By EDD K. USMAN, SDN, Twitter @edd1819
DIGITAL or e-commerce has received a boost in the Philippines.
The “adrenaline” shot takes the form of a partnership between a player in the logistics industry and a giant in the e-commerce sphere.
On July 16, J&T Express, touted as “the number one express delivery firm in Southeast Asia,” trumpeted its partnership Shopee, a Singapore-based e-commerce platform giant.
The express delivery firm is also the leading company in Southeast Asia. It operates in Indonesia, Vietnam, Malaysia, Thailand, and the Philippines.
Partnership with mutual benefits
J&T Express aimed to strengthen its operations and deliver quality services for the Philippines’ growing number of online retailers.
The two partners formally reached their partnership agreement at the Shopee Philippines, Inc. head office in Bonifacio Global City, Taguig City, Metro Manila, before several journalists and bloggers.
Online shoppers’ number in the country have been observed to be growing, which did not escape Dean Ding, chief executive officer of J&T Express. He said this trend is expected to continue making headway, pushing the e-commerce industry further.
He cited a recent report called The Internet World Stats dated January 2018 that found some 67 million Filipinos are doing their shopping online.
This is a 12 percent increase year-on-year (YoY), a development that is a boon to entrepreneurs as it encourages them to take their businesses online, contributing in the process to the rising number of local e-commerce businesses.
Ding said:
“The increasing population of online businesses in the country opens new opportunities for big players in the e-commerce industry.
“By partnering with Shopee, we get to continue J&T Express’ mission of delivering quality express package delivery services that support the growth of local online businesses and, fuel this promising economic growth.”
Dean Ding, CEO of J&T Express (in white long sleeve) and Martin Yu, associate director, Shopee Philippines, seal their firms’ partnership with a handshake. From left are Zoe Chi and Tommy Li, J&T Express brand director and sales and marketing director, respectively; and Karen Perez (2nd, right) and Ruoshan Tao (right), head of Operation and head of Marketing, of Shopee Philippines, respectively. (Photo: J&T Express and Shopee)
The associate director of Shopee Philippines, Martin Yu, shared this observation.
DTI roadmap on e-commerce
As the leading e-commerce platform in Southeast Asia and Taiwan, Shopee recognizes the importance of delivering products in a fast, timely, and organized manner to enable hassle-free and more convenient shopping experiences to customers.
“We believe that shipping is an essential part of any e-commerce company and giving a good delivery experience to our consumers is key to maintaining a loyal customer base.
“We stand with J&T Express as they continue to give the ultimate package express delivery quality for customers and support the growth of e-commerce in the Philippines, especially for small and medium enterprises,” Yu said at the event.
What the partnership means, among others, is an expanded pick-up and delivery areas of items across the country for Shopee’s digital shoppers through J&T Express.
With its wide area of coverage, J&T Express offers a real-time tracking system for deliveries, high transmission speed, 365 operation days, a 24-hour hotline, and insurance claim facilities.
It can be recalled the Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) in February 2019 launched the Philippines E-Commerce Roadmap 2016-2020.
DTI’s roadmap marks the country’s first on e-commerce.
“The DTI expects renewed and re-invigorated collaboration between the government and the private sector to fully accelerate the growth of Philippine e-commerce — one that is globally competitive,” the department said.
It sees the country’s micro, small, and medium enterprises (MSMEs) as the major beneficiary of the roadmap. MSMEs in the country comprise 99.6 percent of local enterprises. (SDN/J&T Express)