Have you ever witnessed a Filipino business or a new brand go from humble beginnings to online domination? It’s not magic, it’s the power of how a business and brand can use an eCommerce platform to sell direct-to-consumer (D2C) AND across multiple channels with their own online store.
The boom of online shopping has prompted a growing number of micro, small, and medium enterprises (MSMEs) to embrace eCommerce.
GlobalData analysts recently cited that the Philippine eCommerce market is on pace to grow at a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 13.2 percent between 2024 and 2028 and reach P2.2 trillion or $39.5 billion in 2028.
What does this mean to you?
Well, it’s never been more better time to evaluate and invest in eCommerce to capture the HUGE market growth in the Philippines.
The problem is – you might be feeling stuck or unsure of where to start.
No worries!
We’re here to guide you through the world of having your own eCommerce platform and online store.
Understanding Online Store Builders
So, what is an online store builder?
An online store builder is also known as an eCommerce website builder.
By it’s most simplest definition, it’s a website, app or digital platform that enables an individual or business to sell their products and services online over the internet directly to their consumers.
In theory, you can simply choose a template, add your products, select your payment and shipping options, and then personalize your website to your brand and customer journey.
It’s supposed to be easy, right?
Well, unfortunately there is no one-size-fits-all approach!!
Why is an online store builder important to your business?
First and foremost, I’m sure that one of the reasons that you’re here is because you want to grow your business!
If so, you need an online store builder.
Just look at the facts!
Philippine consumer behavior and demographics:
- The average Filipino between 16 to 64 years old spends 8 hours and 52 minutes on the internet compared to the global average of 6 hours and 42 minutes.
- The average Filipino spends 93.7% of their time on mobile phones when accessing the internet compared to Indonesia at 78.5%.
- 33.9% of the average Filipinos between 16 to 64 years old make an online mobile purchase every week compared to the global average of 29.9%.
- And, the average Filipino is 25 years old – they all grew up with mobile devices and the internet.
- Recent reports show that direct-to-consumer (D2C) shopping in the Philippines is growing between 15% to 59% every year (depending on the category). Consumers have always wanted a direct line of communication with brands, manufacturers and distributors. Not only does it provide consumers with more selection but also serves as a way to connect and create long-term customers for life.
*Google, Temasek, Bain & Company e-Conomy SEA 2023 Report
The bottomline is, your business will either grow with the eCommerce Philippines economic growth trend…
…or, won’t.
What’s so great about having your own online store builder?
It’s more than just a tool that helps you create and manage your website.
It’s also your eCommerce platform to help you with every aspect of your online selling journey.
TOP 5 Online Store Benefits:
- Access new customers.
42% of all online sales transactions begin with a Google Search. If you’re not on Google, you’re missing out. Start promoting your business without any paid ads by implementing Search Engine Optimization (SEO) . Track your sales and website traffic with insightful analytics to make data-driven decisions. - Build trust and your brand.
99.75% of online shoppers read product reviews. An online store provides your businesses with complete control over your brand image, customer reviews, and the user experience. - Improved customer convenience.
Every customer wants to simplify their life, and making payments and shipping easier is the answer. Based on the 2023 Report on E-Payments Measurement of the Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas (BSP), the share of digital payment transactions to total monthly retail payments in the Philippines grew from 42.1 percent in 2022 to 52.8 percent in 2023. And, according to Statista, the online delivery market in the Philippines is expected to grow at a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 10.39% from 2024–2029. - Cost savings and efficiencies.
Compared to operating a physical retail space, maintaining an online store is generally more cost-effective, as it eliminates expenses such as rent, utilities, and staffing which typically accounts for at least 33% of your operating expenses.
An online store can also enable you to automate various tasks such as inventory management, order processing, and customer support, leading to increased efficiency and reduced human error. - Control of customer data and insights.
With your own eCommerce platform website, you own all of your customer contact information and data like purchase history, preferences, and lifetime value. Conversely, if your customer buys your products from a third-party marketplace or social media platform, they “own” that customer and their information. There’s real value and power in owning your data to increase and create repeat sales.
Top 6 Factors to Consider When Choosing an Online Store Builder for Your Philippine Business
- Budget Matters.
Starting an online business shouldn’t break the bank. Subscription fees for online store builders from abroad are very expensive. For example, the entry level pricing plans from Shopify and Wix are about 3 times more expensive than local Philippine options. The Philippines economic environment is very different than it is in major markets like the US, Europe and Australia - Online Payments.
Filipinos love their digital wallets. 64% of Filipinos are projected to use mobile wallets by 2025. So, make sure your online store builder integrates seamlessly with popular options like GCash, Maya and COD. Don’t forget to consider transaction fees and security measures. Remember, a smooth and secure payment experience is key to increasing trust and conversion rates. - Last-mile Shipping.
Filipino businesses also need integrations with local delivery providers. The on-demand last mile market is project to grow at a 44.7% CAGR through 2026. So, make sure your online store builder integrates with popular options like Lalamove, Grab Express, J&T Shipping and more. When it comes to the eCommerce Philippines market, 41% of consumers prefer same day delivery services. - Multi-channel Selling.
As of 2024, Shopee reached an average of over 70 million monthly web visitors in the Philippines, making it the most popular B2C eCommerce marketplace in the country. Lazada, achieved the second place spot with an average of 24.09 million monthly visits in the Philippines. So, if a Philippine business wants to increase sales, it’s important to consider selling your products and services across many different channels. - Transaction fees.
Depending on the platform, there could be many different types of fees that you would pay. Typically, 3rd party marketplaces have different rates based on the category of products that you’re selling. So, it’s important that you do your homework by reviewing the support documentation of the different platforms where most transaction fees are documented. Some of the different types of transaction fees that may apply could be:
A. Commission fees
B. Promotional fees (for shipping, vouchers, cashback and flash sales)
C. Payment gateway fees - Priority support When You Need It.
Running any business isn’t always smooth sailing. Local Philippine language support and readily available assistance are lifesavers. Look for builders with help guides, FAQs, tutorials, in-app chat, local training resources and a responsive customer service team who understand your needs.
Now that you have an idea about what to look for – which platform is right for you?
There are many online store builder options available in the eCommerce Philippines market and each one has its advantages and disadvantages.
So, it’s super important for you to carefully compare them before making a decision.
What is Prosperna?
Prosperna is the Filipino-friendly platform for our kababayang MSMEs who want to sell their products and services online.
Our all-in-one eCommerce platform will enable you to set up your own online store, sell across multiple channels, start accepting payments and manage shipping from one dashboard without any coding skills.
TOP 5 Advantages of Prosperna:
- No risk.
Start with our Free (forever) Plan: No setup fees, no monthly subscriptions – just pure opportunity! - Budget friendly.
Upgrade anytime for more advanced features for as low as PhP 495 (USD $ 9) per month. Remember, affordable options don’t mean sacrificing quality. - Local payment options.
No need to fill out multiple payment gateway applications.
No long waiting periods.
No complicated integrations.
With Prosperna, you get pre-integrated payment options like GCash, Maya, debit and credit cards, 7-Eleven over-the-counter, COD and more! - Local last-mile shipping options.
No need to fill out multiple shipping provider applications.
No long waiting periods.
No complicated integrations.
With Prosperna, you get pre-integrated shipping options like Lalamove, J&T Shipping, Grab Express and more! - Integrations to local 3rd party marketplaces.
Reach more customers, sync orders and always keep your inventory updated.
With Prosperna, get pre-integrated multi-channel selling options with social media platforms like Facebook, Instagram and TikTok as well local online marketplaces like Shopee and Lazada. - No designer or developer needed.
With Prosperna’s theme marketplace, you can choose from a selection of professionally designed themes. Or, you can completely customize your website with our point ‘n click feature settings and our drag ‘n drop page builder. - Reasonable transaction fees.
With Prosperna, our goal is to level the playing field for Philippine businesses so that you can REALLY grow your business. And your business won’t grow if a big part of your sales goes to commission, transaction, promotional and payment gateway fees. For example, on average, 3rd party marketplaces charge a total of 19% in transaction fees (not including payment gateway fees). Compared to Prosperna customers who only pay a 1% convenience fee. What’s also very cool is that you get to choose who, between you and your consumer, pays for how much of the convenience fee.
That means only 1 thing…
…more sales and profits for you with Prosperna! - Local support.
With Prosperna, you’ll get great support from our local team. We also have lots of resources like video tutorials, help guides, free weekly training webinars and email and chat support.
Explore the marketplace of FREE online store themes from Prosperna today.
Final Thoughts
Now that you’ve explored the world of online store builders, understood the measurable potential, and saw a glimpse of how Prosperna can uniquely empower your business…
…don’t just imagine the eCommerce Philippines market opportunity, experience it!
Join thousands of Philippine businesses who love Prosperna.
Let’s go #ProsperNation!
Online Store Builder FAQS
The Philippine eCommerce market is on pace to grow at a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 13.2 percent between 2024 and 2028 and reach P2.2 trillion or $39.5 billion in 2028 and this represents a HUGE opportunity for Philippine businesses. By working with an online store builder platform like Prosperna, you can allow experts like us to do what we’re good at which is manage your eCommerce technology platform, while you focus on what you’re good at which is running your business.
Prosperna is the fastest, easiest and most affordable way for Philippine businesses to create their own online store, sell across multiple channels, start accepting all types of payments and manage shipping from one dashboard. Thousands of Philippines love Prosperna and the best way to start is by creating a Prosperna FREE (forever) account.
Yes. Our goal is to make creating an online store super easy for Philippine businesses. Prosperna offers you a couple of different ways to create your own website, depending on your goals. With our FREE (forever) account, you can use our point ‘n click setup guide to create your online store with your colors and branding, start accepting all types of payments and manage shipping in one dashboard. With any of the Prosperna paid plans (starting at PhP 495/month), you can also browse our theme marketplace of free and paid professionally designed website templates then modify them to your exact branding and user experience using Prosperna’s drag ‘n drop online store builder.
With Prosperna, you can start accepting all types of payments from customers without any coding skills and without filling out multiple applications and without waiting long periods of time for approval. With one signup, you will get access to payment methods like GCash, Maya, debit and credit cards, 7-Eleven over-the-counter, bank transfers, COD and more!
With Prosperna, you can start offering all types of shipping to your customers without any coding skills and without filling out multiple applications and without waiting long periods of time for approval. With one signup, you will get access to shipping methods like Lalamove, J&T Shipping, Grab Express and more!
Prosperna’s no-code online store builder is very easy to use. However, if you are looking for expert help you can explore the Prosperna Marketplace to find a certified freelancer or agency at a price that fits your budget.
Absolutely. Prosperna is a no-code online store builder that makes it possible to create a high-quality website without knowing how to code. In the Prosperna page builder, you can drag and drop any feature you want and customize it to match the look and feel of your site. Of course, if you do know how to code, you can also add advanced functionality to your site based on your needs.
It depends. The cost of building a website varies depending on the features you need and whether you opt to build it yourself with an online store builder or pay a developer to build it for you. With an online store builder like Prosperna, you can build as many websites as you want for free, however, you’ll have to upgrade to any paid plan to connect a custom domain and get access to advanced business features. The cost of building an online store is significantly lower if you choose an all-in-one platform like Prosperna.
Prosperna, Your Partner to eCommerce Success
Prosperna is an all-in-one eCommerce platform for Philippine businesses and digital creators. We are on a mission to empower 1 million Philippine businesses with simple and affordable eCommerce software.
In fact, we are so passionate about helping Philippine businesses and digital creators that we’re giving you a free account forever!
Want to start selling online? Create your FREE-forever Prosperna account now.
