Most Pinoy e-shoppers read reviews first: report

MANILA – Most Filipino online shoppers are reading product reviews first to help them decide on their online purchases, a report from technology-based logistics company Ninja Van in partnership with DPDgroup said.

In the E-Commerce Southeast Asia Barometer Report 2021, the Philippines and Vietnam have the highest number of respondents, saying they choose websites based on recommendations of social media influencers, at 87 percent—higher than the regional average of 81 percent.

The report also pertains to social media influencers as “new storefronts” as they have a strong impact on their fans’ purchase decisions.

“Online shoppers are heavily reliant on online reviews to assist in purchase decision making and it’s a two-way street,” a statement from Ninja Van Philippines said Friday.

It added that since Filipinos value online reviews, e-shoppers also share their reviews of the purchased products with their family and friends or publish their feedback on e-commerce platforms.

“In a hyper social environment, feedback is a form of currency that cannot be underestimated as more than half of the e-shoppers (in Southeast Asia) are likely to discuss their purchases via websites or apps,” the report read.

Filipino online shoppers also see the importance of product reviews since they recognize the difficulty in returning defective products or wrong orders.

According to the report, Filipino e-shoppers have the most difficulty among Southeast Asian nations in terms of product returns, followed by Malaysia, Thailand, Singapore, Vietnam, and Indonesia.

A big chunk of Filipino e-shoppers also considers it important to know the delivery company as it gives them a level of reassurance on the quality of service in delivering their orders.

“At Ninja Van Philippines, we are constantly looking for ways to maintain excellence in our operations and customer service. The boom of e-commerce in the country has pushed us to adapt to the changing demands and preferences of our shippers and shoppers when it comes to delivery services and other logistics needs,” Ninja Van Philippines chief operating officer Vin Perez said in an e-mail.