Lazada: A long debate over offline and online shopping

It’s been a long debate on whether online activities are eating up our conventional offline activities. Sure, online can make things easier. But we also have to face the reality that there is also some risk in doing things online. Can the local customers get the same service they get from traditional malls over online malls? Most of us would have avoided online shopping if this was asked a few years ago. Online mall's credibility always matters to customers if ever they will consider online shopping. It's just hard to ignore that online frauds and scams happen making online customers avoid online shopping. It's more challenging for online shopping to be accepted in the country because only a few posses their own credit card. As a result, a lot of the online prospects don't easily get convinced in shopping online. It matters to customers that online shops they are dealing with have a secured credit card line. These details are usually thought of by customers should they decide to shop online.

A lot changed in online shopping when Lazada arrived in the local Ecommerce industry a year ago. Once the Philippines’ Online Shopping Mall arrived in the country they have a solution on how they will the local Ecommerce grow in the country. This solution is an alternative payment method that solved the major Ecommerce woes in the Philippines. Cash on Delivery was the alternative payment method that they were banking on to help them penetrate the local online market. It makes customers feel that they are secured when shopping on their website. Their service can be tested without having too much risk since they won't be demanded to pay via credit card and give away their credit card details. A lot of us are very strict when it comes to providing confidential details online. We don’t want to be part of the ratio that got scammed online. It’s not only just about stealing money from you but more on securing your privacy such as your address, name, birthday and etc.

How will it help the customers in the shopping online? From their huge selection of items, the local online customers can select which category they like as they visit their website. It is not a requirement for their customers to pay right away as soon as they are decided on what to buy. Customers are not required to pay upfront if they select Cash on Delivery for their orders to be processed. Customers can easily relax once they provided their delivery details and wait for the arrival of their orders which takes about two to five days. Local online customers will only be required to pay cash once Lazada delivers their order and handed over the ordered items to them. Delivery fees will be free as long as the order value of customers is above one thousand pesos. It's good to know for customers that they get to hold their money up until their orders arrived at their doorstep. Actually, it is rare to see that an online customer has the advantage over online stores.