BIZ BUZZ: Christmas carts get heavier
Filipinos appear to be getting an early—and pricier—start on Christmas shopping.
During Lazada Philippines’ 9.9 mega brands sale, orders worth at least P6,000 made up more than half of the platform’s total gross merchandise value (GMV), with smartphones and consumer electronics leading high-value purchases.
Official brand channels also captured 72 percent of campaign GMV, while LazMall accounted for one in every two completed orders.
Shoppers were not just spending more. They were also looking farther afield, as GMV from international brands on LazMall tripled versus business-as-usual days.
One in three shoppers likewise made at least two LazMall purchases during the campaign.
Artificial intelligence (AI) is also finding its way into the holiday cart. Across Southeast Asia, shopping journeys aided by Lazada’s LazzieChat generated $2.2 million in GMV during the 9.9 sale.
The AI tool helps shoppers compare products, check technical specifications and work through gift lists.
For Lazada Philippines CEO Carlos Barrera, the numbers point to consumers starting their holiday preparations earlier and becoming more deliberate about where they spend—particularly when buying bigger-ticket items.
With 11.11 and 12.12 still ahead, those Christmas carts could even get heavier.
