How to sell online in the Philippines – Starting up an online business nowadays is just a matter of a few clicks. However, without an appropriate strategy, planning, and research, setting up a successful online business could be quite difficult to achieve.

Selling online gives your product wider audience visibility and the good thing is you get to make money while you are home with the current Covid-19 pandemic, a lot of people prefer to buy necessities online to lessen their contact with other people. In this way, the possibility of contracting the virus will decrease. This could be a great opportunity for people who are planning to build their online business.

HOW TO SELL ONLINE IN THE PHILIPPINES?

The good thing about having an online business is that you can have high earnings even with small capital. You don’t even need a physical store in establishing your business online.

Here are the simple steps and guides to establishing your online business.

STEP 1: Know and understand your Target Market.

Maybe you already have a business idea lingering in your mind and thinking about what to do with this idea.

Start with knowing your market. Avoid making the common mistake of newbie entrepreneurs: sourcing their products without doing market research first. Ask the following questions to help you out with your business.

• Who are your target customers?
• What are their needs?
• How will your online business provide them with their needs?

You can easily find the answers to these questions on the internet. Allot time in research so you can properly plan your business.

Study also how other online businesses in the same field are trying to captivate customers. Analyze the websites of your possible competitors and see what they’re doing to give their customers’ needs.

STEP 2: Identify Your Product

Once you have a deep understanding of the market you want to serve, it’s time to find a profitable product to sell. Preferably, an in-demand product without too many competitors.

You may also consider your interest, experience, and knowledge of your business idea. It would be difficult to sustain a business if you’re hardly knowledgeable and interested in it.

Step 3: Determine Your Business Idea’s Profitability

You have to put it to the test by conducting a feasibility study, before asking how to start an online business. This action glances at different factors to evaluate if your business idea is profitable and how much the risk of failure is.

Step 4: Write a Business Plan

You can start making a business plan if your study findings show that your online business has a huge potential for earning profits.  Don’t skip this step, no matter how small your business is.

A business plan is a formal written document in an outline format, consisting of your business goals. Lenders such as banks and government agencies require this document when you apply for a business loan.

Step 5: Register Your Online Business

Before you start an online business, make sure it is valid to operate and has mandatory permits and licenses.

Step 6: Set Up Your Finances

It is important to set up your finances before opening an online business because it can impact your business’s chance of success.

Step 7: Look For Suppliers

It’s time to find a source for your physical products, materials, equipment, and other things you need to get your online business running.

Find legitimate suppliers and wholesale distributors that sell high-quality items at reasonable prices. Ask for recommendations from people you know to browse the internet or you can attend fairs and trade events in your industry.

Step 8: Establish Your Delivery Methods

Customers will love buying again from your online business if you can deliver their orders fast and in good condition.

There are a lot of delivery options available in the Philippines including couriers or shipping companies (LBC, Air21, 2GO Express, etc.) and delivery apps (Lalamove, GrabExpress, Mober, Transportify, etc.) that offer on-demand, same-day delivery services for small businesses.

Step 9: Build Your Business Website

A lot of online business starts by having their Facebook Page. However, making your own website along with your FB page makes your business look more legit in the eyes of your target customers. You can either hire a professional web designer to build a website for you or do it on your own.

Create an online presence for your business in three ways: setting up an e-commerce site (Shopify, Shopline, Opencart), using online shopping marketplaces (Shopee, Lazada, OLX, Or Sulit.ph), or creating a portfolio website.

Step 10: Create Your Social Media Accounts

Make your online business closer to your target customers by opening accounts on the right social media platforms.

Some social media platforms that build a lot of potential buyers like Facebook Business page which 82% of Filipinos use and Instagram.  Make sure to regularly post on your business’s social media channels to increase your followers to grow your market.

TOP ONLINE SELLING SITES AND PLATFORMS IN THE PHILIPPINES

Needless to say, the Philippines is a really big fan of online shopping and it appears like it’s going to be the case for years to come, with the number of e-commerce sites growing, too.

Here are some of the top online shopping sites loved by Filipino online store owners and the steps on how you can sell your products on these sites.

SHOPEE

Singapore-based Shopee has gained a huge increase when it comes to the user base and is now comparable to Lazada in popularity.

The shop offers an array of products, both brand new and used items, making it a popular e-commerce platform here in the Philippines.

 

How to Sell Online on Shopee?

1. Sign up and create your Shopee account.

You can do this easily by choosing to log in using your Facebook account or your email.

2. Create a seller account.

Simply click the selling tab and fill in all the required information like your bank account details, your birthday, and more.

3. Take photos of your products and upload the images.

The app has an internal camera that you can use, but you can also upload straight from your gallery. You can add up to nine photos for every posting or listing.

4. Add all the details about the product.

This should include the price, the number of items you have in stock, the variations available, shipping fee, payment options, and any other information buyers should know about the product.

5. When someone purchases the product, you would be notified by Shopee when payment has been made (if COD is not applicable).

You simply ship the goods and once the buyer confirms receipt, the payment will be sent to your Shopee Wallet.

You can request for the money to be sent to your bank account.

LAZADA

Who doesn’t know about this shopping portal? Lazada is probably every Filipina housewife’s best friend.

It’s one of the biggest sites responsible for boosting the e-commerce trend in the country. It has everything you could ever want.

If you are lying in bed and you thought of something that you want, check Lazada, because they probably have it.

How to Sell Online on Lazada?

1. Complete all the requirements for Lazada sellers.

That would include a business license, a Payoneer card (this should be registered as an enterprise), phone number, and email.

You also need to have experience in e-commerce.

2. Register as a seller by simply clicking “Sell on Lazada” on their website.

A new page will open. Select “Become a Seller Now” and complete the details for your seller account.

3. Fill out the application form and submit it with complete details.
4. Upon approval, you will get a contract that you will need to sign.
5. You will get emails that contain your sign-in details for the Seller Center, online training schedule, and more.

Once you complete all that, you need to activate your Lazada seller account via the confirmation email sent to you.

6. You can start to upload your products.

Simply click on Products, then Add Products, and select the appropriate category for your product.

Fill in the required fields with accurate information and confirm the upload.

ZALORA (for more information please click here!)

If you are looking for awesome fashion finds, be it for something to wear to work or a fancy party, Zalora is the go-to online shopping site.

They carry some of the biggest clothing and shoe brands, both international and local. Shoppers love that they also offer COD as one of their payment methods.

How to Sell Online on Zalora?

1. Go to Zalora Marketplace’s website. Click the Get Started button.
2. Fill in the required details on the pop-up form and submit it.
3. You have to wait for their response, which could take up to a week.

Their strategic marketplace advisors will reach out to you. Once you get the approval, you will need to set up your profile, which will be like your shopfront.

You must have a cool logo and an image that will reflect what your store is all about

4. Upload your products and make sure they have descriptions.

After you’ve uploaded them all, you can add their price and the quantities of the products available.

Now, you’re all set to get orders.

OLX/CAROUSELL

OLX  was one of the most popular buys and sell sites in the Philippines, with its popular tagline “Ibenta na yan!”

Recently, OLX merged with Carousell – another popular online marketplace based in Singapore.

All of the listings that you could see on OLX before have migrated to Carousell.

How to Sell Online on OLX/Carousell?

1. Start by clicking the “Sell” button.

The process is the same for both the mobile app and their website.

2. Upload photos of the products you are selling from your gallery or take photos on the spot.

You may be asked to resize the images if they’re too large. You can upload up to nine photos for each product you are selling.

3. Click on “Save” and fill in the description fields on the form.
4. Click on “List my item” on the form if you’re using the website or “Submit” if you’re using the app.

FACEBOOK MARKETPLACE

Early last year, Filipinos were introduced to Facebook Marketplace, which allowed online shoppers to search for products without leaving the social networking platform.

And because of the massive user base of Facebook, it’s quickly become a popular online selling portal.

How to Sell Online on Facebook Marketplace?

1. Go to Facebook Marketplace from the navigation panel.
2. Click on the “sell something” button.
3. Take photos of your product or choose images from your gallery.

Simply click on “Add photos” to upload them.

4. Add the title or product name, a description of your product, and the price.
5. Confirm your location so interested buyers in your area can find your products.
6. Choose a category for your item that can help when buyers filter the listings.
7. Wait for your customers to send you a message or an offer.

AMAZON FBA

Amazon FBA (or Fulfilled by Amazon) allows Filipinos to sell their products globally by simply sending their products to Amazon’s fulfillment centers.

With FBA, Pinoy online entrepreneurs can reach customers that they wouldn’t otherwise have access to.

 

How to Sell Online on Amazon FBA?

1. Create an Amazon Seller account.

Don’t forget to read the “Before You Register” part because there are two types of Amazon seller accounts – professional and individual.

2. Provide the information asked, including your name and address.

Do not forget to choose a catchy display name as this will be what your buyers see next to your product.

3. You will have to verify your identity via text or phone call.
4. Enter your bank information, including your 9-digit routing number.
5. Go directly to “Inventory” and from the drop-down, choose “Add a product”.
6. Unless you’re selling a product that you’re manufacturing, you can just search for your product and enter the price you want to sell it for, the condition, and other details you want to include.
7. For the shipping method, choose the option to allow Amazon to both ships and provide customer service for you. It’s the FBA option.

If it’s the very first time to sell on the platform, you’ll be directed to a registration screen. You just need to accept the terms of service.

Now here’s how Amazon FBA works:

• You send your products to Amazon’s fulfillment centers where they are sorted and inventoried.
• Amazon handles customer transactions when someone buys your product.
• The product is picked from the fulfillment center already neatly packed into a box and shipped to the customer. Amazon also does the follow-up to make sure the goods got to the customer all right.

SHOPIFY

Subscribing to Shopify allows online business owners to create their own e-commerce sites and make use of all the tools they have to easily add products, enter important data, process orders, and more.

Getting acquainted with this comprehensive e-commerce platform is a must for anyone with aspirations of online retail success.

How to Sell Online using Shopify?

1. Set up your Shopify account on the website.

You can start with a free 14-day trial if you wish, as that would not require a credit card. Choose a rocking Shopify store name because it will be your primary domain.

2. You will be asked if you’re already selling elsewhere.

If so, you will be required to enter your current revenue.

3. Your homepage will come up once you’ve filled in the details required.

Here, you can start customizing a theme for your page, add your domain or directly add your products.

4. Choose a theme for your Shopify theme.

It should be attractive and professional-looking. There are a lot of free and paid themes you can get via Shopify themes or you can customize everything.

5. Add your products.

Just like with other e-commerce platforms, you can do this manually by uploading photos and adding the product name and detailed description.

If you have a big inventory, you can bulk upload it by importing it with a CSV file.

6. Install Shopify apps that can help you grow your business.

You can find more than 2,600 apps that you can use for marketing, sales, and management, among others.

A lot of you may encounter difficulties and find it hard to know how to sell online in the Philippines because as we all know that there are a lot of competitors that also sell online. Keep on pushing and don’t lose hope. I know that your online business will be in success soon.