Top Online Shopping Portals In The Philippines And How To Find The Best Deals

Written by Christian B Padillo

The shopping scene in the Philippines was mostly retail-based in the past few years as logistics and the internet continue to become one of the pain points of online shopping in the country. It wasn’t until the pandemic happened, which forced the government to go on strict lockdown last year that online shopping has been massively amplified.

Pre-pandemic, e-commerce giants such as Lazada and Shopee  were already gaining a steady customer base and becoming more prominent in the market at a gradual pace. Despite the more relaxed situation then, many Filipinos remained alienated from online shopping.  However, the lockdowns that started in 2020 was the catalyst that online shopping needed to amplifiy and integrate further into the lives of Filipinos.

In fact, a report published by Facebook has found that the e-commerce industry has been propelled further by the pandemic. From the looks of how things are going, it seems like online shopping is here to stay, and it will grow even bigger moving forward.

If you’re planning to take part in this growing trend or you’re already doing it, here is a quick guide on where you can shop online in the Philippines! These are the online stores where you can buy everything you need or want under the sun.

1. Lazada

A major e-commerce site not just in the Philippines but throughout the Southeast Asian region. Lazada is also the pioneer shopping site that introduced the all-in-on online shopping concept to the Philippines. While the concept has been around for ages in other countries, Lazada was the game-changer in the Philippine e-commerce scene. 

Lazada is kind of like the Amazon of Southeast Asia, it houses a vast range of categories and items, probably the largest in the Philippines. It’s one of the reasons why Lazada is among the popular online shopping sites in the Philippines. 

Here’s what you need to know about this popular e-commerce platform. Lookout for promotions like discounted items up to 80 -90%, free shipping with no minimum spend and a wide variety of items for sale for its loyal patrons as well as first time buyers.

Pros

• LazMall makes it easier for customers to find authentic products, not counterfeit. 
• The refund process through LazMall is seamless.
• Cash on delivery.
• Wide range of products to choose from. 
• The products are sorted out efficiently, where more reputable stores are displayed on top or more prominently. 

Cons

• Some products may not be as advertised. 
• While you can chat with the merchants directly from the platform, it isn’t very intuitive.
• There’s no merchant rating, so you have to go through their products and its reviews to find some feedback for the merchant. 

2. Shopee

This shopping portal giant in the Philippines has swept the country off its feet with its silly but catchy jingles and very youthful promotional campaigns. Shopee is a younger platform that has taken some cues from Lazada and there’s no denying their user interface’s obvious similarity.  

At first glance, you might mistake the platform as Lazada or vice versa, but upon closer look, many of its features buried deep within its user-interface (UI) are different or even better than Lazada. For one, it’s more merchant centric, allowing small businesses to onboard the platform. 

Shopee offers a wide variety of items on sale for 11.11 and 12.12 season as well as free shipping, discount vouchers with no minimum amount spent while shopping. Apart from 12.12, Shopee also has a Holiday Ready Fashion Sale in early December.

Pros

• Shopee Mall makes it easier for customers to find authentic products, not counterfeit. 
• The refund process through Shopee Mall is easier and more seamless.
• They have more payment options than Lazada.
• Wide range of products to choose from. 
• Their merchant chat feature is more intuitive.
• Easier to check a merchant’s store due to its UI design. 
• Merchants have separate ratings from their products.

Cons

• Some products may not be as advertised. 
• Shopee makes it easier for merchants to onboard the platform, so even bogus merchants can also get on board. So it pays to apply more scrutiny when shopping here. 

Shipping and logistics

Here is a brief comparison of the two major platforms’ shipping and couriers.

	Shopee	Lazada
FROM PAYMENT TO DELIVERY	From China: 6 - 9 days (Longest duration: 14 days) Local: 1 - 4 days	From China: 6 - 14 days (Longest duration - 24 days) Local: 2 - 4 days
FREE DELIVERY	Usually coincides with special events only.	Only applicable to some items. Often more expensive ones like phones, etc.
COURIER OPTIONS	J&T, GoGo Express, Ninja Van, 2Go, XDE, LBC Express, Entrego	LEX (Lazada’s courier)
Express delivery	No	Yes You can learn more about it here.

3. Zalora

This is one of the pioneer shopping websites in the Philippines when it comes to apparel for men and women. They pride themselves as Asia’s Leading Online Fashion Destination, and true enough they are in the Philippines. Zalora is a reliable shopping site when it comes to clothing, fashion, and everything in between, boasting a wide range of reputable brands on their website. 

Zalora isn’t exactly a shopping portal to go to if you’re looking for cheap finds, but if you’re looking to level up your wardrobe, this is one of the places to be.  For 11.11 and 12.12, Zalora can offer discounts up to 90% off selected items as well as significant deals for customers using a specific payment method.

Products

ZALORA is the one-stop-shop for all your fashion and clothing needs, whether you’re a guy or a girl. Here are the things you will find in this store:

• Clothes (Men and women)
• Shoes (Men and women)
• Stationery and art supplies
• Travel accessories
• Home and living products
• Audio electronics
• Cameras 

Pros

• Authentic apparel from renowned brands.
• Better curated fashion finds for both men and women. 
• Streamlined products, warranty (if any), and refund process because all items on the website are sold by Zalora directly. 
• 30 days free returns (terms apply)

Cons

• While they have some of the best fashion brands on their website, their options aren’t necessarily plenty or vast enough. 
• Products aren’t exactly as cheap as what one would expect because they only sell authentic branded products. 

Shipping and logistics partners

Zalora ships to its customers nationwide primarily through ENTREGO. Items that are shipped from overseas to the Philippines are delivered via DHL and Ninja Van.  

4. Data blitz

A homegrown electronic and gaming store that made its way online from its strong retail presence.  It’s the go-to destination for all sorts of computer and gaming needs, whether it’s for your laptop or computer, Playstation, Xbox, Nintendo console or cellphone, Data blitz comes with a full range of products catering mostly for hobbyist and gamers such as action figures, gaming consoles, games, computer accessories, digital vouchers, and even computer software.

Products

• Gaming consoles
• Games
• Software
• Digital vouchers
• Computer software
• Console accessories
• Computer accessories
• Action figures/toys
• PC and laptops

Pros

• Curated gaming and electronics products.
• A vast catalog of the latest games.
• They accept pre-orders.
• Free shipping if within Metro Manila.
• Responsive customer service.
• They have branches across the country.

Cons

• The website interface could do better.
• Shipping may take longer than usual.

Shipping and logistics partners

Datablitz ships to its customers nationwide primarily through J & T Express.

5. Carousell.ph

Formerly known as olx.ph, one of the earliest buy and sell websites in the Philippines. This platform is not just a website, it’s also an app for easier shopping and selling experience.

If you’re looking for some second-hand items or if you’re looking to sell your stuff yourself, this is one of the go-to platforms nowadays, not just in the Philippines but in the entire Southeast Asian region. 

Products

You can buy and sell all sorts of items here, from smartphones, computers, clothes, and other apparel, to cars and real estate. 

Pros

• They have an app, making it easier for users to sells their products, communicate with buyers or sellers, or browse and buy stuff. 
• A lot of second-hand items that are in good quality
•  They have a secured payment method making it safer for individual buyers and sellers to deal with each other. 
• You can brand new stuff here at a discount too. 
• A vast category of items can be found here. 

Cons

• Dealing directly with individual sellers and buyers has its risk, so tread carefully.

6. eBay.ph

The pioneer eCommerce platform on the internet. This online shopping site offers both brand new and secondhand products, and when users sign up for an account they can buy and sell products immediately. 

Products

You can buy and sell all sorts of items here, from smartphones, computers, clothes and other apparels, home appliances, health and beauty, and etc.

Pros

• A lot of second-hand items that are in good quality
• You can brand new stuff here at a discount too. 
• A vast category of items can be found here. 

Cons

• eBay is not as streamlined as Lazada and Shopee in terms of logistics and payment methods. 
• eBay removed their Purchase Protection Program since Nov 2017, buyers will now have to rely on Paypal’s Buyer Protection service to ensure their transactions are safe. Paypal’s platform is an entirely different story it may lead to a whole set of issues to the buyer should he or she encounter some problems with the payment or with the seller. 

Now that online shopping has become more established in the country and more familiar to consumers in the Philippines, we can expect that it could only expand further and get better from here on.

We are only beginning to witness the digitalization of retail shopping.  Shopping for your needs is now easier and more convenient with the advent of these online shopping portals, and if you haven’t tried them yet, maybe it’s time you should.

Not only will it keep you safe post-pandemic times, but it can also save you time and perhaps some money if you’re strategic in catching seasonal sales from these online stores, especially this time of the year.

This article was first published in September 2020 and has been updated for freshness, accuracy and comprehensiveness.