Who doesn’t like online stores when you get to snap up stuff wherever you are? You can be at home, at the office or even in a beach somewhere and still do some much-needed shopping. Items that are not usually available in some areas can now be within reach through these shops. You get to save on time, which you can never get back, and on transport money, whether you’re commuting or even if you have your own ride. This way of purchasing is absolutely perfect for the fast-paced life that most of us live nowadays. You just need to have a laptop/smartphone hooked up to the Internet and you’re good to go. Shops are just a touch or a click away.
We have to admit, though, that shopping online in the Philippine scene can be a tad overwhelming and intimidating for some. Websites can be complicated to navigate through and then there are the account signup forms that make a few people actually cringe or just not bother going through with the transaction anymore. We are not in the United States where everyone has their own credit card, making it a bit harder for us to buy online. These are definitely some of the downsides that make Filipinos still prefer the usual route when it comes to shopping at physical stores. This doesn’t change the fact that some of us don’t have the luxury of time to actually go shopping with everything else going on, though.
Hooray for locally-owned shops in the country that do ecommerce using mainly social media, mostly in Facebook and Instagram. It’s pure genius, if you think about it really, to do business online through these mediums that are both household names. Everybody is on Facebook, and Instagram isn’t that far behind, so what better way of reaching out to potential clients than through these two social media juggernauts, right? So, not only can we check the news or see what our friends are up to, but we can now do shopping while we’re at it. Convenient, isn’t it?
The sky is the limit in social media shopping. It doesn’t matter if you’re on the hunt for the usual mall items, like the trendiest clothes and accessories or for out-of-the-box merchandise that you might not have laid eyes upon in the market as of yet. You can bet that there is an online shop for each of them. A lot for each one, actually. It’ll come down to a battle of which shop has the most to offer and which one gives the best deal in the end.
There are heaps of social media shops out there for clothes, jewelry and shoes for the ladies and gents. And you might just be surprised at the growing number of moms who shop for their babies solely through social media. Shopping for your little one has never been this easy. You can be at home taking care of your baby and still get the cutest finds without leaving your home.
Got a sweet tooth? Then just have flavored leche flans, cake jars, cookies, red velvet crinkles, cupcakes and other delectable treats that might take your fancy delivered straight to your doorstep.
Planning a DIY party? You can buy custom buntings, popcorn boxes, colorful paper straws, paper cups, fun cupcake holders, letter standees, themed paper plates and other event supplies that aren’t even available in the malls.
Bookworms can get a kick out of buying the latest reads online, as well, especially those who live in provincial areas without popular bookstore chains to serve them yet. Now they can purchase all the books they want with ease.
Thanks to social media giant Pinterest, more and more people are getting into arts, crafts and DIY projects. Craft stores that also operate through Instagram or Facebook carry a wide range of merchandise to satisfy a crafter’s healthy appetite for art supplies. Alphabet stamps, cute undated planners, notebooks, custom eraser stamps, gel pen sets, colorful washi tapes, jute strings, specialty paper, note blocks, and themed stickers are just some of the fast-selling items you’ll find online.
For those of you who haven’t even heard of shopping this way, here is how it works: of course, you have to have a Facebook or an Instagram account. You go to the shop’s official Facebook Business page or Instagram, find what you want to buy and contact them for inquiries. You can send them a private message on Facebook or a direct message on Instagram, but a lot of the shop owners actually prefer the use of messaging apps, such as Viber, WeChat, WhatsApp, and iMessage, as a way of communicating and carrying out transactions with their clients. This adds a more personal touch when shopping online as opposed to popular websites like Amazon. You get to talk to an actual person at length, about the item you are trying to buy, and some people even go as far as asking for actual pictures of the product mostly because the images uploaded on the shops accounts are provided by direct suppliers and aren’t that detailed. A lot of shop owners are happy to comply with each of these requests as long as they are reasonable ones.
Another great thing about social media shopping is the option of getting your items delivered straight to your doorstep. Popular couriers such as LBC, Xend, Metrowide, JRS Express and Fast Track, to name a few, cater to these social media shops. Meetups and pickup points can also be arranged with some of these stores.
Payment is a breeze with the wide variety of methods to choose from for settling the bill, bank deposits to BPI and BDO being one of the most popular or you could even opt for money transfers through G-cash, Smart Padala, LBC and Cebuana Lhuillier. A few online stores even accept Cash On Delivery. Isn’t online shopping this way just great?
When in Manila, make sure to check out these stores for a unique, fun and more laidback shopping experience!
