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How to effectively sell your products on social media

E-commerce and social media are a match made in heaven.

More than just connecting and entertaining people, social media can now be used to build brand awareness, attract followers, and generate sales. E-commerce enablers in the Philippines believe that it is high time to integrate social media into selling as more customers use these platforms to research brands and buy products online.

Facebook and Instagram are among the popular platforms that merchants can use for social media selling. But how do you use these platforms to get those sales rolling? Read on to find out!

Stay updated on the latest social media features and tools

In social media selling, you have to be knowledgeable on the tools you can use to sell your products effectively. Facebook and Instagram Live are just some of the easiest ways to connect with your customers in real-time. Aside from the platforms’ Live features, you can also use Facebook Marketplace to promote your products easily; Shopping Tags feature to highlight product photos and videos from your Facebook page; and the Shop function where customers can discover trends and personalized recommendations all in one place.

It pays to be updated on these features and tools so you can better navigate the social media selling world. 

Flaunt your personality

Building brand awareness is one of the main reasons why Philippine E-commerce enablers advocate social media use in E-commerce. Whether you’re using Facebook or Instagram, you can make your existing and potential customers recognize you if your brand has some personality to it. 

For example, insert humor or even lighthearted remarks when you go live selling on Facebook or Instagram to engage with your viewers. But always remember that authenticity matters, especially online. So be sure to show your true self and represent your brand values as genuinely as possible. 

Share User-Generated Content

Customers tend to read several reviews before buying something online. And when these reviews are based on honest opinions and experiences of previous customers, they‘re more likely to trust that your brand delivers on its promises.

As a merchant, you can make the most out of the content created by other customers to drive more sales. Share user-generated content like photos, unboxing videos, and reviews on your social media page. This is a sure-fire way to increase loyalty with your existing customers and add credibility to your brand whenever potential customers visit your social media.

Post content regularly

As you start gaining traction and building a following, you would want to be the go-to choice of your audience. Regularly posting on social media will help you stay visible and relevant online.

Go on Facebook and/or Instagram Live weekly or post photos on your timeline every other day. Update your Facebook Marketplace from time to time to show your latest products. Accompany your posts with eye-catching visuals. Remember — the more original and engaging your content is, the better.

Track and measure your social selling performance

Much like tracking your inventory and adjusting your pick-up schedules, tracking your social media selling strategies is equally important. This way, you can see how your live selling went, or even how a single post on your Instagram page has helped you generate leads and convert them into sales. 

There are several metrics you can measure on social media including Reach, Engagement, Leads, and Conversions. There are also social media analytics reporting tools on Facebook and Instagram that will help you measure these metrics easily.

Work smart and optimize your social media

Social media selling can be a bit overwhelming, especially if you’re a one-man team. The good news is that you don’t have to do everything manually. You can work smart by automating some of the processes on your platforms. There are E-commerce enablers in the Philippines that can help you do this, which in turn can make answering queries and giving customers information on your products faster and easier.

Indeed, social media has emerged as one of the most effective marketing channels to thrive in E-commerce. And for you to grow as a merchant, you have to adapt to it, embrace it, and use it to your advantage.

But while it may be difficult to build your social media presence, Payo can help you with social media selling! 

Payo, one of the Philippines’ top E-commerce enablers, has the right tools to get you started on social media selling. Our range of services, including Marketplace Optimization and Live Customer Support, can give you and your customers a seamless E-commerce journey.

Find the right leads and connect with people on social media with Payo! Sign up now or send us a message at [email protected] to kickstart your social media selling.

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Three Payo technologies that elevate your E-commerce experience 

As one of the leading E-commerce enablers in the Philippines, Payo is always looking for ways to make our processes better with the help of tech. That’s why we also put so much importance on automation, and the need to simplify our merchants’ overall E-commerce experience.

Aside from having a dedicated team, we leverage tech to create solutions for our merchants and their customers. Our services such as Fulfillment, Warehousing, and Last Mile Management wouldn’t be as efficient without some of the integrations and programs that we use. Curious to know what some of these are? Read on to find out!

Payo’s Courier Algorithm

One of the things that can take a lot of a merchant’s time is coordinating with couriers. This is especially difficult if you need to do so with more than one courier. Keeping tabs on deliveries and making sure that each one arrives on time can be taxing, especially if the couriers have any concerns or queries. Plus, there’s the issue of not knowing if you’re using the best courier for your business. To help merchants like you avoid this problem, Payo developed its own Courier Algorithm.

Our software analyzes your business needs and finds the perfect courier for you. We base this on the courier’s fees, the areas they cover, and their overall performance as our partner. And with over ten courier partners working with us, you’re sure that you have a lot of options. 

Aside from finding the best courier for you, we’ll also take care of courier coordination. All you need to do is sit back, relax, and monitor orders whenever you want through our comprehensive dashboard. Find out more about this on the next point!

Payo’s Merchant Dashboard

Running a business means keeping track of a lot of things – package pick up schedules, delivery times, remittances, and of course, every order you ship out. It can get overwhelming if you use different platforms for this, especially when order volumes increase. 

To help merchants like you have a better E-commerce experience, we developed our very own dashboard!

The Payo Merchant Dashboard streamlines the process of viewing and analyzing data for merchants. Here you’ll have a bird’s-eye view of your order history, your shipped out packages, and your total revenue. If you’re looking for specific details on certain orders, you can use our smart tags and filters.

We’ve also included Bulk Orders uploading on our dashboard, as well as ShipBill printing. We wanted to make sure that it has everything you need in overseeing your business — from order upload to receiving your remittance. 

Credit History Database

One of the main things Payo wants to help merchants like you with is lowering your return-to-sender (RTS) rate. Doing this saves you time and possibly extra fees from a second round of shipping or replacing items. That’s why we use our Credit History Database to recognize customers who are not likely to accept their packages.

Our database ensures that the Payo team is flagged if a merchant is about to ship to a customer who has often canceled orders, or has a history of having unsuccessful deliveries. The best part about this? We don’t just analyze canceled orders per merchant – we analyze them across the hundreds of merchants that Payo works with. 

Once a customer is flagged as someone with a history of cancellations or failed deliveries, our team coordinates with them to confirm if they’ll be accepting their package. If we are unable to contact the customer, we will call the merchant and inform them of the customer’s history. We will then ask them if they want to proceed with the order or not. 

This improves the E-commerce experience of both merchants and customers, helping the former better know their customers’ shopping habits and letting the latter make sure that they are ready to proceed with their order. 

Overall, these technologies elevate not only Payo’s solutions, but also your E-commerce experience. So if you want tech-based services that prioritize the efficiency and growth of your business, then it’s time to choose Payo!

We offer all of these and more, handling Warehousing, Fulfillment, Marketplace Optimization, and even Advanced Remittance. With Payo as your reliable E-commerce partner, scaling your business will be fast and easy. Sign up with us today or send us a message at [email protected] to learn more about how we can help your business!

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QUIZ: Discover the best selling platform for your business!

Filipino consumers have developed a strong preference for online shopping. Whether it’s because of flexible payment methods, bigger discounts, or even safety and convenience, online retail has without a doubt spiked in recent years.

Merchants have also joined the shift, bringing their businesses to the digital space to tap into this growing demand. Many of them have also partnered with E-commerce enablers in the Philippines to effectively reach more customers.

If you’re looking to build your online presence, how do you know which selling platform is the best for you? Here’s a short quiz to help you decide which platform to use. Make sure to list down your answers until the end to find out!

How would you describe your business in terms of size?

A. Large enterprise with offline stores

B. Small to medium enterprise

C. Startup or just taking off

Why do you want to build your business online?

A. Strengthen and reinforce my business growth

B. Reach the growing number of customers online

C. I don’t have resources to put up a physical store

Where are your target customers located?

A. Across the country

B. Within the city and nearby cities, possibly more

C. Just around our neighborhood and nearby areas

Are you tech-savvy? How do you want to go about your selling platform?

A. Yes, and I need full control of my store’s development

B. I understand platforms, but would prefer working with templates

C. Not really, so I want a platform that’s easy to manage

How do you want to promote your products?

A. Emails, newsletters, and ads

B. In-app ads and other promotional features

C. Regular posting, boosted posts, and referrals

What payment methods would you like to offer?

A. PayPal, E-wallets, and bank transfers

B. PayPal, E-wallets, bank transfers, and Cash-on-Delivery

C. E-wallets and bank transfers only

How do you want to handle your shipments?

A. I have access to various couriers that can help me with my deliveries

B. I want a platform that has existing shipping methods

C. I can be flexible with my customer’s preference

ANSWER KEY

Mostly A’s: Your Own Website

You already have a clear vision for your brand. So, having your own website is likely to be the best selling platform for you. From the overall design to the content, you can call the shots and even choose your payment and shipping methods, as well as who and where to sell your products.

If things get too overwhelming, you can work with E-commerce platforms and enablers in the Philippines to develop this website.

Mostly B’s: Online Marketplaces

You’re a bit tech-savvy and you value convenience, which makes online marketplaces like Shopee and Lazada the best selling platform for you. With their templates, setting up your profile, products, and content will be quite easy. They also have different payment and shipping options that you can offer to your customers.

You can also market your shop and products through chat, vouchers, cost-free promotions, and in-app ads.

Mostly C’s: Social Media

You want something that’s simple and gets the job done right away. Whether it’s Facebook or Instagram, social media is the best selling platform for you because it is easy to manage. You can stick to your personal profile or set up your own page. Upload product photos, key in product descriptions, provide terms and frequently asked questions, and you’re good to go!

Just make sure to post regularly, respond to inquiries in a timely manner, and offer different promos and discounts.

Ultimately, what’s most important to build and sustain your online presence is an effective strategy, especially in managing your daily operations. You can combine any or all of these to reach different audiences, but it may be daunting if you’re working alone.

Good thing you can partner with Payo, a leading E-commerce enabler in the Philippines! It provides holistic solutions to make online selling simple, easy, and more accessible through a winning game plan. Marketplace Optimization, Sales Retention, Warehousing, Fulfillment, Last Mile Management, and Cash-on-Delivery Integration – these are only some of the solutions that Payo offers that will surely help you thrive in your preferred selling platform.

Want to learn more about the best strategies to match the best selling platforms? Sign up with Payo today or send us a message at [email protected]. Let’s start your online business journey now!

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QUIZ: What type of online seller are you?

If you are a merchant, chances are, you’ve already met different kinds of customers. There are wanderers, discount-seekers, impulse buyers, and so on! But have you ever wondered what type of online seller you are?

Discovering your strengths and weaknesses is important for you to succeed in the Philippine E-commerce industry. So to help you be aware of them, we’ve whipped up this simple and easy quiz to determine which type of online seller you are! Make sure you keep track of your answers until the end of the quiz.

Which word best describes you as an online seller?

A. Problem-solver

B. People-person

C. Risk-taker

D. Outgoing

Do you enjoy persuading people to try new products or services?

A. Totally! Sharing my expertise with them is my forte!

B. Not at all. 

C. Yes! And even if they are not interested in it, overcoming objections is my strongest suit.

D. If the product or service is relevant to them, I’ll give it a try.

How do you connect with a customer on a personal level?

A. Education

B. Empathy

C. Fulfilling their needs

D. Humor

Do you like being on a team or are you more of a loner?

A. I like working on my own.

B. I enjoy both. 

C. Someone has to take home the trophy!

D. There’s no ‘I’ in team, right?

How do you determine a customer’s needs?

A. I have a list of questions I use to discover more about the customer.

B. I ask the customer right away.

C. I can be pretty intuitive. I can determine my customer’s pain point from the get-go and suggest a solution quickly.

D. I’m pretty good at asking the right questions most of the time.

How do you manage an objection?

A. I enlighten them.

B. I redirect the conversation. I’m good at that.

C. I often disregard it.

D. I thank them for allowing me to know their concerns.

What is the most important part of making a sale for you?

A. Making sure that I provide customers with all the things they have to know about the product.

B. Ensuring that my customer gets exactly what they need at the right time.

C. When they check out their carts and proceed to payment. That’s it!

D. Getting to know the customer and building rapport with them.

What do you think is the most essential skill that an online seller must have?

A. He/she must be equipped with the right knowledge about the product.

B. He/she must be a good listener.

C. He/she must be persuasive at all times.

D. He/she must exhibit a good attitude toward customers.

ANSWER KEY

Mostly A’s: The Troubleshooter

Known as the analytical type, Troubleshooters are best at solving customers’ problems. Plus, they make sure that matters are attended to right away!

Strengths: They are highly technical people who find comfort in talking to a prospective customer with similar technical knowledge. As a troubleshooter, this allows them to display their technical abilities and repair or fix the customer’s concern. 

Weaknesses: They tend to give too much detail that is often irrelevant to the customer. It can be off-putting to those who just want to buy the product for a certain need and don’t particularly care about more of its specifications.

Mostly B’s: The Shopkeeper

They are the amiable type — a warm, friendly, and service-oriented kind of online seller.

Strengths: Helping people is their strongest suit. They are pleasant and find delight in helping people get the product that best suits their needs.

Weaknesses: Shopkeepers are not so keen on uncovering the customer’s needs. If the customers know what they want, the shopkeeper would gladly find it for them. And since they are friendly among customers, they don’t want to be perceived as aggressive. So instead of closing a sale, they may opt to let customers decide on their own.

Mostly C’s: The Chaser

The driven and risk-taker type, Chasers are self-assured, assertive, and highly focused. When online sales are not going up, they are the ones forging new territories and seeking out new prospects. 

Strengths: Every move they take is calculated, proven, and direct. They are very competitive online sellers, always keeping their eyes on the horizon.

Weaknesses: Chasers are too goal-oriented that they miss out on opportunities right in front of them. They tend to overlook small opportunities as they go after the bigger ones.

Mostly D’s: The Campaigner

Masters of smooth-talking and soft-selling, campaigners are the so-called brand evangelists. They are not afraid to ask a prospect about their needs. They are outgoing and enthusiastic all the time. 

Strengths: They are the nurturing type of online sellers as they value customer relationships. Campaigners are also intuitive and always put importance on social interaction.

Weaknesses: Given their outgoing nature, campaigners can sometimes border on being too aggressive. They sometimes miss non-verbal cues or signs of disinterest from customers because they’re focused on sharing the information they want to share.

Have you figured out which type of online seller you are? The personality types mentioned above aren’t always definitive, and you might pull certain qualities from more than one of these types. What’s important is that you now have a clearer picture of your online selling style which you can leverage to stand out as an E-commerce merchant.

But regardless of which type of online seller you are, there are E-commerce enablers in the Philippines that can help you scale faster, and one of them is Payo! Whether it’s Warehousing, Fulfillment, or Marketplace Optimization, our tech-driven and holistic solutions are guaranteed to help you thrive in Philippine E-commerce!


Ready to level up your E-commerce game? Send us a message at [email protected] or sign up today to learn more about what Payo has to offer.

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Marketplace marketing strategies that can boost your sales

Online marketplaces like Lazada and Shopee have become a go-to place not only for Filipino consumers, but local and international merchants as well. Seeing the growth in consumer demand in recent years, competition has definitely become more stiff. Merchants now look into different tactics like vouchers, ads, and Marketplace Optimization to effectively reach audiences and ensure continued visibility.

Marketing in online marketplaces may be tricky, but Lazada and Shopee have made it easy even for budding merchants. If you are not as familiar or are in need of a refresher, here are a few Lazada and Shopee marketing tactics that you can explore through their respective in-app seller centers.

Managing campaigns

This marketing tactic on Shopee allows you to nominate different products that you sell, which will then be part of their monthly, holiday, and seasonal campaigns. What you need to provide are photos, accurate descriptions, and prices that are attractive. Since this engagement is free, what will help boost your chances of being selected is making sure that you are willing to offer additional discounts. Similarly, this marketing effort is also applicable on Lazada.

Once chosen, your products will be featured on different in-app and website marketing collateral like banners and promotional emails.

Shop’s top picks

Apart from campaigns, there’s also the seller’s picks where you can choose which products to feature when marketing in different marketplaces. You can highlight a mix of your best-sellers, top-rated, and a few that you want additional promotions on. 

Since you’ll showcase your products with other merchants’, make sure to feature your best product photos! This will help you catch the consumers’ attention. This marketing option is available on Lazada as well as in Shopee.

Discount promos and personalized vouchers

What’s nice about marketing in marketplaces is that they allow merchants to customize their own vouchers free of cost. You can be creative when it comes to curating your vouchers and how you want to offer them. Available exclusively to your shop, you can provide discount vouchers or free shipping when customers reach a minimum purchase.

Apart from vouchers, you can also opt for discount promos, which consumers can use for a limited time. Since this will only be available for a short period of time, best to consider increasing the discounts to attract more buyers.

Flash deals and sales

Similar to campaigns and top picks, you can also nominate your products to be part of flash deals. These sales only happen for an hour or two, and are highly popular among Filipinos. To participate, what you need to have is a good chat performance and shop rating, a high fulfillment rate, a low late shipment rate, and no penalties.

Now this is where Lazada and Shopee differ. You can host flash deals sales on both Lazada and Shopee for free as long as you are able to fulfill the requirements needed. If you choose to do marketing through Shopee, you can also host flash deals right in your own shop through its seller center. But for a bigger impact and more chances of making a sale, best to pursue the sitewide flash deals.

In-app and website advertisements

Unlike the previously mentioned marketplace marketing tactics, this one would entail cost. Investing in advertising will surely help you improve your marketing strategies for Lazada and Shopee. Your brand and products can be featured in the platforms’ search tab when consumers type in specific keywords. Your products can also come up as part of related products, and are given priority compared to others.

Marketplace optimization

It may seem tedious and intimidating to do additional marketing in marketplaces. Good thing Payo offers Marketplace Optimization, a holistic solution that caters to sellers who want to focus their efforts on the country’s top marketplaces. This service includes setting up your presence in these platforms, marketing and management strategies, and even logistics. Ultimately, it can help increase your brand visibility and performance in online marketplaces like Lazada and Shopee.

Read Next: Ultimate Guide to E-commerce Marketing in the Philippines

Apart from this, Payo also has other services that create a seamless shopping experience from cart to delivery. Whether you need Live Customer Support, Fulfillment, Last Mile Management, or Cash on Delivery Integration, they’ve got you!

Want to learn more about effective marketplace strategies? Sign up with Payo today or send us a message at [email protected]. Let’s elevate your online marketplace gaming!

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QUIZ: Are you ready to sell on online marketplaces?

If you run an online business, selling on local marketplaces like Shopee or Lazada has probably crossed your mind. And because we’re one of the leading E-commerce enablers in the Philippines, we know exactly how beneficial it can be for merchants like you.

If you play your cards right, selling on online marketplaces will help you reach more potential customers, showcase your products on a trusted platform, and expand your business operations. 

But before making your decision, it’s good to first assess if you’re ready for that next step. We created a short quiz to help you find out! Make sure to keep track of your answers until the end of the quiz.

Where are you currently selling your products?

A. A physical store

B. My own website

C. On social media 

D. I haven’t started selling products just yet

Are you looking for a new platform to sell your products on?

A. Yes, maybe one more platform

B. Yes, several platforms actually!

C. No, not necessarily

D. Not at all, it’s not something I want right now

How many products do you usually ship in a week?

A. Hundreds of products

B. 50 – 100

C. 25 – 50

D. 15 products or less

How many people are working for your online business?

A. More than 30 employees 

B. 10 – 30 employees

C. Less than 10 employees

D. Just me

Have you looked into the merchant requirements for selling on marketplaces?

A. Yes, and I’ve started preparations for it as well

B. Yes, but the most I did was skim through them

C. No, but I will soon

D. No, and I’m not sure if I will in the near future

How about the pros and cons of selling on online marketplaces?

A. Yes, and I’ve weighed my options

B. Yes, but I’m still undecided

C. No, I haven’t thought about them

D. No, and I’m not so interested in them 

Do you think that being on online marketplaces will benefit your business?

A. Yes, especially since business has been good

B. Yes, but I haven’t fixed all the details for it yet

C. Yes, but I’m not so confident about it right now

D. I’m not sure

Are you looking to expand your business in the near future?

A. Yes! It’s the next best step

B. Yes, but I’m still working out the details

C. Yes, but I’m not sure where to start 

D. No, not in the near future

ANSWER KEY

Mostly A’s and B’s: You’re nearly ready!

It seems like you’re both interested and even knowledgeable when it comes to what you’ll be needing to sell in online marketplaces. Your shipping volumes and willingness to expand your business is also a good indicator that you’re ready to take this next step. It’s probably time to start strategizing on how to penetrate local marketplaces. 

Mostly C’s: You need a bit more preparation 

You’re curious about online marketplaces and what they have to offer, but you’re just not sure where or how to start when it comes to the topic. Maybe you have other things to finalize first for your business, and that’s okay! You can always start selling on online marketplaces once you’re more sure of the direction you want to take with it.

Mostly D’s: Maybe in the future, but not right now

There’s a saying that goes “if it ain’t broke, don’t fix it.” This can be applied to your situation, because it seems like you’re either just about to start your business or you’re comfortable with your current selling platforms. You might not be considering going into online marketplaces yet, and that’s completely fine. Maybe in the future! 

Whether you’re ready to get into online marketplaces or you’re unsure of what to do for now, Payo can definitely help your business!

As the leading E-commerce enabler in the Philippines, Payo provides a variety of holistic solutions for online merchants. This includes Marketplace Optimization, where we help merchants set up their stores in marketplaces while taking care of logistics and even marketing content curation.

If you’d rather focus on selling on your platform or social media pages, we offer Warehousing, Fulfillment, and Last Mile Management for businesses of all sizes. 

Want to know about how else we can help your online business? You can sign up with us today or send us a message at [email protected]. We’ll get back to you soon!

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Reaching moms the E-commerce way

The month of May is special because it’s when the world celebrates moms. While consumers are busy looking for the best gifts, merchants are also preparing for the holiday. This can be through creating promos and discounts, or if they’re new to E-commerce, exploring Marketplace Optimization for additional platforms.

To make sales during special occasions, it is best to have a solid strategy that attracts your target audience. Here are a couple of ideas you can apply to your shop to make Mother’s Day extra special the E-commerce way.

Embrace the mom theme

How you approach a particular celebration is what will help make your shop stand out from your competitors. As early as now, families and moms alike are exploring E-commerce to find the best deals and when they see your online shop, it should immediately draw them in. Frontload items that you feel are essential for moms along with other holiday offers. This way, customers will immediately see them.

Curate exclusive promos, bundles, and discounts

Filipinos are very family-oriented. Whenever there’s an occasion like Mother’s Day, they can definitely be extra in showing their love and appreciation. That said, check your current product offerings to see which ones would best appeal to your customers, especially moms. You can have a big Mother’s Day sale, bundle items together for bigger discounts, and offer incentives like vouchers and express delivery for their next purchase.

Try live selling to reach more customers

Live selling and shopping have become very popular among Filipinos because they can ask for details in real-time, and they can check out items as if they were in a physical store. For Mother’s Day 2022, live selling can help you better engage with customers and discover what gifts they want to get. You can also share other gift ideas and offer exclusive marked down prices to increase your chances of making sales.

Additionally, you can incentivize the session through small freebies. For example, you can ask viewers to share your livestream on social media to automatically get a free item, or you can opt for a giveaway at the end of the session for those who made a purchase.

Launch giveaways through user-generated content

To help with your shop’s marketing, you can launch giveaways through user-generated content on social media. You can ask your customers to share your post and hashtag of choice with their mom-related stories. In exchange, you can give away items that moms and their families can enjoy. You can even raffle off your shop’s best bundle to one or several winners at the end of the month!

Offer gift wrapping services and note cards

Shopping for moms through E-commerce offers a lot of convenience and allows flexibility to both consumers and merchants. Make a special holiday offer like gift wrapping services so your customers don’t have to worry about getting caught doing it at home. To make it more extra, you can also ask if they would like to include a personalized note card to accompany their gift.

Explore other channels through Marketplace Optimization

Aside from your own website and social media pages, you can still reach more audiences through online marketplaces like Shopee and Lazada. What better time to explore these platforms than this coming May when Mother’s Day sales are everywhere in E-commerce? Being present in these platforms allows you to tap into this high demand and easily cater to more customers.

If you aren’t familiar with online marketplaces, Payo can definitely help you out! Payo is an E-commerce enabler that offers Marketplace Optimization to help merchants set up their online stores, quickly ship their packages, and attract customers through marketing strategies. This will help you increase your visibility online and reach more customers in the Philippines.

As a reliable fulfillment partner, Payo can also help you manage your store with orders and transactions for Mother’s Day and other occasions throughout the year. These services include Live Customer Support, Fulfillment, Last Mile Management, Cash on Delivery, and so much more.

Want to increase your digital footprint this Mother’s Day and for all occasions? Sign up with Payo today or send us a message at [email protected]. Let’s collaborate and elevate your store!

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Payo Feature: Discussing the endless evolution of tech with Eric Adolfo

To say that technology is everywhere is an understatement. It has become a valuable necessity, especially in recent years, one that greatly contributes to the E-commerce industry. Merchants, customers, and E-commerce enablers in the Philippines have all seen how tech optimizes business operations and makes everything easier. The question these stakeholders now have to answer isn’t whether or not they should be open to tech, but how they can take advantage of it.

To discuss how Payo plans to leverage recent tech innovations, we talked to Eric Adolfo, Payo’s new Chief Technology Officer. 

1. Please tell us about your journey with Payo. How have your first few months been?

Prior to Payo, I’ve experienced being a Chief Technology Officer (CTO) for another company. As Payo’s new CTO, I can say that the adjustment to the role was really smooth. Also, the former CTO of Payo did a great job in properly endorsing me to the different Payo team, vendors, and partners.

I decided to join Payo because of their excellent work culture, hardworking team, and approachable leaders. We support one another to create dynamic synergy, and we also thrive and grow with each opportunity we encounter. I am honored to be part of the Payo team.

2. Can you walk us through your main responsibilities as the new CTO?

As the new CTO, I oversee all the projects that the development teams are working on. I ensure all technology practices adhere to regulatory standards, and I set up the vision for how technology will be used in the company.

Most of the time I ensure technological resources meet the company’s short and long term requirements. I discuss these with Payo’s leaders. I also make sure that we stay on top of technology trends and development. Ultimately, it’s my responsibility to drive innovation in Payo.

3. Does the ongoing pandemic affect the way you work or go about your responsibilities?

The ongoing pandemic sparked a lot of changes for businesses and people, and there are both pros and cons to the new normal we’re experiencing. On the brighter side, the work from home and hybrid work setup allows us to work from anywhere, plus I’ve noticed that this setup doesn’t interfere with the team’s productivity. Instead, it allows us to go about our tasks without having to deal with long travel times or traffic congestions, which can exhaust a lot of us. We do our job better this way, and I’m happy to have leaders that are understanding enough to provide us this work option.

4. Many see the pandemic as the catalyst for the rapid tech evolution we’ve been experiencing. Is this something you agree with? 

Yes. The pandemic brought to light a lot of gaps with how people have usually done things, especially when it comes to manual services. This opened up a lot of opportunities in the tech industry to innovate, especially in logistics. Moreover, these are the opportunities that Payo wants to explore, especially when it comes to streamlining merchant processes and improving customer experience.  

We want to use all of the available and relevant new technologies to help us improve our services. We plan to do this hand in hand with the growth and development of tech as a whole.

5. What are your predictions for tech and logistics in the coming years?

There are a lot of things going on with technology, especially tech in logistics. Most logistics companies are now looking to offer other services such as online platform creation, social media management, and even marketing.

This applies to Payo, and we’re working on several projects right now that will be the first of their kind here in the Philippines. Various technologies like data science, blockchain, IoT, and Metaverse will help us towards that journey. 

6. How do you plan to optimize Payo’s processes? What areas are you looking to focus on?

There’s a lot of automation that we want to implement in Payo. These do not just involve merchants and customers – We are also doing improvements in the internal processes of the company. 

I’ve spoken with the other teams like Sales, Operations, Customer Service, Marketing, and Finance. We are in the process of pinning down the pain points that we are currently experiencing. This is the first step to optimizing the company – analyzing our processes and seeing what can be improved.

7. How does your work contribute to making E-commerce simple, which is Payo’s goal?

We believe that online selling shouldn’t be hard, and that every Filipino deserves to get their order faster and cheaper. Automation through innovation in tech can help us achieve that. That’s why we’re constantly experimenting on how tech can make the entire E-commerce process easier for everyone.

Also, this would not be possible without the hard work, cooperation, and dedication of every member of our tech team. The legacy of the previous leadership is something worth continuing, so I will make sure that our team will pave the way to achieving our company goals.

8. What’s one thing you want to achieve with Payo this 2022?

I want Payo to seamlessly adapt to the ever-changing opportunities in the market. One way to make sure that this happens is to make Payo a one-stop shop for different E-commerce solutions. That’s a direction that I’m really looking forward to taking.

Using the different technologies available out there in the market, I’m confident that we can achieve this. We are still on our way to becoming that, but as long as our teams have one common goal in mind, we will make this a reality. 

Curious about how Payo, an E-commerce enabler in the Philippines, can help your business? Check out our website for more information, or sign up with us today

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The pros and cons of selling on online marketplaces

Nowadays, small businesses and large enterprises go to the digital space to grow their brands. Merchants explore online marketplaces in particular because of their popularity among consumers, and how easy it is to set up. Plus with the help of E-commerce enablers in the Philippines, managing operations becomes even more efficient and hassle-free.

Online marketplaces present many opportunities to merchants, especially for growth and expansion. If you’re still not sure about what’s in it for you or how you can benefit from them, here’s a list of pros and cons that can help you decide.

PRO: You can reach more customers.

Many Filipino consumers have embraced online shopping. They have become more reliant on different online marketplaces for personal, work, and even home essentials. If you already have a website where you sell your products, taking them to online marketplaces will help you reach more customers. Similarly, it can potentially increase your chances of making more sales.

CON: Competition is tighter and more fierce.

Because more customers are now online, more businesses have also built their presence digitally. By selling your products at online marketplaces, you risk facing intense competition, especially from bigger and more established brands.

PRO: Operational costs are significantly lower.

Selling at online marketplaces saves you time, money, and effort. Because everything’s virtual, you no longer need to worry about leasing commercial spaces in malls and shopping centers. That’s money you can definitely put into your business capital and the production of your goods.

CON: There are other costs like advertising and commissions.

Stiff competition means you need to be smart and aggressive with your marketing. While costs may be significantly less, this is an out-of-pocket expense that you need to be prepared for to keep up with your competitors. You may also have to make your prices higher, especially when working with E-commerce sites that charge commissions for their platforms.

PRO: Safety of personnel and quality of products are maintained.

Selling at online marketplaces means there is minimal physical interaction. This allows you to keep your employees, yourself, and even your customers safe, especially with the ongoing pandemic. You can also maintain the quality of your products since you can limit who handles them, making sure that customers receive them at their best.

CON: Prone to cyberattacks, security issues, and fraud.

The digital world presents so many possibilities, but with it comes its own set of risks. While you can place security measures for your shop, you need to remember that you may be exposed to different cyberattacks like hacking and fraud.

PRO: Customer feedback can help boost sales and referrals.

What’s nice about online marketplaces is customers can leave positive feedback. Even better, the popularity of online marketplaces means many more potential customers can read those reviews and push them to make a purchase. They can also use these reviews to refer your shop and products to friends, creating more opportunities for you.

CON: Customers can also leave and see negative feedback.

Feedback is a two-way street and you may encounter negative ones as well. Unhappy customers can be unforgiving with their comments and having these may turn off potential buyers. Service recovery is key to dealing with this situation, which will also help your other customers see how you tried resolving the issue.

PRO: A new platform for more brand visibility.

Looking to expand your business beyond selling on your website and social media channels? Online marketplaces are good options, especially if you don’t have the budget for another branch or more people. More than being cost-efficient, it gives you more visibility because everyone’s online now. You just need to be smart with your marketing to reach your target audience.

CON: It’s another thing to manage apart from your operations.

If you are not tech-savvy, navigating online marketplaces may be a challenge. Apart from managing your day-to-day, running an online store also requires your commitment to responding to inquiries, addressing issues and concerns, promoting the business, and so much more. 

Selling on online marketplaces can be a lot to take on. Luckily, there are E-commerce enablers in the Philippines that make it more manageable, like Payo!

Payo can help merchants like you penetrate online marketplaces locally through their Marketplace Optimization solution. It has Marketplace Solutions that can transform your store to be user-friendly and purchase-ready. Payo also has Logistics Solutions to optimize your operations including Warehousing, Fulfillment, Last Mile Management, and Live Customer Support.


Want to sell your products on online marketplaces? Sign up with Payo today or send us a message at [email protected]. Let’s take your business to the next level!

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Here’s how you can stay safe while shopping online

The digital space has advanced radically in recent years, and nowadays, it seems like you can buy everything online. Whether you’re looking to buy food, groceries, clothes, furniture, or gadgets – you can bet that there’s a website or mobile app for it. Moreover, all it takes is a couple of clicks to buy what you need and have it delivered when you want.

Though this may be convenient, it’s not without certain risks. There are countless online scammers and fraudsters on the internet, and many of them are after either sensitive information about you or your money. This is why it’s important that customers like you are wary of suspicious sites or offers. 

To help you with this, we’ve listed down some of the ways you can keep safe in the digital space!

Shop with legitimate sellers and official stores

One of the best ways to prevent online fraud is to shop with verified and legitimate websites. Brands will usually indicate the links to their official websites and it’s best to do your shopping there. If you want to shop on an online marketplace like Lazada or Shopee, best to go to a brand’s official store or buy from official resellers. By doing this, you can ensure the quality of the products you’re purchasing.

Additionally, if you’re going to type in the URL of a website, make sure to double-check its spelling. Some online fraudsters make fake websites using misspelled website URLs, and eventually trick customers into sharing sensitive information or buying low-quality products. A typo can be the difference between getting the item you want and being a fraud victim.

Be wary of deals that are too good to be true

Who doesn’t love a good deal? Some online shops offer seasonal or flash sales, which are bound to attract customers like you. Be careful though, because if a deal is too good to be true, it might be fake. 

Before you purchase that 90% off gadget or that “buy one, take three” deal, examine the offer. Check if it’s on a legitimate website, if there are actual photos of the products, and if there are any reviews for it. Doing a bit of research will help you differentiate a good deal from a scam.

Don’t click suspicious links

Whether it’s from a random text, email, message, or social media post, suspicious links are always bad news. Avoid them by always examining where the link came from, and whether or not it’s a legitimate source. 

Always ask yourself these questions: do I trust this message or page? Is it secure? Does it have any indications of being fake? Looking closely at the source of the link will help you discern whether or not you should open it. Ultimately, this will help you avoid links that download malware once clicked or try to get your personal information. 

Pay through secure channels

Some customers prefer going cashless and opt to pay for their transactions online. This is fine, as long as you do so through trusted payment gateways and secure websites. If an online store asks you to pay on a completely different site, or one that doesn’t look like it’s affiliated with a bank or payment gateway, then you may have to rethink your purchase. 

It’s also smart to use strong passwords to protect your online accounts. Make sure that it’s something you haven’t shared with anyone, and something that isn’t easy to guess. Furthermore, avoid having the same password for all your online accounts and apps.

Check customer reviews

One easy but helpful way to see if a store is legitimate is through reading reviews from verified customers. By doing this, you’ll be able to gauge if particular products are really what you’re looking for, especially if past customers include photos in their reviews. You’ll also get an idea of whether or not a store ships products on time or in good condition, as these are things that customers are quick to call out in the review section.

How can online merchants help customers stay safe online?

Creating a safe E-commerce environment isn’t just the responsibility of customers; it’s also the responsibility of merchants. Merchants should do their part in protecting their customers, like providing trusted payment gateways and doing regular security checks on their websites. Moreover, they can help educate their customers about possible scams, and be there for them should they need any assistance when it comes to safe online shopping.

Merchants should also choose partners that value their customers’ safety as much as they do. That’s why if they’re looking for an E-commerce enabler in the Philippines to help them with their operations, then Payo is the best choice!

From providing a safe payment gateway through CoD Integration to handling customer data with the utmost care, Payo is committed to being a reliable partner through and through. To learn more about Payo and what we have to offer, you can send us a message at [email protected] or sign up with us today. We’d be happy to discuss our solutions with you!