For years ago, I used to be jealous of people based in the USA because they have Amazon or eBay – they can easily shop online anytime they want.
Now, the Philippines has a lot of online shopping sites where from the comfort of your own home you can buy almost anything; from tiny computer accessories to fashionable dresses to appliances. You can buy through cash on delivery or credit card too. It’s now so easy for me to buy gifts for my family and friends for holidays and special occassions!
Online shopping is a big advantage for those who have no malls near their area too – no more traveling to the nearest city for hours to browse through the malls, and if you don’t find something you like, then it was a waste of time and money. Through online shopping, you just find through a keyword, look at the items and decide what to buy! Easy as 1-2-3!
Now here are the best online shopping sites in the Philippines, where you can shop anything under the sun or shop till you drop!
Table of Contents
Lazada
Lazada has been in the Philippines for 7 years and is a pioneer and a big-wig in the online shopping sites in the Philippines. Not only does it have various amounts of items, but you can also check out product reviews from real customers. Lazada has been a proven and tested online shopping site with great performance and customer support.
You can pay through your Lazada Wallet, GCash e-wallet, Credit or Debit Card, Cash on Delivery or Credit Card Installment. Lazada could also deliver in the provinces or remote areas. If you are in a hurry, Lazada is recommended as they ship fast and delays are rare. There are flash sales almost every hour and sales on special days. You can also easily return a product and have free shipping when you reach a threshold.
Shopee
When it comes to endorsements and prices; Shopee makes you in awe. Lately, they have been endorsed by Christiano Ronaldo, the Portuguese football superstar of Juventus, and before that South Korean Kpop girl group – Black Pink. There were events when you buy more than a specified amount in Shopee, you get to see Black Pink.
Shopee also has the lowest prices in online shopping sites in the Philippines. They have a low price guarantee, so if you see the same item on another site with a much lower price; you can get a refund. Though Shopee is a bit limited in shipping, some suppliers can’t send to remote areas due to limited area coverage of the shipping carriers.
You can pay by Shopee Wallet, Cash on Delivery, Credit or Debit Card, Online Banking, Remittance or Payment Centers, Over-the-Counter, and Bank Transfer. Shopee has also Shopee Guarantee to protect you from fake sellers; you can’t release payment until the order is received.
A con of Shopee though is that it will take longer for your items to be shipped after a sale. Perk is if you log-in every day you can have Shopee coins to use to have discounts.
Zalora
Zalora is an online shipping site in the Philippines focusing on Fashion. If you want branded and genuine items then you might want to shop here as the suppliers are legit.
Prices are about the same as the shops but will be expensive than those listed here as items are original. You can pay through Cash on Delivery, E-Gift Card or Wallet Credit, Credit or Debit Card, Paypal, GCash, or Google Pay.
If you want to save, try visiting their site or subscribing for voucher discounts. You can also return your order within 30 days with no questions asked.
Carousell
Carousell is an online shopping site that has also bought OLX, another shopping site before. Unlike the other two shops, Carousell also sells properties like houses or maybe apartments for rents, cars, and other kinds of stuff. There are some items that are also second hand.
You can buy through a meet-up, bank transfer or sending payment. Though there are some precautions on this as a seller may be a fake or scam. You need to check reviews or talk with the seller. Sometimes, you will be paying the shipping though, but prices are going to be worth it as it is much cheaper. A friend of mine actually bought her DSLR camera’s lens through Carousell with a price of less than half of the original.
In Carousell, it goes both ways so you may sell things you don’t use anymore but still looks good then you can sell it.
Facebook Marketplace
Facebook does it again! You can look for things you want or maybe get suggested an item you would like to buy – from food to pets, from appliances to random services. Anything you want, you may find here.
However, you will have to contact the seller and you might not get sure if the person is legit or not. Try to check reviews or public posts if it is real. But always screenshot your conversations and hopefully add the person’s profile in case things will go wrong.
Payment options will usually be during the meet-up, sent through remittance centers or bank transfers. Shipment will mostly be shouldered by the buyer.
You can definitely find a lot of interesting things in the Facebook Marketplace or sometimes it will find you!
Tips to remember while online shopping:
- If you are saving money, might as well as not get tempted from browsing on online shops; however, if you really need it, find the cheapest price
- Read reviews; know a previous buyer’s reaction – were they happy or sad or just so-so.
- If it’s cheap don’t expect too much – remember, you got what you paid for, don’t expect high quality for a Php 100 item. When you really do get something with great quality for that price, consider yourself lucky
- If you are in a hurry – check the shipping time, it might be delivered late and render it useless. If so, you can buy at near stores rather than online.
- Buy on sales! Check out shopping site sales, mostly they are on cool dates like 10.10 or 11.11. There will be free shipping and a lot of free vouchers.
With these tips, I hope you know the best online shopping sites in the Philippines. And start your shopping spree. Online shopping is really convenient as you won’t go outside just to get items you want and there are also a lot of choices. You can always buy travel gears, cameras or new outfits for your vacations. Happy shopping!
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