The Art of Online Selling 2020

ACKNOWLEDGEMENT
TO GOD BE THE GLORY!

Through Him All Things Are Possible.
He gave me the GIFT to WRITE and so I
unselfishly share it to the WORLD.
He surrounded me with the BEST people who
supported me all the way through all my failures
and successes not doubting one bit that I will
make it through. My family, relatives and
friends, they are treasure to me an integral part
of my LIFE.
May this book help many Filipinos
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PREFACE
This book was written by the author with the objective of enlightening aspiring online
sellers about this new business platform. Venturing into online selling entails a lot of risk
just like any other enterprise. But with a little know-how, these could be reduced to a
minimal.
The COVID-19 Pandemic has forced all of us in the Philippines to shift from traditional
shopping to online. This is indeed an eye-opener for all Filipinos who got used to going
to the mall for their shopping and leisure time with friends. Now everything has to be
conducted at a safe social distance and with proper protection. Better still it would better
if you could do your shopping through the internet.
All over the country, enterprising Filipinos joined the bandwagon as they frantically put
up their online stores with only minimal knowledge. Thus, to cut the story short, many of
them had to close shop because of financial dilemma caused by unsold inventory or
enormous account receivables.
It is the fervent hope of the author, Albert Edison, who is himself an established online
novelist, that this digital book would greatly help his fellowmen in starting up their online
store and see it succeed.
The greatest power is still knowledge and with God’s guidance and our willingness to
share everything is going to be alright.
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TABLE OF CONTENTS
Chapter 1 – Definition and Timeline of Online Selling ……………………………….. 1

ONLINE SELLING Definition ……………………………………………………… 2
Timeline of Online Selling …………………………………………………………. 2
Chapter 2 – Benefits of Online Selling …………………………………………………... 12
Impact of Ecommerce ……………………………………………………………… 13
Advantages of Ecommerce ……………………………………………………….. 17
Disadvantages of Ecommerce ……………………………………………………. 18
Future of Ecommerce ………………………………………………………………. 19
Chapter 3 – The Art of Online Selling …………………………………………………….. 20
How to Sell Online ………………………………………………………………….... 21
8 Tips for Selling Online ……………………………………………………………. 22
How To Choose A Good Name For Your Online Store ……………………….. 24
Deciding On Which Product To sell ……………………………………………… 28
Effectively Marketing Your Products Online …………………………………… 34
Chapter 4 – Online Selling In The Philippines ………………………………………….. 39
Growth of e-commerce platforms ……………………………………………….. 40
Transitioning from traditional shopping to online ……………………………. 41
Chapter 5 – Setting Up Your Online Shop ………………………………………………. 45
Roles in an Online Shop ……………………………………………………………. 45
Additional Notes …………………………………………………………………….. 49
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THE ART OF ONLINE SELLING
Chapter 1
Definition and Timeline of Online Selling
1
ONLINE SELLING: Definition

Online selling is the act or process of selling goods, products or services via an internet
or mobile app, auction site, online classified advertisement, online shop, social
networking, social media or web shop.
Timeline of ONLINE SELLING
Before we discuss about the business called ONLINE SELLING, let us first go over the
timeline through which it went through. The various stages it underwent from its infant
steps to what it is now.
It is a proven fact that this concept is spawned from the Western countries, specifically
in the United States and parts of Europe. This developed side by side with the
improvements made on the internet as a new form of media and gadgets such as
laptops, smartphones as well as tablets.
The invention of the smart phone by companies such as Samsung, Huawei and Vivo
which enabled its users to browse the internet using their mobile data definitely
revolutionized the online selling business and ecommerce in general.
So how exactly did ONLINE SELLING begin?
According to the website
https://www.bigcommerce.com/articles/ecommerce/#ecommerce-timeline, below is the
timeline of online selling.
1969: Compuserve is founded.
Founded by electrical engineering students Dr. John R. Goltz and Jeffrey Wilkins, early
CompuServe technology was built utilizing a dial-up connection.
In the 1980s, CompuServe introduced some of the earliest forms of email and internet
connectivity to the public and dominated the ecommerce landscape through the mid-1990s.
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1969 – Compuserve
1979: Michael Aldrich invents electronic shopping.
English inventor Michael Aldrich introduced electronic shopping by connecting a modified TV to

a transaction-processing computer via telephone line.
This made it possible for closed information systems to be opened and shared by outside
parties for secure data transmission — and the technology became the foundation for modern
ecommerce.
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Michael Aldrich, Father of Online Shopping
1982: Boston Computer Exchange launches.
When Boston Computer Exchange launched, it was the world’s first ecommerce company.
Its primary function was to serve as an online market for people interested in selling their used
computers.
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Boston Computer Exchange was the world's first e-commerce company, and dominated
electronic trading in used computers in the US in the 1980s. The Boston Computer Exchange,
also called the BCE and BoCoEx, were in operation before the Internet became widely available
to the general public. Their Bulletin Board System-based marketplace utilized Delphi online
service as a platform for an on-line database of products where buyers and sellers bought, sold
and traded computers. The company pioneered efforts to create a fully automated, on-line
auction and trade systems for general commerce and eventually turned into an Internet-based
business.
The Boston Computer Exchange on a regular day of trading.
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1992: Book Stacks Unlimited launches as first online book

marketplace.
Charles M. Stack introduced Book Stacks Unlimited as an online bookstore. Originally, the
company used the dial-up bulletin board format. However, in 1994 the site switched to the
internet and operated from the Books.com domain.
Charles Stacks, founder of Book Stacks Unlimited
1994: Netscape Navigator launches as a web browser.
Marc Andreessen and Jim Clark co-created Netscape Navigator as a web browsing tool. During
the 1990s, Netscape Navigator became the primary web browser on the Windows platform,
before the rise of modern giants like Google.
1995: Amazon launch.
Jeff Bezos introduced Amazon primarily as an ecommerce platform for books.
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Netscape Navigator, the first Internet Browser
Amazon, world’s largest online retailer
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1998: PayPal launches as an ecommerce payment system.
Originally introduced as Confinity by founders Max Levhin, Peter Thiel, Like Nosek and Ken
Howery, PayPal made its appearance on the ecommerce stage as a money transfer tool.
By 2000, it would merge with Elon Musk’s online banking company and begin its rise to fame
and popularity.
1999: Alibaba launches.
Alibaba Online launched as an online marketplace with more than $25 million in funding. By
2001, the company was profitable. It went on to turn into a major B2B, C2C, and B2C platform
that’s widely used today.
PayPal is the faster, safer way to

send money, make an online
payment, receive money or set up
a merchant account.
It’s an online financial service that
allows you to pay for your
purchases on the internet by
linking your PayPal account with
your existing ATM, debit or credit
card account.
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Alibaba Group Holding Limited, also known as Alibaba Group and as

Alibaba.com, is a Chinese multinational technology company specializing in e-
commerce, retail, Internet, and technology. It is founded by Jack Ma on April 4,
1999.
2000: Google introduces Google AdWords as an online advertising tool.
Google Adwords was introduced as a way for ecommerce businesses to advertise to people
using Google search.
With the help of short-text ad copy and display URLs, online retailers began using the tool in a
pay-per-click (PPC) context. PPC advertising efforts are separate from search engine
optimization (SEO).
2004: Shopify launches.
After trying to open an online snowboarding equipment shop, Tobias Lütke and Scott
Lake launched Shopify. It’s an ecommerce platform for online stores and point-of-sale systems.
2005: Amazon introduces Amazon Prime membership.
Amazon launched Amazon Prime as a way for customers to get free two-day shipping for a flat
annual fee.
The membership also came to include other perks like discounted one-day shipping and access
to streaming services like Amazon Video and members-only events like “Prime Day.”
This strategic move helped boost customer loyalty and incentivize repeat purchases. Today,
free shipping and speed of delivery are the most common requests from online consumers.
2005: Etsy launches.
Etsy launched, allowing crafters and smaller sellers to sell products (including digital products)
through an online marketplace. This brought the makers community online — expanding their
reach to a 24/7 buying audience.
2009: BigCommerce launches.
Eddie Machaalani and Mitchell Harper co-founded BigCommerce as a 100% bootstrapped

ecommerce storefront platform.
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Since 2009, more than $25 billion merchant sales have been processed through the platform,
and the company now has headquarters in Austin, San Francisco and Sydney.
Eddie Machaalani (left) and Mitchell Harper (right) from chat

buddies to online moguls with BigCommerce
2011: Google Wallet introduced as a digital payment method.
Google Wallet was introduced as a peer-to-peer payment service that enabled individuals to
send and receive money from a mobile device or desktop computer.
By linking the digital wallet to a debit card or bank account, users can pay for products or
services via these devices.
Today, Google Wallet has joined with Android Pay for what is now known as Google Pay.
2011: Facebook rolls out sponsored stories as a form of early advertising.
Facebook’s early advertising opportunities were offered to Business Page owners via sponsored
stories. With these paid campaigns, ecommerce businesses could reach specific audiences and
get in the news feeds of different target audiences.
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2011: Stripe launches.
Stripe is a payment processing company built originally for developers. It was founded by John
and Patrick Collison.
2014: Apple Pay introduced as a mobile payment method.
As online shoppers began using their mobile devices more frequently, Apple introduced Apple
Pay, which allowed users to pay for products or services with an Apple device.
2014: Jet.com launches.
Jet.com was founded by entrepreneur Marc Lore (who sold his previous company, Diapers.com,
to Amazon.com) along with Mike Hanrahan and Nate Faust.
The company competes with Costco and Sam’s Club, catering to folks looking for the lowest
possible pricing for longer shipping times and bulk ordering.
2017: Shoppable Instagram is introduced.
Instagram Shopping launched with ecommerce partner BigCommerce. Since then, the service
has expanded to additional ecommerce platforms and allows Instagram users to immediately
click an item, and go to that item’s product page for purchase.
2017: Cyber Monday sales exceed $6.5B.
Ecommerce set a new record when online sales broke $6.5 billion on Cyber Monday — a 17%
increase from the prior year.
2020: COVID-19 Drives Ecommerce Growth.
COVID-19 outbreaks around the globe pushed consumers online to unprecedented levels. By
May of 2020, ecommerce transactions reached $82.5 billion — a 77% increase from 2019. It
would have taken four to six years to reach that number looking at traditional year-over-year
increases.
Consumers have moved online to make purchases normally made in physical stores, such as
food and household items, apparel, and entertainment. Many consumers say they’ll continue to
use online storefronts until a COVID-19 vaccine is available.
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Chapter 2
Benefits of Online Selling
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Impact of ECommerce
The impact of ecommerce is far and wide with a ripple effect from small business to global
enterprise. Since it’s inception and with the restrictions imposed on businesses worldwide, it
enjoyed
1. Large retailers are forced to sell online.
For many retailers, the growth of ecommerce has expanded their brands’ reach and positively
impacted their bottom lines. But for retailers who have been slow to embrace the online
marketplace, the impact has been different.
Retailers that fall into the middle ground are the ones feeling the biggest changes in response
to the impact of ecommerce.
In February of 2019, online sales narrowly surpassed general merchandise stores for the first
time, including department stores, warehouse clubs and supercenters. Because Amazon Prime
took away the price of shipping, more consumers are comfortable with online shopping.
2. Ecommerce helps small businesses sell directly to customers.
For many small businesses, ecommerce adoption has been a slow process. However, those
who’ve embraced it have discovered ecommerce can open doors to new opportunities.
Slowly, small business owners are launching ecommerce stores and diversifying their offerings,
reaching more customers and better accommodating customers who prefer online/mobile
shopping.
Pre-pandemic, small businesses were working to expand their ecommerce presence.

Today, 23% of small business owners feel they’ll have to strengthen their ecommerce
capabilities in order to survive in a post-pandemic world. Another 23% of small business owners
have created a website or updated their existing one since COVID-19 lockdowns began.
3. B2B companies start offering B2C-like online ordering experiences.
B2B companies are working to improve their customer experiences online to

catch up with B2C companies. This includes creating an omnichannel experience
with multiple touchpoints and using data to create personalized relationships with
customers.
Ecommerce solutions enable self-service, provide more user-friendly platforms for price
comparison, and help B2B brands maintain relationships with buyers, too.
By 2026, B2B transactions are expected to reach $63,084 billion.
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4. The rise of ecommerce marketplaces.
Ecommerce marketplaces have been on the rise around the world since the mid-1990s with the
launch of giants we know today, such as Amazon, Alibaba, and others.
In this chart, we can see that Amazon is the outlier in regard to ecommerce marketplace
growth, but we can see that others are making headway.
By offering a broad selection and extreme convenience to customers, they’ve been able to
quickly scale up through innovation and optimization on the go.
Amazon in particular is known for its unique growth strategy that has helped them achieve
mass-adoption and record-breaking sales.
But Amazon doesn’t do this alone. As of 2020, 52% of products sold on Amazon were sold by
third-party sellers (i.e. not Amazon).
Those sellers also make high profits from the sales on the marketplace, though they are
required to follow strict rules enforced by Amazon.
5. Supply chain management has evolved.
Survey data shows that one of ecommerce’s main impacts on supply chain management is that
it shortens product life cycles.
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As a result, producers are presenting deeper and broader assortments as a buffer against price
erosion. But, this also means that warehouses are seeing larger amounts of stock in and out of
their facilities.
In response, some warehousers are now offering value-added services to help make
ecommerce and retail operations more seamless and effective.
These services include:
• Separation of stock/storage for online vs. retail sales.

• Different packaging services.
• Inventory/logistics oversight.
6. New jobs are created but traditional retail jobs are reduced.
Jobs related to ecommerce are up 2x over the last five years, far outpacing other types of retail
in regard to growth. However, growth in ecommerce jobs is only a small piece of the overall
employment puzzle.
A few quick facts on how ecommerce has impacted employment:
• Ecommerce jobs are up 334%, adding 178,000 jobs since 2002.

• Most ecommerce jobs are located in medium to large metropolitan areas.
• Most ecommerce companies have four or fewer employees.
The flip side of this, however, is that upticks in efficiency paired with a shift away from
traditional retail may lead to some job losses or reductions in workforces as well.
As with any major market shift, there are both positive and negative impacts on employment.
7. Customers shop differently.
Ecommerce (and now omni-channel retail) has had a major impact on customers. It is
revolutionizing the way modern consumers shop.
Today, we know that 96% of Americans with access to the internet have made a purchase
online at some point in their lives and 80% have made a purchase online in the past month.
And not only do customers frequently use ecommerce sites to shop: 51% of Americans now
prefer to shop online rather than in-store.
Millennials are the largest demographic of online shoppers (67%), but Gen X and baby boomers
are close behind at 56% and 41% participating in online shopping activities respectively.
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8. Social media lets consumers easily share products to buy online.
Researchers have discovered that ecommerce has made an interesting social impact, especially
within the context of social media.
Today, ecommerce shoppers discover and are influenced to purchase products or services
based on recommendations from friends, peers and trusted sources (like influencers) on social
networks like Facebook, Instagram and Twitter.
If you’ve ever been inspired to buy a product you saw recommended on Facebook or featured
in an Instagram post, you’ve witnessed this social impact as it relates to ecommerce.
9. Global ecommerce is growing rapidly.
In 2018, an estimated 1.8 billion people worldwide made an online purchase.
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Chinese platform, Taobao, is the biggest online marketplace with a gross market value (GMV)
of $484 billion. For context, Tmall and Amazon ranked second and third with $458 and $339
billion GMV in annual third-party global market value respectively.
Advantages of Ecommerce
Ecommerce has many different advantages — from faster buying to the ability to reach large
audiences 24/7. With the occurrence of the Pandemic globally, its impact on society as a whole
has grown exponentially.
Let’s take a look in detail at some of the top perks it has to offer.
1. Faster buying for customers.
For customers, ecommerce makes shopping from anywhere and at any time possible.
That means buyers can get the products they want and need faster without being constrained
by operating hours of a traditional brick-and-mortar store. This is very important with the
threat of the virus being imminent.
Plus, with shipping upgrades that make rapid delivery available to customers, even the lag-time
of order fulfillment can be minimal (think Amazon Prime Now, for example).
In the Philippines, many companies are migrating to the online selling realm while cutting down
their operating expenses by decreasing the number of their physical stores. Besides, Filipino
customers have began to embrace the idea of online buying since many of them are still
apprehensive about going out to the malls to shop with the threat of the virus still lurking in the
corner.
2. Companies can easily reach new customers.
Ecommerce also makes it easier for companies to reach new, global customers. An ecommerce
store isn’t tied to a single geographic location — it’s open and available to any and all
customers who visit it online. By tying up with delivery companies or establishing their own,
they are able to service their clients from all over the globe more efficiently.
With the added benefit of social media advertising and email marketing, brands have the
potential to connect with massive relevant audiences who are in a ready-to-buy mindset.
3. Lower operational costs.
Without a need for a physical storefront (and employees to staff it), ecommerce retailers can
launch stores with minimal operating costs.
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As sales increase, brands can easily scale up their operations without having to make major
property investments or hiring a large workforce. This means higher margins overall.
Translating to more discounts they can give their loyal clients.
4. Personalized experiences.
With the help of automation and rich customer profiles, you can deliver highly personalized
online experiences for your ecommerce customer base.
Showcasing relevant products based on past purchase behavior, for example, can lead to higher
average order value (AOV) and makes the shopper feel like you truly understand them as an
individual.
Disadvantages of Ecommerce
Although modern ecommerce is increasingly flexible today, it still has its own set of
disadvantages.
Here are some of the downsides to ecommerce retail.
1. Limited interactions with customers.
Without being face-to-face, it can be harder to understand the wants, needs and concerns of
your ecommerce customers.
There are still ways to gather this data (surveys, customer support interactions, etc.), but it
does take a bit more work than talking with shoppers in person on a day-to-day basis.
2. Technology breakdowns can impact ability to sell.
If your ecommerce website is slow, broken or unavailable to customers, it means you can’t
make any sales.
Site crashes and technology failures can damage relationships with customers and negatively
impact your bottom line. They would think that you are not supervising your shop that well and
that the technology breakdown is entirely your fault due to gross negligence.
In the Philippines, many still do not fully understand how the internet and the system around it
works. An internet slowdown can generate a lot of complaints from them and this could ruin
your store’s social media image. Thereby resulting to decrease in sales brought about by an
increase in customer dissatisfaction posted on your Facebook page, Twitter handle or Youtube
channel.
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3. No ability to test or try on.
For customers who want to get hands-on with a product (especially in the realm of physical
goods like clothing, shoes and beauty products) before adding it to their shopping cart, the
ecommerce experience can be limiting.
The Future of Ecommerce
By 2022, ecommerce revenue in the U.S. alone is expected to reach $479 billion, with the toys,
hobby and DIY vertical seeing the largest growth.
And it’s no passing trend, either.
It’s also interesting to note that looking ahead, ecommerce expert Gary Hoover’s data projects
that ecommerce retail sales will eventually even out with that of brick and mortar.
This means that even though the online sales trend will continue to grow, there’s plenty of
business to go around.
But that’s not all.
Soon, most ecommerce interactions will be an omni-channel experience for shoppers.
This means they’ll expect to be able to research, browse, shop, and purchase seamlessly
between different devices and on different platforms (like a standalone web store, an Amazon
presence, etc.).
Other trends to watch for in the future of ecommerce include:
• Robust customer journeys and personalization.

• Artificial intelligence-enabled shopping.
• Digital currencies.
Overall, we have to remember that ecommerce is still fairly new in the big picture of retail.
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Chapter 3
The Art of ONLINE SELLING
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You’ve learned all about how ONLINE SELLING began and its impact, advantage, disadvantages and
future influence on the new normal of business in the previous chapters. Now, it’s time for you to buckle
down and understand the art that is behind this trending form of business.
Our researchers compiled the relevant advises coming from ecommerce experts who have been in the
business for more than a decade. Here is what they have to say.
How to Sell Online

Before you can start selling online, you have to devise a plan for how you're going to do it well. The
quickest way to fizzle out is to throw random products on a website or online marketplace and pray for
the best.
"A good e-commerce business is a cross-section of two disciplines," said Mike Nunez, the chief
communications officer at Incfile. "You are passionate about it and are really good at it." Nunez
pointed to Beverages Direct, an online merchant that specializes in root beer and hard-to-find
beverages. The owner had a real love for root beer and was able to bring a level of expertise to
his shop that others couldn't. "Find the differentiator and find the thing you love. That's a
business," said Nunez.
Once you know what product or products you want to sell, you can get busy setting up your e-
commerce business. Here's a list of steps you'll follow to start selling online.
1. Name your business and your domain.
Choosing the names of your website and domain is almost as important as choosing the
products you'll sell.
You want it to be easy for potential customers to find on the internet.
You don't want potential customers to get messed up spelling it wrong in queries or
pronouncing it incorrectly to Alexa.
Pro tip: One way to boost traffic is to include search engine optimization keywords in your
domain name. If your selling sneakers, get that in the name.
2. Choose your venue.
Selling a product online is easier when you use an e-commerce platform or an online
marketplace like Etsy or Amazon Marketplace. They exist to help small businesses set up shop
and begin selling. There are also standalone stores you create on your own website.
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3. Decide which payments to accept.
Accepting payments on your online store can be easy or complicated, depending on how much
you want to do.
If you're operating your own website and want to process payments, you can work with
a payment processor to add a shopping cart, a payment page or a payment form. This is a third
party that handles the payment transaction when a customer makes a purchase online. In a
matter of seconds, the payment processor communicates between you and the bank to ensure
there are enough funds to make the purchase. It also employs security measures to ensure it's
not a fraudulent payment method. Popular payment processors for online businesses
include Square, Stripe, and PayPal.
If you use an e-commerce platform like Shopify, payments are usually built in. Some allow you
to work with a third-party payment processor, but they may charge you an extra fee.
If you have a physical store where you already accept credit cards, your existing payment
processor should be able to support your online sales. And, if you signed a contract with them,
you may actually be contractually obligated to use them as your online processor.
When it comes to the type of payment methods your e-commerce store should accept, the
more the better. You absolutely want to accept credit cards and debit cards, but you should
also consider digital payments such as Apple Pay, PayPal and Google Pay. When running an
online store "you need to accept more than credit cards," said Tory Brunker, director of product
marketing at Adobe. "We recommend PayPal and some of the other broadly used payment
methods."
4. Figure out your shipping.
Amazon has made free shipping and speedy delivery commonplace, but not every e-commerce
store can afford to offer it. It's important to figure out shipping costs and the impact it will have
on profits before listing your rates. It's a balancing act. You don't want to lose a sale because
shipping is too expensive, but you don't want to lose money because you gave everyone free
shipping.
"You have to find a way to deliver value and consistently exceed expectations," said Brunker.
"Capturing and keeping customers is absolutely critical, particularly right now as people value
speed and convenience above all else." [Read related article: A Small Business Guide to E-
Commerce Shipping]
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5. Get the word out about your online store.
You can have the best e-commerce website in the world but if nobody knows about it, its
worthless. Social media sites such as Facebook, Instagram, Pinterest, and Twitter are all great
platforms for building awareness about your store. Brand building is a big part of online selling
success.
Key takeaway: Selling online is a multistep process that requires you to make decisions about
your business name, online location, payment method, shipping and marketing.
8 Tips for Selling Online

The world of ecommerce and selling online has come a very long way in the past few years,
and there's more competition than ever. Chloë Thomas of eCommerce MasterPlan offers
eight essential tips to help you sell more online
1. Establish your ecommerce strategy

To sell online well, you need to work out what your strategy is and stick to it. This includes your
sales channels - are you online only (just selling via the website) or do you also have a physical
store?
You'll also need to decide on the product range you're going to stock. Are you a specialist in one
thing or do you sell a wide range of goods?
2. Think 'cross-device', not 'mobile'

Consumers don't think of browsing the internet on their mobile as being any different to using
their tablet, desktop or laptop, so you can't afford to either.
Make sure you're providing the right customer experience across every platform (including your
bricks and mortar shop if you have one).
3. Choose the right ecommerce software

There are so many different website options you can choose from - it's important to pick the
right one for your business. Make sure you know how you will accept payments online.
Most businesses are best off starting with a simple off-the-shelf online shop template (for
example, BigCommerce, Shopify or Squarespace). These powerful ecommerce systems will do
everything you need quickly and easily, so you can focus on your marketing.
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4. Take pride in online customer service

The common factor of all the successful businesses I've interviewed on my podcast is that they
are committed to providing their customers with great service.
That doesn't just mean having nice people on the phone, it's about putting the needs of the
customer first in everything your business does - from the products, to the website, to the
delivery. Customer satisfaction should be foremost on your mind if you want to be successful
and established your own name and brand in the online selling world.
5. Create a great delivery experience

If you get your delivery strategy right, you'll increase the conversion rate on your website and
encourage repeat purchases. Your delivery strategy covers everything from the price you
charge and the services you offer, through to what arrives in the parcel and how the packaging
looks.
It's really important to invest some money and thought in getting this right for your customers.
Do extensive research which delivery company can provide you with the service you need for
your business and clients. Nothing can dissatisfy a customer even more than a late arrival of his
ordered product or no delivery at all. The delivery company may be able to save its neck by
giving a refund but this would leave a negative impression on your online store. Remember, a
negative review on your site can spread like a wild fire on social media.
6. Encourage both the first online purchase and the repeat purchase
To be successful, you want to take people from not knowing about you to:
• visiting your ecommerce website
• enquiring
• ordering for the first time
• buying again and again
Many ecommerce businesses only focus on the first order and forget all about getting the
second order - which is crazy because it's easier.
You'll find different marketing methods suit each of the stages of this journey. Test, analyze and
change your plans accordingly. Learn to adopt to the changes in the market daily. Be proactive
and never be complacent. With thousands of online selling sites in the same niche as yours, its
hard to just sit back and relax.
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7. Build a trusted online brand

Today's online shoppers are pretty savvy. Just as you wouldn't buy food out of a run-down,
dirty old van, an online shopper won't buy from a website they don't trust. You need to work
hard to build the trust of your customers - it's hard to gain, but easy to lose.
Trust needs to be built into every interaction the customer has with your business.
Include customer testimonials and reviews on your site, deliver on your promises and make
sure all the information on the site is accurate. Never make a commitment to your clients you
can’t keep. Do not give a discount if you do not intend to uphold it after all. By being
trustworthy in all your transactions, your online store would skyrocket to number 1 in a matter
of time with all the positive reviews coming from satisfied customers. There is no truth to the
adage, “promises are meant to be broken.”
8. Keep optimizing your online shopping experience

This is my personal motto. Nothing you ever do in your business will be finished; in some ways
everything is permanently in test mode, so you have to have a policy of constant optimization -
find the area that is working the least well, and make it better.
Once that's done, find the next area you need to focus on - and repeat.
How to Choose a Good Name for Your Online Store?
What is in the Name?

Choosing the right name for your online store is very crucial to becoming successful. The
correct name can earn valuable brand image, and the wrong name can lose your money and
sales in the form of losing customers. The choice of name is very incredibly important in the
case of eCommerce business.
Here are some of the tips that help you in choosing a catchy name and help you in setting up a
business that stands out from your competitors.
1. Keep the Name Short and Simple

Short names are easy to memorize, can be remembered and pronounced easily. Short names
also have the advantage of fitting easily in the header of your online store homepage. Finding a
name with the above qualities can be very challenging as there are many brands introduced
every day. If you have a creative mind, it is not hard for you to create a good name for your
brand.
25
Here are some of the strategies for selecting a name:
• Use the combination of small names.
• Form a new word, or you can jerk an existing one which need not be real.
• Use personal pet names or other names associated with your family or a place.
2. Choose a Unique Name

You should conduct market research and find out the names of your competitors. Your name
should be unique from your competitors. The name should be reflecting the products you are
selling. Try to avoid the common words like technologies, communications, electronics, and
future. Choose words that are not regular.
3. Make Sure the Domain is Available

Once you have chosen the name, it is time for you to check for the domain availability. Most
probably you have to select the .com domain, but it is a bit difficult to get the desired one for
your company. Having a custom domain name for your business is crucial, and even if you do
not get the desired one, you can make small changes to get the name that suits your brand.
4. Check the Legalities

Once you have chosen the name for your store, verify that the name can be used legally or not.
Check with the Patent and Trademark office to check out if the name is registered or yet to be
registered. Once you have taken a name, search for it on the search engines like Google and see
what names are shown up. Analyze that if you could make it to the top of the list. Use of
generic names will make your work tougher while ranking on Google.
5. Don’t Copy or Sound Like Your Competitor’s Name

After you have performed the business analysis, you might have come across the names of your
competitors. Be sure that the name you have chosen is not very close to your competitors. As
your competitors are having much more experience than you and if you chose a name similar to
them there is a chance of getting confused. So be careful in choosing the name that is unique
from your competitors.
6. Choose a Name that can be Used Everywhere

As of now, social websites are becoming very popular, and you have to be active on the social
media also. So your company name should be suitable and usable for all the social media sites.
The same name should be used for the online stores, like your business name, and display
name in social media.
26
7. Avoid the Use of Special Characters

Characters like &, $, %, etc. are not allowed in the domain names as the URLs use the
characters for special functions. If you are using the special characters in your name, then you
have to replace them with words like the dollar, percent, etc. But it is better to avoid these
characters as they are tough to pronounce.
Deciding On Which Product to Sell

There is no hard and fast rule as to which product to sell online which could ensure the success
of your online store.
According to Sajjad Shajid, author of 50 Top Trending Products to Sell Online At Your
Ecommerce & Dropshipping Store in 2020, a majority of ecommerce stores fail because they
can’t find trending products to sell online. With so many products already available in the
market, finding one that sells the best has become an arduous task, especially when there is
endless competition and every second ecommerce store is trying to follow the same strategy.
Based on the research conducted by Ms. Shajid, below are some of the products that you might
want to consider selling:
1. Exercise Bands
If Joe can’t go to the gym, the gym must come to Joe. As joining a gym is no longer
feasible for many health enthusiasts, they have to find ways of working out at home.
Luckily, it doesn’t take much to bring your workouts home (especially if you’re into
calisthenics).
Take exercise bands (also known as resistance bands). These are great multipurpose
tools to work out a group of muscles. They’re easily storable and more affordable than
other gym equipment. They make for a great addition to the trending products to sell in
2020.
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2. Peel-Off Mask
As you’ve probably noticed, the pandemic has made its impact on the majority of
trending products. This stay-at-home routine has catalyzed products that help destress
i.e peel-off masks and face care products. Interestingly, no longer are peel-off masks to
be considered the domain of women; they are increasingly being used across all
genders.
3. Wireless Phone Chargers

Wireless phone chargers are the next big thing in smartphone accessories. Why? People
are fed up with regular charging devices. They all come with a wire.
It’s a better idea to start selling wireless phone chargers on your ecommerce store. You
can directly import wireless chargers from manufacturers, or dropship the product to
your estore.
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4. Face Shield
People love to look cool and what is the best way to make them so then face shields or
masks? The good part is that their search is showing a positive trend this means that
people love these face shields. And when people love something, it is in demand. So,
start selling these bandanas cum face shields on your ecommerce store for higher ROI.
You can easily sell them online as they were one of the top trending product 2019 as
well.
5. Phone Lenses
Phone lenses help capture better photographs. They are available in multiple settings.
Search for those that have better quality and more order volume while selling on your
store. Phone lenses have been in the market for the last few years and have remained a
top selling product on most dropshipping stores. It is good to see they still haven’t lost
their charm.
29
6. Inflatable Pet Collars
Pet collars are a new trend in the market. Both cats and dogs can use these inflatable
pet collars during sleep or traveling. However, the main purpose of the inflatable pet
collars is to protect your pets from injuries to face, or help them recover after an injury.
If you have a pet store, then selling pet collars in 2020 is surely a great idea.
7. Breathable Mesh Running Shoes

Athletes now want shoes made out of breathable fabric because they are long lasting
and offer comfort in movement. The breathable shoes are perfect for anyone who has
just started running. Breathable shoes are made of organic material and therefore are
high in demand. They don’t wear out, so you can keep them as long as you love to.
You won’t even have to sell them. Just bring them in front of the users and see your
order volume rising.
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8. Cat Massage Comb
Cats love to rub themselves everywhere. When they rub their skin all across the floor
they also shed their hair. The cat massage comb is the solution to this problem. If you
own a pet ecommerce store, you can have this trending product to sell online in
2020. Target the following interest with this product.
Marketing cat brushes exclusively is a present-day phenomenon. That’s why you will see
the trend taking a steep angle. The major break came when they came to the limelight
in May 2016. From then onwards, cat brushes are selling with a good profit margin on
top ecommerce stores.
9. Board Games
With work-from-home becoming the new norm this year, people have been spending
more time with their families.. So it can be easy to run out of ways to have fun with your
loved ones. As families try to find new activities to enjoy together, we’ve seen an
upward tick in demand for this trending product to sell.
They come cheap but if you promote them with the right type – they are going to sell
like gold!
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10. Touch Screen Gloves
Winter is coming and so is frostbite, numbness, freezing fingers and more. The
workaround? Get touchscreen gloves. These are the top selling products to sell in
Winter. In Winter season, the biggest problem is that you won’t be able to handle your
smartphone with gloves as they don’t have buttons that you can press with fingers and
touchscreen doesn’t respond to clicks with a gloved finger. These touchscreen gloves
are equipped with special conduction material. They do not scratch or damage your cell
phone screen.
These are just suggested products. It is still recommended that you do a market
research on your own. Conduct it among your prospect clients. This could give you an
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idea on which among the trending products online would they like to purchase. Once
you obtain the results of your survey, you can start sourcing out these products and
selling them to your clients.
Effectively Marketing Your Products Online
Now that you’ve decided on which product to sell, you need to think of creative ways of
marketing them. With a lot of online stores selling the same products as yours, it would be
difficult for a start up company like yours to get ahead of established competition.
Cassandra Campbell of Shopify has these innovative suggestions that are easy to do even for
more a newbie online seller like you.
Gift Guides
What do you do when you’re struggling to find a good gift idea? If you’re like most people, you
Google “holiday gift ideas for co-workers” or “unique birthday presents”. Then you scroll
through the piles of gift guides that pop up in the search results.
Why not get your own product included in these gift guides? They exist for just about every
industry, type of person, and holiday you can think of. Look for the lists that rank on the first
few pages of Google and reach out to see if you can be included. They could drive a lot of traffic
back to your store.
Remember, you need to provide a reason why you should be included. Mentioning your
product and a repurposed product description on the list has to add value to the author or
editor of the post, so be sure to highlight what makes your product a distinct or unique addition
to their current list.
Email Marketing
Email is one of the most consistently effective channels for acquiring new customers. And while
channels like search can take a while to start generating organic traffic, email marketing
can start working right away. That’s why you should be using email to promote your store.
There’s no need to spend all your time writing and sending emails. Make it easy on yourself by
setting up a collection of automated email campaigns that are designed to increase your
revenue. There are many options available, such as:
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✓ Emailing new subscribers and offering them an incentive to shop.

✓ Emailing new customers a post-sale email to upsell and delight.
✓ Emailing visitors who abandoned their cart and reminding them to finish their purchase.
Affiliate Program
If you’re struggling to make sales and you don’t have the cash to hire sales or marketing help,
consider adding an affiliate program to your store. Affiliate marketing programs enable other
people to promote your product for a commission. You’ll only have to pay them if they make a
sale.
Affiliate programs typically work by creating a custom URL for each person promoting your
products. They can share this link on social media, in a blog post reviewing your product, or
even in a YouTube video where they’re showing it off. Through the custom links, you’ll be able
to track who is driving sales for you so you can compensate them.
A little bit of education is usually helpful if you plan on introducing affiliates. Remember:
they’re promoting your products for you, so in some sense they’re handling a marketing
function of your business. If you don’t provide best practices, they’ll make up their own.
Go live with Periscope
While Periscope is still a comparatively new social platform, it has definitely demonstrated
marketing potential. Many businesses are already promoting themselves with this live-
streaming tool. Although you’ll no longer be an early adopter, fewer companies do short, live
video well versus, say, posting tweets or Facebook updates.
There are many ways you can use Periscope to promote a product. In particular, you can use
Periscope to offer a demo of your product, answer questions through a Q&A, and even take
your customers behind the scenes to show them what’s special about the way you do things.
Pinterest
Pinterest is the place to be if you want to buy or sell products online. 93% of active
pinners say they use Pinterest to plan purchases. Not surprisingly, many people use
Pinterest to build wish lists. This makes it a great place to promote products—
especially well-designed products that photograph well.
What’s even better is that pins tend to stick around for a long time. It’s not
uncommon for pins to get viewed for months after they’re posted. Optimize your
34
pins by posting when more people are online, using the right keywords, and using
captivating images. You can even run contests to extend your reach.
Make sure you enable Rich Pins to have additional product information included.
Facebook Custom Audiences
Billions of people are on Facebook, and as an advertising platform, it offers very

targeted options for running paid ads. Facebook Custom Audiences in particular, is a
useful way to advertise a product.
With Facebook Custom Audiences, you can advertise to your website visitors or
email subscribers. These ads tend to be very effective because you know more about
who you’re targeting and can tailor your ad accordingly.
Facebook shop section
You can take your Facebook marketing a step further by adding a Facebook Shop
Section to your Facebook page. This option makes it easier for people who discover
your products on Facebook to buy them.
If you have a Shopify store, add Facebook as a sales channel. You’ll be able to create
your own Shop Section on your Facebook page where fans can learn about your
products, look at pictures, and click the buy button to make a purchase.
Search engine optimization
Although it takes a while to get going, search offers one of the few opportunities to
build predictable, compounding web traffic.
An effective search strategy involves a number of steps, from finding a domain

name, forming a keyword strategy, to conducting more granular keyword research,
to optimizing your site architecture and performance (e.g. category pages), to
building links back to your website. Like I said, it’s an uphill battle, but it’s one you
can fight in the background as your store starts to gain traction.
35
Referral marketing
Referral marketing, also known as word of mouth marketing, is one of the oldest
marketing methods around. Referral marketing is all about getting other people to
talk about your product in a way that will drive awareness and sales.
These days you can use the web to drive even more referral marketing. Not only
does it allow you to reach more people, the web makes it easier for other people to
share your content—and for you to track its impact.
YouTube
YouTube has become one of the world’s largest search engines for finding fresh
content. What’s more, YouTube videos can also rank in traditional search engines
like Google. This presents a huge traffic opportunity.
You don’t need to create a viral video to get results on YouTube. You can still
promote your products with interesting or helpful videos. Many people may already
be looking for your products or brand on YouTube. By creating a branded channel,
with your own videos, you can control the narrative.
These are proven online marketing strategies. However, the onset of the Pandemic has
spawned 5 Digital Marketing approaches you can try during these times.
36
37
Chapter 4
Online Selling in the Philippines
38
The economy of the Philippines is largely affected by the Pandemic. At its height, several stores,
especially those with small capitalization, were forced to close down. This resulted to many
Filipinos becoming jobless at a time when financial support is needed the most.
Resiliency has been the trademark of the Filipino spirit. Because of this, the Filipinos explored
ways to augment their dwindling savings. This is when ONLINE SELLING started to gain ground
in the Philippines. Husbands and wives who were forced to stay home utilized their available
resources thus stumbling this new business venture.
In an online discussion featuring Entrego retail director Xervin Maulanin, PurpleBug Inc.
president and CEO Marlon Gonzales, La Carnita Modern Mexican Cantina co-founder Lenlen
Mesina, Lazada Philippines head of business development Petrus Carbonell, and Seven Days of
Greens co-founder Roel Uy Chan hosted by Businessworld, the panelists discussed about the
current situation of the Philippine economy amidst the COVID-19 threat.
Growth of e-commerce platforms
Even though various e-commerce platforms were established pre-pandemic, its identity
strengthened since the start of quarantine. Mr. Carbonell shared that Lazada has witnessed
significant growth.
“So far, we see a lot of demand. We’re also seeing people who are more interested in starting
their businesses online,” he added. “I think this will continue even after quarantine and if you
think about it, these trends have always been present. Ang nangyari lang ngayong quarantine,
na-accelerate siya.”
According to Mr. Carbonell, some of the most popular products in Lazada’s platform are
groceries, medical items, and ready-to-eat products.
Mr. Maulanin noted that the transition from traditional shopping methods into online has
pushed e-commerce platforms to sell more essential goods and daily needs. He added that
delivery personnel are also considered as frontliners due to their service during the quarantine.
“Lumalaki ang volume natin compared to before. We’re still a long way to go before online
shopping becomes the predominant channel for us, but I think we’re going to see a lot of
acceleration there. We’re very excited to see ano’ng magiging trend nito,” he said.
39
Transitioning from traditional shopping methods to online
The pandemic has caused many businesses to transition to online to cater to its customers.
Many restaurants have also moved towards delivery services to serve their target market.
According to Ms. Mesina, proper research and development are needed to ensure the quality
of Cantina’s products even in the new normal.
“At the moment, what we’re trying to do, instead of dispensing or distributing the product, we
had to come up with product lines that can be experienced by the customers in the comfort of
their homes, that’s why we really value the support and the service of third-party suppliers
when it comes to delivery,” she shared.
Ms. Mesina also noted that the quarantine is an opportunity for many businesses to
understand how to navigate into e-commerce and to incorporate online payments.
“You need to make sure that you’re able to deliver what you’re promising to your online market
and that the product is available from you. It’s also not just being available, the products must
be consistent and of very good quality kasi ‘yun ‘yung magiging labanan when it comes to
online selling,” she added.
On the other hand, Mr. Gonzales said that quarantine has challenged e-commerce platforms,
restaurants and other online sellers to develop its services since it will reflect on customers.
“People will always buy if maganda ‘yung feedback na makikita nila. What we’ve noticed din
karamihan ng returning customers namin are referrals so very important ‘yung feedback na
nakikita nila online,” he said.
Mr. Uy Chan stated that the new normal has also urged online sellers, e-commerce platforms
and restaurants to refine collaboration methods with its partner channels to ensure quality
service.
“The principle behind online selling is still intact and similar to traditional selling wherever you
go. It’s still just a channel,” he added.
In addition, Mr. Carbonell noted that e-commerce platforms and online sellers would continue
to grow, even in a post-pandemic society.
“In terms of the potential of people reaching success, I would say that the sky is the limit
because we see new millionaire sellers every time that we run a campaign. I’m not saying that
40
everyone who goes online will be successful, but we see many cases that the potential is huge,”
he said.
Online selling platforms have witnessed significant growth in customer behavior during the
pandemic. With this, it’s up to business sectors to improve its services to ensure loyalty among
its target market.
With the growth spur being enjoyed by the ONLINE SELLING community, the Philippine
government is now forced to rethink its economic policies. This is to create a better
environment for this form of business.
Just recently, the Congress announce a schedule to convene for a Charter Change specifically
addressed at reviewing the said regulations.
Currently, the ONLINE STORES are classified as Single Proprietorship by the Department of
Trade and Industry. To legally operate in the country, all the business owner needs to do is
register their name at the Department and also at the Bureau of Internal Revenue so they can
issue receipts to their clients.
To make their Business Name Registration with the DTI more convenient, the department
launched the BNRS or Business Name Registration System. Now, online store owners can now
process their DTI registration papers on the internet and pay their fees using Paymaya or
GCash. They would be able to get their DTI Certificates in a matter of minutes.
However, regarding their Tax Registration with the Bureau of Internal Revenue, it is still
conducted face to face since their website is not yet equipped with an online registration
system similar to that of the DTI.
Hopefully, the BIR would also have a system like the BNRS, so online shop owners can transact
with the office easily and at the comfort of their own home.
In an article written by Renz Homer S. Arreola for the KPMG website entitled The “New Normal”
of Increased Online Business Transactions, and Revisiting Revenue Memorandum Circular No.
55-2013, he explained the revisions on the circular regarding the tax transactions of online
sellers with the bureau.
Here is an excerpt of the article:
With consumers resorting more to online shopping amid pandemic restrictions, entrepreneurs
have embraced the digital phenomenon for online shopping even more. E-commerce websites
such as Lazada and Shopee are at the forefront of these online shopping platforms with
41
expected surges in sales revenues in millions of pesos. Technology has already transformed
online business transactions into an infinite marketplace where conducting business has become
more convenient and efficient for both vendors and vendees. The COVID-19 pandemic has made
this marketplace a more obvious necessity.
With this surge in online sales and business activity, the government looks to remind online
sellers of their tax obligations, with the Bureau of Internal Revenue’s (BIR) issuance of Revenue
Memorandum Circular (RMC) No. 60-2020 entitled “Obligations of Persons Conducting Business
Transactions Through any Forms of Electronic Media and Notice to Unregistered
Businesses.” The Circular basically mandates all business owners who are engaged in an online
business platform in any form, whether digital or electronic, to register their businesses with the
BIR and pay taxes on their sales.
Under this RMC, online business entities and constituents are encouraged to register their
businesses no later than July 31, 2020 to avoid penalties for late registration. In addition, they
are encouraged to voluntarily declare their past transactions, and pay the taxes due thereon,
without corresponding penalties if the declaration is done no later than July 31, 2020.
The above Circular is explicit that it covers not only partner sellers, but also other stakeholders,
such as the payment gateways, delivery channels, internet service providers, and other
facilitators. Do note that if online sellers are already registered with the BIR, but were not
previously doing business online, these online sellers should revise their certificates of
registration (with the BIR), to include “online selling”.
The Department of Finance (DOF) and the BIR were quick to explain that this RMC is a reminder
to register, and pay the appropriate taxes due, referring to RMC No. 55-2013, dated 05 August
2013. Given this reference, it would be best to review RMC No. 55-2013.
Revisiting RMC No. 55-2013 reveals that online sellers and other facilitators of online trading
have different functions and responsibilities. Individuals who have obligations relative to online
business transactions are not limited to those who are e-commerce business owners that
possess websites and sell their goods and services online, but it includes those “online
intermediaries” who are third parties that offer intermediation services between the online
sellers and buyers. The intermediaries receive commissions as they act as channels for goods or
services offered by a supplier to a consumer. The relationship between the intermediaries and
the online sellers is akin to that of principal-agent relationship. All considered, their obligations
and duties to different types of online transactions are entirely different. And what are online
transactions? RMC No. 55-2013 refers to the following as the more common online
transactions: (A) online shopping or retailing, involving consumers directly buying goods or
services from a seller over the internet without an intermediary service; (B) online intermediary
service, involving an intermediary/third party offering intermediation services between two
trading parties (as discussed above); (C) online advertisement/classified ads, involving a form of
promotion that uses the internet to deliver marketing messages to attract customers, and (D)
online auctions, which are auctions conducted through the internet via an online service
provider that specifically hosts such auctions.
42
RMC No. 55-2013 likewise provides for more detailed instructions on the obligations of the
parties to online transactions with regard the issuances of ORs, depending on the manner of
payment to the online seller, whether it be through cash on delivery, through bank deposits, or
through credit cards. These instructions likewise consider the details of the abovementioned
online transactions.
Finally, RMC No. 55-2013 details the BIR administrative obligations of parties to online
transactions as: (1) registration with the BIR; (2) securing the required Authority to Print (ATP)
invoices/receipts and register books of accounts for use in business; (3) issue the required
invoices or ORs, manually or electronically; (4) withhold the applicable taxes and remit the same
to the BIR; (5) file applicable tax returns on or before the due dates, pay correct internal revenue
taxes, and submit information returns and other tax compliance reports; and (6) keep books of
accounts and other business/accounting records within the time prescribed by law. These
obligations are generally restated in RMC No. 60-2020.
Given the lack of details in RMC No. 60-2020, and the public outcry the RMC has generated,
maybe the BIR can consider the following to clarify this reminder: (a) issue an extension of the
deadline for registration; (b) provide specific details on income tax and value-added tax
exemptions, and the qualifications for exemptions, whether it be in the Tax Code or in special
laws, like the Barangay Micro Business Enterprises (BMBEs) Act of 2002; (c) reiterate the specific
obligations with regard the issuance of invoices/ORs, so that all parties to online transactions
will be informed, and (d) the specific requirements for filing of the various returns. Surely, the
just enforcement of tax laws merits the detailed clarification of the laws, rules and regulations
imposed on taxpayers.
BUSINESS NAME REGISTRATION SYSTEM made easier.

43
Chapter 5
Setting up your ONLINE SHOP
44
Roles in an Online Shop
You have just registered your online shop. You have chosen the products you wish to sell and
the target customers you want to sell them to. But, with everything ready still there is an
essential ingredient lacking. Can you do this alone or do you need to solicit the help of others?
The answer is a clear yes, you need a team to make your online shop work. There are multiple
positions to be filled in if your company must run smoothly.
Yeah, I know. It would mean you need to shell out money for the salaries of your employees.
Nope. You’re wrong. If you have children who are old enough to assume the responsibilities of
these roles in your shop or even relatives, you’re in good hands.
Upon doing a research of my own and interviewing some successful online sellers I know I’ve
learned that these are the basic positions:
Shop Manager
This should be your position. As the owner, you are responsible in overseeing the smooth daily
operations of your shop. I advised that you should be 100% hands on in every aspect of your
business activities. It could be an exhausting job, but the rewards are astronomical if you do
your job well.
45
Inventory Clerk
Handles the inventory of your products whether physical or virtual. He makes sure that you
have enough products in stock for each item category and orders replenishment days before
the units run out in the inventory room.
Delivery Supervisor
He is in charge of coordinating with the delivery service company and scheduling the
transporting your products to your respective clients.
46
Social Media Manager

Your online shop depends on social media for its advertising and marketing. The Social Manager
is responsible for creating a marketing strategy for your products and the store in general.
Account Specialist
Handles queries on the products of the online shop as well the payment for each order which is
done also online using the various payment services.
You may add other positions that you think maybe necessary. Depending on the current needs
of your online store.
47
Additional Notes
Top Online Selling Sites and Platforms for Merchants 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, what with the number of e-commerce sites growing,
too.
Here are some of the top online shopping sites loved by Filipino online store owners.
Shopee
Singapore-based Shopee has gained a huge increase when it comes to 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 for those who are done “Marie Kondo-ing” their homes and closets and are
looking to earn money from their pre-loved items.
Lazada
Who doesn’t know 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.
Zalora
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.
OLX/Carousell
OLX, which was one of the most popular buys and sell sites in the Philippines, with their popular
tagline “Ibenta na yan!”
48
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.
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.
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.
Shopify
Subscribing to Shopify allows online business owners to create their own ecommerce 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.
49
BIBLIOGRAPHY
https://www.quora.com/What-is-online-selling
https://www.bigcommerce.com/articles/ecommerce/#types-of-ecommerce
https://www.bworldonline.com/how-online-selling-is-thriving-in-the-new-
normal/
https://www.pna.gov.ph/opinion/pieces/372-online-selling-fuels-economic-
activity-during-pandemic-
https://www.practicalecommerce.com/8-key-personnel-roles-for-ecommerce-
success-in-2020
https://grit.ph/sell-online/

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ACKNOWLEDGEMENT

TO GOD BE THE GLORY!

May this book help many Filipinos

Chapter 1 – Definition and Timeline of Online Selling ……………………………….. 1

ONLINE SELLING: Definition

Timeline of ONLINE SELLING

1969: Compuserve is founded.

1979: Michael Aldrich invents electronic shopping.

English inventor Michael Aldrich introduced electronic shopping by connecting a modified TV to

Michael Aldrich, Father of Online Shopping

1982: Boston Computer Exchange launches.

The Boston Computer Exchange on a regular day of trading.

1992: Book Stacks Unlimited launches as first online book

Charles Stacks, founder of Book Stacks Unlimited

1994: Netscape Navigator launches as a web browser.

1995: Amazon launch.

Jeff Bezos introduced Amazon primarily as an ecommerce platform for books.

Netscape Navigator, the first Internet Browser

Amazon, world’s largest online retailer

1998: PayPal launches as an ecommerce payment system.

1999: Alibaba launches.

PayPal is the faster, safer way to

Alibaba Group Holding Limited, also known as Alibaba Group and as

2000: Google introduces Google AdWords as an online advertising tool.

2004: Shopify launches.

2005: Amazon introduces Amazon Prime membership.

2005: Etsy launches.

2009: BigCommerce launches.

Eddie Machaalani and Mitchell Harper co-founded BigCommerce as a 100% bootstrapped

Eddie Machaalani (left) and Mitchell Harper (right) from chat

2011: Google Wallet introduced as a digital payment method.

2011: Facebook rolls out sponsored stories as a form of early advertising.

2011: Stripe launches.

2014: Apple Pay introduced as a mobile payment method.

2014: Jet.com launches.

2017: Shoppable Instagram is introduced.

2017: Cyber Monday sales exceed $6.5B.

2020: COVID-19 Drives Ecommerce Growth.

1. Large retailers are forced to sell online.

2. Ecommerce helps small businesses sell directly to customers.

Pre-pandemic, small businesses were working to expand their ecommerce presence.

3. B2B companies start offering B2C-like online ordering experiences.

B2B companies are working to improve their customer experiences online to

By 2026, B2B transactions are expected to reach $63,084 billion.

4. The rise of ecommerce marketplaces.

5. Supply chain management has evolved.

These services include:

• Separation of stock/storage for online vs. retail sales.

A few quick facts on how ecommerce has impacted employment:

• Ecommerce jobs are up 334%, adding 178,000 jobs since 2002.

7. Customers shop differently.

8. Social media lets consumers easily share products to buy online.

9. Global ecommerce is growing rapidly.

In 2018, an estimated 1.8 billion people worldwide made an online purchase.

1. Faster buying for customers.

2. Companies can easily reach new customers.

3. Lower operational costs.

Here are some of the downsides to ecommerce retail.

1. Limited interactions with customers.

2. Technology breakdowns can impact ability to sell.

3. No ability to test or try on.

The Future of Ecommerce

And it’s no passing trend, either.

But that’s not all.