Lazada Bets on Shoppertainment As the Next Big Thing for E-Commerce
Of late, the birthday tune sung by Kathryn Bernardo, Lee Minho, Mimiyuuuh, and SB19 has become a constant refrain in your brain. The cheery earworm, which pops up in almost every video on YouTube, heralds the ninth birthday of e-commerce giant Lazada and, judging from the bright faces of these famous well-wishers, the occasion will be grand, lively, and full of color. Are you humming it now?
Celebrate Lazada's 9th Birthday on March 27 with @bernardokath @SB19Official @mimiyuuuh & @ActorLeeMinHo????????
— Lazada Philippines (@LazadaPH) March 17, 2021
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?????DISCOUNTS up to 90% OFF#LazCelebrate9Years #Lazada9Birthday #LazadaSurpriseBirthdaySale pic.twitter.com/Z9uE5IPoL2
Delivering the Goods… All the Goods
There’s much to celebrate, really, with the network leading the charge in changing the way Filipinos shopped in 2020. When the pandemic crashed traditional modes of buying and selling goods, Lazada provided a viable way to get your hands on, say, an air fryer or a set of dumbbells, as well as became a platform for displaced merchants. It flourished against the odds.
Neil Trinidad, chief marketing officer of Lazada, details another key element in the shopping hub’s success: the super expansion of its goods. “We wanted to make sure that whatever shoppers are looking for #NasaLazadaYan,” he says in an interview with Esquire Philippines. To sum, the platform tripled its sellers, bringing in over 500 brands and opening up to new and much-needed essential categories like fresh and frozen goods.
Trinidad mentions, in particular, MSMEs, which have been supported by the company through several Bounce Back campaigns. “As local entrepreneurs adopt e-commerce, Lazada is also here to assist our brands and sellers in their continuous journey online, ensuring they are able to stand out and grow their business online, too,” says the CMO, who adds how there are 100,000 monthly active sellers on the platform right now.
Evolving into Shoppertainment with Katy Perry
A lot of people are selling and you are buying. Now, the big question is: What’s next for e-commerce?
Trinidad sees the continued uptake of online shopping for both consumers and sellers in 2021 and Lazada will ride (or supercharge!) this wave by “…bringing consumers quality and elevated experiences on our platform.”
“Shopping online is no longer just a commercial transaction, it has now also become entertainment,” he continues. “We worked hard in driving Shoppertainment—our in-app livestreaming platform LazLived and gaming through LazGames.” If you haven’t tinkered around the app, Trinidad points out there are more and many things to do there apart from shopping. You can, for example, “engage with sellers live and in-real time… and even join in the fun in the safety of their homes through our grand countdown celebration shows.”
The executive refers to that big birthday bash on March 26. Dubbed the Lazada Super Party, the virtual concert is top-billed by K-pop act NCT Dream and pop queen Katy Perry and also includes performances by local stars like the ubiquitous Mimiyuuuh, Alden Richards, Lovi Poe, among others. The show serves as a countdown for the platform’s Birthday Sale, too, which starts at midnight on March 27.
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— NCT DREAM (@NCTsmtown_DREAM) March 25, 2021
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Perry, who was last seen giving a rousing rendition of her hit “Firework” at the inauguration of U.S President Joe Biden, shares this message to revelers:
“Thank you for supporting and loving me all this time. I am excited to meet you soon at the Lazada Super Party, to hopefully spread a little light, love, and joy and have everyone sing along with me, even if we are physically apart,” says the singer, who most recently delivered Smile, her sixth studio album, and also Daisy, her adorable daughter with Orlando Bloom. “I wish for Lazada to help all of their customers as they need, and for everyone to always look on the bright side of life.”
The online concert is another aspect of the digitalization of the brick-and-mortar shopping experience. If you recall, in that age when you can go to stores, malls also held mini-concerts with bold-faced names to banner big sales and attract foot traffic. The online platform takes a page from this playbook and, in true Lazada fashion, makes it even bigger.
Creating Connection With Trust
Then and now, Lazada knows that, to stay one foot ahead of everyone else, it has to create a connection to the shopper.
“We make it a priority to establish a strong sense of trust with our consumers,” says Trinidad, who details the platform’s secure online shopping experience: a range of trusted payment options, last-mile delivery, 24/7 customer care channels. “Lazada is a platform that offers this guarantee to our consumers, and we believe that our service continues to build customer trust and loyalty to our brands.”
That's the more serious aspect of creating relationships. Then, there’s the big parties. Watch global stars like Perry and maybe become the next Lazada Millionaire evenbefore hitting the buy button. All that, Lazada hopes, will keep you tuned in and shop online even more.
Lazada's Super Party premieres on GMA7, LazLive on the Lazada App, and Lazada’s Facebook, Tiktok, Twitter, and YouTube accounts on March 26 at 9:30 p.m.
