MANILA, Philippines– Two years into the pandemic, we have seen how the inevitable dawn of the “new normal” has significantly changed the way we live, and in it, shopped. In the past couple of years, we embraced the world of online shopping out of choice and need, which left a big impact not just on our consuming behavior, but in our lives as a whole.
Championing stories of triumph, Shopee charts the stories of Filipinos whose lives have dramatically been transformed through the e-commerce platform. Maricris Lorenzo, Biboy Bautista, and Jggigs Elmido, coming from different walks of life, carry their unique Kwentong Shopee, united by a common thread of finding hope amid the struggles of the pandemic.
Image courtesy of Shopee
Here are three stories of how Shopee has helped shoppers, riders, and sellers rise above difficulties:
Maricris Lorenzo
After working as an OFW in Singapore for 10 years, Maricris Lorenzo and her husband decided to settle down and start their own family back in the Philippines. However, as the couple welcomed the birth of their first child and tried to navigate their life as new parents, they found themselves facing new challenges due to the pandemic.
In her resourcefulness, however, they continue to take good care of their child. Raising a baby can also be financially draining, but she found ways to get the best deals and value for her money. She admits that almost all of their basic essentials and baby needs are from Shopee. She was such a frequent shopper, she even went on to forge a strong friendship with her suki Shopee Xpress rider.
The rider offered their help when she and her family contracted COVID-19 this past year. “Kung wala si Shopee, hindi ko alam kung saan ako kukuha ng mga items during those critical times of the pandemic especially nung nag-quarantine kami,” she shared.
After getting sick, Lorenzo wisely utilized her finances and used Shopee’s cashback rewards to save on bills, which were beginning to pile up. She also used ShopeePay so she can save money, maximize exclusive perks, and go cashless.
Biboy Bautista
E-commerce platforms provided opportunities for entrepreneurs to digitize, expand, and explore other businesses amidst the pandemic. After Biboy Bautista’s previous printing business shut down due to the pandemic, he opened Barkboi, a pet store which started as a humble dog food business in a small garage. He then took his business online, which grew to become a full-blown pet store with five branches in Las Piñas. He calls it a stroke of luck since he didn’t expect his love for animals to turn into a booming business, especially during the pandemic.
However, the success didn’t come without challenges, the biggest of which happened during the second wave of the coronavirus last August. Bautista had to temporarily close shop after he and the majority of his employees contracted the virus. As a business owner, Bautista was well aware of the responsibilities he had towards his employees, which included people who lost jobs due to the pandemic and undergraduate students who needed income to further their education.
To make sure he could still support his employees, he decided to focus on selling on Shopee while the rest of the team recovered. He tells his employees, “Basta Shopee natin maayos, sigurado tayo buhay tayo. Hangga’t may benta may pag-asa!”
Jgiggs Elmido
A Shopee Xpress rider faces many struggles—adjusting to routes and managing deliveries, to name a few—but they’re no match for Jggigs Elmido. As a father, husband, and student, he had to make ends meet in order to provide for his young family, give them the best future, and finish his studies.
After taking a break from school to take care of his newborn baby, Elmido worked as a Shopee Xpress Rider. Through his job as a rider, he was able to reach milestones he had set for himself, such as buying his own phone and motorcycle, building his own home, paying for his studies, and supporting his family.
Elmido would attend class, spend time with his family, and deliver orders until the evening. He admits that raising a young family, being a rider, and pursuing a degree at the same time was stressful, but, like many of us in this time of uncertainty, he remains undeterred. While achieving dreams is never easy, for him, determination is key. “Lahat naman mahirap. Pero kung may gusto kang makamit, gagawan mo ng paraan.”
Elmido feels immensely grateful for the opportunity to become a good provider for his family. His flexible working hours as a rider allowed him to earn income to support his family, spend quality time with them, and finish his degree.
Shopee has empowered its buyers, sellers, and riders to find a silver lining even in the toughest of challenges and say, “Salamat, Shopee!”
Watch these people’s full Kwentong Shopee here:
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