E-commerce platform promotional events seen boosting small-business growth

By Justine Irish D. Tabile, Reporter

E-COMMERCE platform special sales, especially those held late in the year, are expected to drive growth for smaller businesses, US-listed global commerce media company Criteo said.

“Double-day sale events are expected to remain a major growth engine in the Philippines heading into next year,” Criteo Managing Director for Southeast Asia Sukesh Singh told BusinessWorld.

“Filipino consumers have embraced events like 10.10, 11.11, and 12.12 not only as opportunities for substantial savings but also as part of their broader year-end shopping rituals,” he added.

He said he expects health and beauty to remain one of the strongest-performing segments, amid a sustained interest in self-care and personal wellness across Southeast Asia.

“Apparel and travel-related categories, including luggage, are also expected to continue driving sales given the country’s highly festive culture and consistent appetite for domestic and international travel,” he said.

“Another category worth watching is home and garden. While it traditionally performs more strongly at the regional level, we may see spillover effects influence Filipino shoppers to renew and update their living spaces,” he added.

He said double-day events, the signature promotional activity of the e-commerce industry, are opportunities for micro, small, and medium enterprises (MSMEs) to tap shoppers who are more willing to explore unfamiliar brands during such periods.

“In 2024, Southeast Asia saw significant gains in first-time buyers during the major double-day events. This openness is particularly advantageous for small businesses that rely on discovery and differentiation,” he added.

However, he said that MSMEs will have to prepare prior to the events to be able to service the expected surge in demand.

He said that shoppers begin their discovery journey anywhere from 1-2 weeks to a few days before the actual sale event.

“This means brands can maximize impact by planning in advance — ensuring that the right creative assets, product visibility, and retail media placements are in place during the high-intent phase,” he added.

The company also observed higher basket sizes and stronger sales volumes during these events, indicating customer readiness to spend.

“Brands can capitalize on this by curating bundles, introducing complementary add-ons, and activating limited-time flash sales to encourage customers to increase their cart size,” he said.

He said MSMEs are naturally agile, which allows them to adapt to market conditions faster than their larger competitors through tweaking messaging, pivoting categories, or updating promotions in real time.

“To harness this advantage, MSMEs must stay up to date with market-specific trends and festive behaviors, especially in the Philippines, where purchasing patterns shift noticeably between 11.11 and 12.12,” he said.

“Localizing campaigns by market and category and personalizing them to the individual allows smaller sellers to align their offerings with seasonal activities and established purchase habits. When executed well, this combination of agility, early planning, and localization will allow them to maximize returns across every major sales event,” he added.

In the Philippines, demand during double-day events is seasonally driven, as demand shifts across the categories every month.

“In 2024, Singles’ Day (11.11) was the biggest double-day event, with demand increasing sharply across various categories focused on self-care and leisure at home,” he said.

“When compared to the beginning of October, peaks in demand were observed across Health & Beauty (+234%) and Arts & Entertainment (+223%) on Singles’ Day. These preferences align with Filipinos preparing early for holiday gatherings and year-end downtime,” he added.

Meanwhile, he said demand gravitated towards fashion and travel essentials during 12.12.

“These category movements indicate thoughtful, purpose-driven purchasing rather than impulse-driven spikes,” he added.

He also said that the fourth quarter stands out as the most powerful acquisition period not only in the Philippines but also in Southeast Asia, as double-day events in October to December align with the year-end holiday season.

“As Filipino shoppers begin their gift-buying journeys, they naturally encounter new brands and products along the way, making this a time when discovery and trial are at their peak,” he said.

“With three fourth-quarter double days, Philippine sellers have multiple touchpoints to drive first-time and repeat purchases. When brands activate their strategies deliberately and consistently throughout the fourth quarter, they can extend the impact of these events well beyond the shopping season,” he added.