MANILA, Philippines — Tomorrow, Sept. 9, various online shopping platforms are coming up with their own gimmicks and irresistible deals, with the date, as in 9.9, being widely used to launch a succession of year-end sales.
During a recent virtual presscon, Shopee, the e-Commerce giant spanning Southeast Asia and Taiwan, bared its plans for its own annual 9.9. event, including the Super Shopping Day TV Special happening also tomorrow at 8:30 p.m. The two-hour-long show will be simulcast on both GMA News TV (GNTV) and Shopee Live featuring Shopee brand ambassador Jose Mari Chan.
According to Martin Yu, Shopee Philippines associate director, they tapped the Christmas In Our Hearts singer-songwriter for the second year in a row as brand endorser “because he is the face and icon of the Christmas season.”
During the TV special, the OPM idol will be joined by former Miss Universe Catriona Gray and a star-studded Kapuso line-up that includes Ai-Ai delas Alas, Rhian Ramos, Gabbi Garcia, Rayver Cruz and Janine Gutierrez.
Also performing are Lani Misalucha, Marcelito Pomoy and Christian Bautista, with special appearances by dancers DJ Loonyo, Mark Herras and Rodjun Cruz as well as comedians Kakai Bautista, Rita Daniela, Betong, Jak Roberto and Boobay.
Yu noted that their annual event takes an even greater significance as communities step up efforts to adapt to a new normal. He said, “This year has been a challenge to the Filipino community because of the pandemic and we hope through this TV special we can deepen our engagement with our users by providing them an entertaining production where they can see their favorite stars and win amazing prizes. This initiative is part of our 9.9 regional commitment to deliver a ‘Super’ experience to our users, and we invite everyone to join us at the peak of our signature annual shopping event.”
During the virtual presscon, they unveiled the upsized rewards for grabs during the actual 9.9 Super Shopping Day on GNTV and Shopee Live from in-app games Shopee Catch, Shopee Shake and Shopee Quiz. These include cash prizes and giveaways amounting to P250,000 for one winner and P1M cash prize and a house and a lot from Lumina Homes for another lucky shopper from those who will tune in at 8:45 p.m and 10 p.m. for Shopee Shake sessions.
Viewers can also win over P1.5 million worth of prizes for the Shopee Catch and Shopee Quiz. In Shopee Catch, users will have to move their heads to catch an item with a bag and the one with the most items wins. In Shopee Quiz, viewers have to answer five questions and can advance to the next round if they correctly answer the questions. The platform also promised discounts of up to 50 percent from top brands.
The sale is actually already ongoing with offers like free shipping, P9 flash deals and bigger discounts if they use the ShopeePay (more details on https://shopee.ph/m/99.)
Of course, we’re all for reliable and responsible online shopping. Rayver and Janine, one of the more popular Kapuso couples, have an online presence that continues to expand these days— he with his hit dance covers on TikTok (1.6M followers to date after only being on the site during the ECQ) and she on Twitter, especially, to sound off on issues. Via e-mail, The STAR asked them about their online shopping favorites, finds and fail-proof tips on how to have a fun yet conscientious shopping experience in the virtual space.
What’s your favorite thing about shopping online?
Rayver: “Siguro for me, yung super convenient siya because (your purchased items) will be delivered already to your house, especially during this time, safer also dahil hindi mo na kailangan pumunta sa mall :).”
Janine: “Everything is in one place and there are so many fun random things that I’ve never seen before, being used to shopping in malls in the past. Plus, it’s so convenient! Too convenient in fact, LOL, that sometimes you just want to add everything to cart.”
What is the most random/craziest online purchase you have made during the quarantine?
Rayver: “Since I’m a fan of Japanese anime, I bought an umbrella that looks like a samurai. Haha!”
Janine: “I bought a drain unclogger! It worked miracles.”
What’s one thing you bought online that you can’t live without/love?
Rayver: “Definitely my phone cases. I always change my phone case depending on my mood.”
Janine: “I love this dishwashing soap dispenser I found. You place your sponge on top, press down, and when you lift it, there’s soap on your sponge already. So much easier to wash dishes!”
Do you have any personal tips to give for fun, smart and safe online shopping and can you share them with our readers?
Rayver: “Just enjoy shopping online for easier and safer transactions. I find using ShopeePay easy and convenient to use, especially for cashless transactions. Plus, they have bigger and better discounts rin especially for Shopee’s 9.9 Super Shopping Day. Don’t forget to sanitize all your deliveries before you open and bring them inside your home. And always wash your hands after getting your packages.”
Janine: “Yes!!!! Add to cart muna, don’t check out yet, sleep on it and consider all your options! Prioritize the things you need not want. But hey, it’s always fun to treat yourself, too. Also, get more savings when you buy on Shopee on their 9.9 Super shopping day! There’s a lot in store like deals as low as P9, and discounts up to 90 percent off!”