Adopting digital technology is the best solution to recover and thrive amid what’s happening. Think about it – when you have an eCommerce business, your operations continue even when there’s a lockdown.
At the end of the day, our focus should be on building a resilient business. One that can survive with or without lockdowns.
Your Online Business Will Thrive in the Pandemic
Gone are the days when a business owner relies solely on a physical store where customers come, look for a parking space, make a purchase, and all the things in between. Starting an eCommerce business in the Philippines is not only cheaper, but the benefits are also overwhelming as well:
- You can get started in just a few clicks.
- It’s more affordable than setting up a brick-and-mortar store.
- Your customers can check out your online store anytime and anywhere.
- You can run your business even on the go—using just your laptop or mobile phone.
- It’s easier to automate your business and maximize your profits.
With that said, here are eCommerce business ideas that are popular in the Philippines:
Food and Beverage Business Ideas
Food binds Filipinos. Whether it’s a simple gathering at home with the family or a festive celebration nationwide, our culture revolves around food.
As restaurants are forced to reimagine the way they do their dining business, consumers find themselves gravitating towards ordering food online and having it delivered to their homes.
1. Milk Tea, Shakes, Caffeinated Drinks
Capital Needed: PHP30,000 to PHP300,000
Starting an online milk tea business in the Philippines is a great idea. Because it’s hot all year round, milk tea, shakes, and caffeinated drinks are ordered daily to keep cool while working and studying at home.
What’s more, these drinks are fast and easy to prepare. You can start this small business with little to no experience. There are even suppliers and franchises available, so you don’t need to start a business from scratch.
That said, a bigger capital is needed if you choose to franchise from popular milk tea brands.
2. Fast Food
Capital Needed:
- PHP2,000 to PHP5,000 (Homemade Food),
- Under PHP1 Million (Franchising)
If you love cooking, fast food is a profitable eCommerce business to start in the Philippines.
Popular food ideas to sell online now are samgyup-to-go, maki/sushi, fresh veggie rolls, and vegan/vegetarian meals to name a few. And of course, you can go for the tried-and-tested street food business ideas like kwek-kwek, fishball, kikiam, samalamig, and ihaw-ihaw.
You can also consider franchising popular street food or local restaurant chains if you don’t want to start a business from scratch.
You can set up your new business at home and accept online orders. The key here is to find a website builder that can easily integrate with multiple payment options and local shipping providers.
Looking for inspiration? Check out how this backyard food business turn into a nationwide brand, and now conquering the eCommerce industry.
3. Pastries
Capital Needed: PHP 3,000 to PHP 40,000
Apart from cooking, making pastries and other baked goods can be a good eCommerce business idea in the Philippines. You don’t even need a lot of starting capital for this new business.
The options for pastries are endless. Filipinos love to eat buns, bread loaves, cupcakes, brownies, and cakes. What you need to consider is whether you want to appeal to the masses or focus on creating specialty pastries.
And as your business grows and demands increase, you’ll have to invest in commercial-grade baking equipment. This eCommerce business will demand a lot of time, patience, and hard work but this is definitely a profitable food idea business idea to start in 2022.
Once you’ve chosen what products to sell, don’t forget to plan your digital marketing strategy for your pastry shop so you can appeal to your customers.
Essential Goods Reselling
Essential goods are growing in terms of demand, especially as people are opting to shop online versus going out to shop at their local grocery stores. Without a doubt, reselling essential goods is one of the best eCommerce business ideas to start in 2022.
There’s been a significant increase in sales of essential goods in online marketplaces. In fact, personal hygiene products, household cleaning products, and medication are among the top products frequently purchased online during the past two years.
4. Cleaning & Disinfecting Materials
Capital Needed: Around PHP5,000 to buy wholesale
The whole world is constantly reminded of the importance of keeping clean and staying healthy. The fear of getting sick resulted in the hoarding of goods as well as a shift in what Filipinos prioritize buying.
Suddenly, alcohol and disinfectants are sold by gallons. UV lamps and air purifiers became household fixtures.
Becoming a distributor or reseller allows you to profit while making these essential goods accessible to those who prefer not to go outside.
Additionally, you can also consider making and selling liquid detergents. Attend workshops to gain knowledge and skills on the proper way of starting this type of eCommerce business. Who knows? You might end up becoming a supplier for laundry services, hotels, and restaurants!
5. Fresh Produce
Capital Needed: PHP1,500 to PHP20,000
Consider distributing fresh produce like fruits and vegetables as an eCommerce business. What makes this a great eCommerce business idea in the Philippines is that you can partner with local farmers thus supporting local businesses and helping promote sustainability.
You can also focus on selling local organic produce to target those who are more health-conscious. Aside from selling to households, you can also become a supplier to restaurants and other home-based food businesses.
Setting up your business with the right eCommerce platform is important since you’d be selling perishables. With Prosperna Shipping, your customers can automatically book shipping so their orders will be delivered immediately straight to their doorstep.
6. Pet Supplies
Capital Needed: PHP5,000 and above
Most Filipinos love animals and have pets that they love and care for like family. You can make a lot of profit selling pet food, toys, grooming tools, and other essentials. Your starting capital will depend on the variety of pets you want to cater to and the products to sell.
You can also consider offering pet grooming, pet sitting, and pet boarding services to expand your business. You would need to know about different types of animals, breeds, and temperaments as well as have the necessary skills if you want to offer these services.
On the plus side, you will never run out of customers especially if you’d be offering their owners the convenience and assurance that their pets are being taken care of.
7. Grocery Items
Capital Needed: PHP5,000 – PHP20,000
One of the best eCommerce business to start in the Philippines is an online convenience store, grocery, or sari-sari store. If you live in a crowded area, or even an isolated community, selling grocery items online and having them delivered straight to your customers home is very convenient.
You will become a go-to online store for people living in your area because it’s much safer and they know you can deliver faster than other sellers. Be sure to follow safety precautions that’s why it’s better of you have cashless payment options like eWallets and bank transfers.
8. Secondhand Clothes
Capital Needed: PHP 0 (if you’re selling your old things), PHP5,000 and above (if buying large bundles of secondhand clothes or reselling branded items)
If you have a lot of clothes, bags, or shoes you don’t use anymore (or probably never worn), you can set up an eCommerce business and start an online clothing store. It encourages you to declutter and at the same time you can cater to a market of Filipinos who love to buy clothes at a bargain price.
Alternatively, you can buy bundles of secondhand clothes or overrun branded clothes to resell. If you are creative and you know how to sew, you can transform secondhand clothes into your own design and start your own clothing collection.
Turn Your Hobby Into a Business
But first, here’s a reality check. Not every hobby can be turned into a viable business so be sure validate your business idea. Another thing to consider: running a business means you have to put your customers first and offer what they want, not what you think they want.
Some have found success in turning their hobby into a business. But for some, going down this road took away the joy, pleasure, and relaxation that they used to find in their hobby. This is something you’d have to think about before diving deep into this path.
9. Handmade Products
Capital Needed: PHP10,000-PHP15,000 (depending on the materials you will need)
If you’re someone who prefers to work with your hands, you can use your creativity by creating items like bags, wallets, accessories, and jewelry and sell them online. Other trending products to sell are those made from upcycled materials – bonus points for helping promote sustainability!
Filipinos are also turning to artisanal soaps versus using commercial soaps, so this is another option that you can explore. You can attend workshops online and start an eCommerce business in your kitchen.
Competition is steep in this market so here’s a little marketing tip for your handmade products business: Don’t just sell your products. Sell the story behind the product.
10. Artworks
Capital Needed: Price varies depending on materials used
There are so many forms of creating art that are either simple or extravagant. Whatever type of art you are into–painting, drawing, music, photography, digital arts, woodwork, calligraphy, etc.–you can turn your passion into profit and sell your products online.
The great thing about setting up an eCommerce business to sell your artworks is that potential buyers can easily view or listen to your work anytime and anywhere. You can sell your finished artworks or create a portfolio to showcase your best works for commissioned art.
11. Home Decor
Capital Needed: PHP5,000-PHP20,000 for wholesale supplies
Since remote work is the new normal, you can focus your eCommerce business on selling work-from-home furniture like desks and chairs, or sofa beds and daybeds to easily transform their home space into an office during the day.
You can also sell simple home decor products such as curtains, carpets, rugs, pillowcases, blankets.
Alternatively, if you love shopping and finding great deals yourself, you can start an eCommerce business that buys and sells secondhand vintage decors or other collectibles.
12. Cookware & Utensils
Capital Needed: PHP5,000-PHP20,000 for wholesale supplies
More and more people are working from home, which easily translates to them having more time to spend in the kitchen. Supplying home cooks with the materials they need is an awesome way to tap into this industry. You can also market to hobbyists who are learning to cook at home.
You can buy wholesale and sell retail, become an official distributor, or start a dropshipping business so you don’t have to worry about storage and shipping. The key here is to find a trusted and legitimate supplier since you want to make sure that you’re selling quality products on your online store.
13. Gardening Plants & Tools
Capital Needed: PHP3,000 – PHP10,000
Tap into the growing market of plantitos and plantitas of the Philippines by selling gardening plant and tools.
If you have a green thumb and you have the space, you can make your gardening hobby profitable by selling your homegrown plants. Succulents and indoor plants are in-demand products to sell. While hydroponic vegetables such as lettuce, tomatoes, and herbs are gaining traction as well.
If gardening is not your thing but you’re good at sourcing supplies, you can start an eCommerce business that sells gardening supplies and tools to enthusiasts.
14. Electronics
Capital Needed: PHP3,000-PHP20,000
The demand for gadgets to stay connected with the world is so apparent.
With remote work becoming the norm, Filipinos are warming up to purchasing gadgets online such as smartphones, laptops, tablets, and video game consoles. There’s also a market for selling quality second hand or refurbished gadgets for budget-conscious consumers.
So if you’re into gadgets or you have access to suppliers to buy wholesale gadgets from, this could be a great eCommerce business idea for you.
Before and after-sales customer service is a key element to your success in this business. This is true for all online businesses, but more so if you are selling expensive products such as electronic gadgets.
Final Thoughts
Most of these business ideas can be started with nothing more than an internet connection and some basic equipment. So what are you waiting for? Start exploring your options and see which one fits best for you.
And when you’re ready to take things up a notch, Prosperna is here help you turn your online business idea into reality. With our eCommerce software and local team of experts, we can guide you through every step of setting up and running your own eCommerce business in the Philippines.
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