By Victoria “NIKE” De Dios
With more than 50 percent of the MSMEs have closed down, around 5-10 million jobs are lost last 2020.
Having said this, it is undeniable that the global pandemic has significantly changed the way retailers promote and sell their products. With more Filipinos using digital platforms and transitioning to cashless transactions, businesses need to quickly adapt in order to gain and maintain customer loyalty.
As the Philippine government recognizes the increasing importance of e-commerce in the country, the Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) recently updated its e-commerce roadmap and highlighted speed, security, and infrastructure as the three main pillars to drive industry development, long-term employment, and inclusive growth. The updated DTI e-commerce roadmap features the key timelines in 2021 that will contribute to the growth that the industry is currently experiencing, and mentions major players in the Philippine e-commerce architecture. It also outlines the integral role that online platforms like Shopee, the leading e-commerce platform in Southeast Asia and Taiwan, and Shopee’s mobile wallet, ShopeePay, play in encouraging Filipinos to slowly embrace digital transactions.
Martin Yu, Director at Shopee Philippines, said, “Shopee continues to evolve and grow as a company not only for our consumers but also for our business partners, such as brands and MSMEs. They are integral to our business and we will continue to support them through various initiatives, partnerships, and in-app innovations. As e-commerce continues to grow at an unprecedented pace, we want to equip our partners with the right tools to serve Filipinos with ease.”
Shopee’s goals and initiatives to support brands and micro, small and medium enterprises (MSMEs) on their digital journey are in line with DTI’s e-commerce roadmap strategies. This formula is something Shopee can readily provide to brands and MSMEs, to help them succeed in the digital space. Shopee makes it simpler and easier for brands and MSMEs to adjust to the new DTI e-commerce roadmap with its current ecosystem. With its marketing and logistics tools, mobile features for both sellers and consumers, and digitalization efforts, Shopee gives all its users a smooth online shopping and selling experience.
Shopee also continues to form partnerships with other organizations to offer initiatives to encourage brands and MSMEs to go digital. These include the recent TatakPinoy Virtual Trade Fair, seller masterclasses that offer training to allow MSMEs to on-board easily on the platform, and the launch of new in-app features within Shopee Live, such as co-streaming. All these opportunities are created to help brands and MSMEs broaden their market audience, and embrace digitalization as a whole.
Yu adds, “Shopee is encouraged to see DTI moving swiftly to set the direction of growth for the industry, this helps to ensure that everyone stands to benefit from e-commerce in the long run. As a leading player in the industry, we’ll do our part to support DTI’s efforts and support businesses.”
Download the Shopee app for free via the App Store or Google Play.
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