Maintaining Momentum: Pursuing Bigger Digital Opportunities

By Roger Santos

Last July 29, 2020, I attended a webinar entitled “Maintaining Momentum: Pursuing Bigger Digital Opportunities,” which was organized by the American Chamber of Commerce (AmCham) of the Philippines.

One of the speakers was JP Yamsuan, a Senior Manager at The Nielsen Company Philippines, focusing on Consumer Insights. He has been with the company for 14 years, studying different markets, geographies, and people in South East Asia. His expertise is on Quantitative Customized Research, covering a wide range of analytics — Market Sizing and UAI Studies, Customer Experience, Product/Concept/Ad Testing, Segmentation, Pricing and Conjoint Studies, and Corporate Equity Studies. He also has a wide range of clientele — FMCG/CPG, Finance, Technology and Telecommunications, Durables, Automotive, Retailers, Government and Public Institutions. He graduated from the University of the Philippines (Diliman), with a Bachelor’s degree in Psychology and a Master’s degree in Sociology.

JP’s presentation mainly focused on the new perspectives of digital consumers in the new normal. He discussed how e-commerce provided a path to recovery for businesses in other markets, which can also happen in the Philippines. As more consumers migrate to purchasing goods online, product categories continue to increase each year. Because of this, businesses need to go where the consumers are as there is potential business for those who are selling their products and goods. Online purchases are attractive because of convenience, communities, and category selection.

As for channels, it’s not just about the aggregators anymore — Facebook, community selling groups, messaging app chat groups, and online palengkes are on the rise. During the lockdown, about 60% of food was bought from online communities. While online buyers are becoming more open to cashless transactions, which resulted from a combination of convenience and less physical contact, there are still those who prefer cash transactions. About one in five people will likely continue with cashless transactions post lockdown.

Business owners need to invest in infrastructure and systems that will help ensure secure and seamless transactions, should they opt to go cashless. This experience will be the foundation of trust and repeat usage. E-commerce will continue to push boundaries in the new normal; follow where the consumers are and understand the power of communities as word of mouth can make or break a brand.

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About the author:

Roger is a family man, who loves to cook and play with his son. He spends most of his free time watching movies, especially the ones included in the Marvel Cinematic Universe. Roger loves to sing and, when he’s happy, he sings his heart out, without minding the people around him.