Reydan and Katrina Adlawan started selling fish as pets and other aquatic products in 2018. Katrina, a nurse, and Reydan, who worked in construction, would meet up buyers who found their products via Facebook.

The two wanted to put up a fish pet shop. They sold fish, including rare ones, and related products.

“We realized it is easier to market our items if we put it on Shopee considering that Shopee is one of the most popular ecommerce platforms in the Philippines. The market is really wide within the Philippines,” Katrina said during the Cebu launch of Shopee’s 6.6 and 7.7. Mid-year Sale last May 27.

CEBU SELLERS. Shopee highlighted Cebu-based shops during their launch of the 6.6 and 7.7. Mid-year Sale last May 27. (From left) Jimmy Martinez of In Sweet J&J, Shopee Philippines Director Martin Yu, and Reydan and Katrina Adlawan of Fish Daddeh.
CEBU SELLERS. Shopee highlighted Cebu-based shops during their launch of the 6.6 and 7.7. Mid-year Sale last May 27. (From left) Jimmy Martinez of In Sweet J&J, Shopee Philippines Director Martin Yu, and Reydan and Katrina Adlawan of Fish Daddeh.

The two put up Fish Daddeh on Shopee to sell fish food and other products like dog and cat food, pet supplies, and other accessories.

Katrina said they gave up their job to focus on the online store because sales went up.

What’s good about selling on Shopee is that sales go up and you require fewer manpower, said Reydan. He said they no longer need to do meetups.

“We just pack the items in our house and in our shop and wait for our courier to pick it up the next day. It really helped us boost our sales not to mention – the payday sales, the 33 the 44 and the upcoming 66 sales,” Reydan said.

Another Cebu shop that saw increased sales by being on Shopee is In Sweet J&J. The store sells fashion accessories, said Jimmy Martinez, who handles daily operations and customer relations.

Martinez said they started as a physical store but their business really grew when they started selling on Shopee. Offering freebies and the regular Shopee sales helped them get more customers.

GROWTH IN VISAYAS. Shopee Philippines Director Martin Yu said they have been “working very hard to address the growing needs of shoppers in the Visayas area.”
GROWTH IN VISAYAS. Shopee Philippines Director Martin Yu said they have been “working very hard to address the growing needs of shoppers in the Visayas area.”

He said it also helps that it is easier for customers to buy on Shopee. He said they also make sure that customers get updated on their purchase by taking photos of the items they ordered online.

The ecommerce platform has been “working very hard to address the growing needs of shoppers in the Visayas area,” said Shopee Philippines Director Martin Yu.

“This year, we established more Shopee express hubs in places like Cebu, Bogo, Moalboal, and in nearby provinces like Negros, Samar, and Leyte. These new hubs have enabled us to extend Shopee’s serviceable areas, giving more Visayan shoppers better access to all their shopping needs,” Yu said.

Shopee has been growing in the Visayas, recording a 45% increase in new users, 35% increase in new sellers, 4.8X increase in checkouts, and 15X increase in Shopee Pay orders.

Yu said that Shopee has been setting up “warehouses that carry more brands and wider assortments in the area.”

“With these new hubs and warehouses, shoppers in Visayas who buy from sellers within the region can expect to receive the items faster. They will have a better experience,” Yu said.

Max Limpag is a journalist, blogger, and developer based in Cebu. He started as a reporter covering Cebu City Hall in 1996. He has written on technology for various print and digital publications since...