exhaust.
Tammy : Yes, that’s a good example Ray, when we say electronics, not only gadgets or media, it can also be things like that. There are a lot of electronics, let me mention a few, like the e-cigarette, not sure how that works but i’ve heard that kind of electronics. Smart watches that can track your heartbeat, how many steps you walk or wireless earphones. There are manufacturers of those things that you can put your own brand on.
Ray : Oh Yeah, search and plan the best electronics things you want to sell, go find a manufacturer that allows you to put your own brand and sell them online.
Tammy : Yes Ray! Check the lowest price, good quality and allow you to make your brand. Put your own logo, register your trademark and sell them to your target market.
2. Your Target Market
Ray : Who will be your target market?
Tammy : Well, Many businesses say they target “anyone interested in their services.” Some say they target small-business owners, homeowners, or stay-at-home moms. All of these targets are too general. No one can afford to target everyone.
in this podcast, where only to give you ideas about your target market, it will still be up to you who your target market are.
Ray : Targeting a specific market does not mean that you are excluding people who do not fit your criteria. Rather, target marketing allows you to focus your marketing dollars and brand message on a specific market that is more likely to buy from you than other markets. This is a much more affordable, efficient, and effective way to reach potential clients and generate business.
Tammy : Yes I agree with you. The market is huge and sometimes unexplainable. Everyone can be your target market these days. Now, since you have your target market, but lets say your target market is the ASEAN countries. what do we do next?
3. How to enter your target market
Tammy : With a clearly defined target audience, it is much easier to determine where and how to market your company. Here are some tips to help you define your target market.
- Look at your current customer base.
- Check out your competition.
- Analyze your product/service.
- Choose specific demographics to target. (age, location etc )
- Evaluate your decision. (Will my target really benefit from my product/service? Will they see a need for it?)
Ray : Defining your target market is the hard part. Once you know who you are targeting, it is much easier to figure out which media you can use to reach them and what marketing messages will resonate with them. Instead of sending direct mail to everyone in your ZIP code, you can send it only to those who fit your criteria. Save money and get a better return on investment by defining your target audience.
Tammy : Just remember that all businesses are unique, you should also think of your own uniqueness so that people will love your shop easily. Good luck everyone!
Ray : From branding, trademark or own logo, make it unique! Message us for going branding your own business today! Thanks Tammy!
Tammy : Thanks Ray and to our listeners.