Shopee assists MSMEs in their e-commerce journey

As society becomes more digitalized, e-commerce plays a significant role in helping groom and grow entrepreneurs who can meet the needs of consumers. More people in the region are coming online, and this number is expected to reach around 380 million by 2026^[1]. In order to help brands and MSMEs establish and strengthen their online presence, Shopee, the leading e-commerce platform in Southeast Asia and Taiwan, focuses on developing a strong support ecosystem that makes it simple for them to launch and grow their online business. 

 

This includes enhanced marketing tools, knowledge sharing and upskilling, as well as sustained guidance from Shopee, to help business owners tap into various markets, increase their monthly average sales, and achieve notable e-commerce growth as a whole. 

 

Shopee Seller Education 

Shopee provides the necessary support and seminars to equip aspiring entrepreneurs with the e-commerce knowledge they need to succeed. Just this year, Shopee launched its first Shopee University Summit where industry leaders, successful online sellers, and top brands shared their expertise to help sellers understand the basics of e-commerce and how they can maximize the potential of e-commerce and succeed in growing their business online. The second summit also proved to be a success with 35,000 online viewers. During the summit, participants learned about developing the correct business branding, product photography skills, and leveraging Shopee tools and social media platforms to promote their businesses.  

 

Shopee sellers can also access Shopee’s Seller Education Hub (https://seller.shopee.ph/edu/home) where they can take helpful e-commerce courses, participate in informative webinars, and read articles about shop management, product listings, operation improvements, and other business matters. 

 

All-Around Support from Relationship Managers

In addition to marketing tools readily available for use within the app, Shopee also provides MSMEs with constant guidance on how they can improve and grow their business through highly-trained relationship managers (RMs). To fully support a seller’s growth, RMs push for excellent service and tend to the seller’s inquiries, and sometimes going out of their way to cater to the seller’s e-commerce needs.

 

Kriszel of M A R E Clothing said that their relationship manager helped them greatly, even encouraging them to join big campaigns to grow their business more. “Our relationship manager was very helpful all throughout our Shopee journey. During big campaigns, we were given ample exposure on in-app features like Shopee Feed. Last 10.10, we earned more than 2,000 followers thanks to Shopee’s feature Feed Freebies. We are very grateful for the guidance we received and it is a big factor in our shop’s success.”

 

Campaigns that Meet Consumer Demand

In addition, Shopee also supports its sellers through big campaigns as local MSMEs stand to benefit from the increased traffic to supercharge their business growth and scale their online presence. Throughout the region, sellers who participated at the recent 9.9 Super Shopping Day recorded 8X more orders compared to an average day, and this coming  11.11 - 12.12 Big Christmas Sale, Shopee continues to provide sellers with marketing tools to further drive sales. The 11.11 - 12.12 Big Christmas Sale is happening until December 12, 2021, and serves as an opportunity for sellers to provide consumers with promos that include ₱1 deals, free shipping with no minimum spend, and 10% off daily vouchers. 

 

Digital Payment Options with ShopeePay

As digital payments become more integrated into the daily lives of consumers, ShopeePay serves as a multi-functional tool for all their payment needs while providing rewards and safe transactions. Through Shopee’s year-end campaigns like the 11.11-12.12 Big Christmas Sale, ShopeePay will continue to drive greater adoption of digital payments amongst shoppers and merchants, bringing ShopeePay users greater convenience and value while helping businesses access more opportunities in the digital economy.

 

Martin Yu, Director at Shopee Philippines, said, “To grow in e-commerce, brands and businesses need to be committed to their journey and here at Shopee, we ensure that we are here to guide and support them all throughout. This is why we designed our ecosystem to be end to end: onboarding, training, and scaling their business to meet the demands of their customers. The needs of our stakeholders are ever-changing, and this is why we need to keep evolving.”

 

For more information about Shopee 11.11-12.12 Big Christmas Sale, visit https://shopee.ph/m/christmas-sale.

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^[1] The Home For Digital Transformation

Public encouraged to ‘buy local’ to support small biz owners

The considerable resources of the Association of the Filipino Franchisers Inc. (AFFI), the Department of Trade and Industry (DTI), Go Negosyo, SM Foundation, Security Bank, and Union Bank are being brought to bear in efforts to jumpstart a languid economy stalled by the effects of the three-month long coronavirus lockdown.

The multi-sectoral group is raising awareness on the plight of millions of Micro Enterprises and Small and Mid-Sized Enterprises – collectively, the MSMEs – in the hopes of coaxing the buying public into increased patronage.

The group has thrown together a campaign called BUYANIHAN; a creative juxtaposition of the word buy and the local idiom bayanihan, referring to a spirit of communal unity and cooperation, as an economic lifeline.

Though deadly and extensive, the pandemic is not isolated on the health-front.

When the enhanced community quarantine (ECQ) was invoked throughout Luzon, establishments providing basic necessities and services were deemed essential and were allowed to remain open, albeit on a skeleton force.

Much of those belonging to the MSMEs, however, were not listed. They were hit hardest due to the closure of malls and retail establishments. As were micro enterprises like barbershops and salons, massage parlors and spas, and the neighborhood street peddlers.

“These businesses have lost a significant amount of income due to the challenges of the ECQ,” said DTI Secretary Ramon Lopez, explaining BUYANIHAN’s rationale. “We need to ensure their survival.”

DTI revealed that of the 1.42 million registered businesses, an overwhelming 99.6% belong to MSMEs, with the majority, 88.5%, classified as micro enterprises.

They generate 63.19% of the country’s total employment figures.

“MSMEs are the backbone of our economy. This virus has brought a devastating blow to the physical and financial health of our nation. And we must work together to save both,” continued Lopez. 

Prior to the ECQ, economists projected rosy targets of 6.5% to 7.5% GDP growth for the Philippines this year. 

On March 19, around when the lockdown commenced, those numbers were lowered to a pragmatic 4.3% to a dismal minus (-)3.9%.

Pessimism is reasonable, in light of the wholesale impact on declining transport, tourism, exports, remittances, and reduced consumption; historically, the main driver of the Philippine economy.

Even Facebook last May said that one in three small businesses that have shut down don’t expect to reopen again.

When you consider that most MSMEs are located at the National Capital Region, Region IV‑A (CALABARZON), and Region III (Central Luzon) – regions in the main island from which 73% of the country’s GDP comes from and where the lockdown was rigorously enforced – then the true weight of the ECQ becomes clear.

This is because MSMEs rely on cash flow for daily operations: salaries to be paid, employee benefits to be fulfilled, rent, loans, supplier accountabilities, and credit card bills are still due. Although the quarantine levels have now lightened, during the ECQ they have had zero cash flow.

Perhaps more than any entity aware of the hit that MSMEs are experiencing is the SM Group, the Philippines’ largest mall operator and consequently it’s biggest retail space lessor. 

Its SM Foundation has been generous in providing funds, medical supplies, and protective equipment. Its SM Supermalls have waived rentals from March 16 to April 14.

“We share our tenant-partners’ concerns at the unfortunate situation and will waive rental charges for those affected and unable to operate during this period,” said SM Supermalls President Steven Tan. “This support forms part of our commitment to fight the effects of the outbreak.”

That alone benefits 19,153 SM mall tenants nationwide whose doors are now slowly but surely reopening for business.

Security Bank, one of the country’s leading universal banks and cited by Asiamoney as the “Best Bank for SMEs” in 2017 and 2019, eased its process for facilitating business loans for MSMEs in need of liquidity and lowered percentage in its Ecommerce payment gateway.

“The COVID-19 pandemic has brought the world unprecedented disruption, but with each of us doing our part, we will overcome this challenge and get better,” said Security Bank President and CEO Sanjiv Vohra.

Meanwhile, Union Bank, ranked by the BankQuality Consumer Survey on Retail Banks as

the second most helpful bank in Asia-Pacific during the coronavirus crisis – the only Philippine bank in the top 20 list – eased up account openings by shifting it online and providing checking accounts with affordable depository requirements, enabling MSMEs to further legitimize their businesses.

So there is hope. 

Easing of quarantine restrictions is a good first step. Provided the population behaves in ways that stem the infectious tide, then the wheels of commerce can start turning again.

And as these economic engines came to a screeching halt, it will take no more than a concerted effort to jolt it back from inertia. A bayanihan movement, if you will. 

Or, a BUYANIHAN.

“MSMEs took a direct hit, incurred big losses,” said AFFI President Jorge Noel Wieneke. “It’s back to zero for many, or back to the starting line. They are now in the ‘ICU’ and they need a blood transfusion. We can fix this with a BUYANIHAN spirit.”

It is a simple, doable solution. Consumers just need to start consuming again. Start buying again.

But for now, buy local to support our MSMEs.