When it comes to online shopping in the Philippines, Lazada and Shopee are the two top choices. Their monthly discounts are always a trending topic on social media. Indeed, their deals are excellent, not to mention their affordable prices and wide range of products. However, if you want to buy premium or branded items, other e-commerce stores may do better than Lazada and Shopee.
While those two apps also have flagship items and brands, they tend to offer them in a limited quantity. Plus, you might also miss out on other amazing deals if you don’t explore lesser-known online stores. If you want to pay for your purchases using your secure debit card account, these e-commerce stores will guarantee a legitimate and smooth transaction: You can also check out EveryMarket for more information.
1. BeautyMNL
BeautyMNL is an excellent place to shop if you need skincare or makeup products, health supplements, and lifestyle products. They also have monthly sales, with discounts up to 75%. What’s more, their packaging is more sustainable, using cardboard boxes instead of plastic and shredded paper instead of bubble wraps.
BeautyMNL has three membership categories: gold, platinum, and diamond. The diamond membership offers the most perks, such as double glow points, birthday discounts, and free shipping codes. But you have to accumulate PHP25,000 in purchases to attain that membership status.
2. Sephora
If you want to buy beauty products from overseas, go to Sephora. They offer high-end luxury brands, including Fenty Beauty, Huda Beauty, Urban Decay, and Pat McGrath Labs. Shipping may take longer than a week since most of their products come from Singapore. Nonetheless, your products will arrive at your doorstep in perfect condition.
3. Althea
People who swear by Korean skincare buy many of their products from Althea. It’s an online store that exclusively offers K-beauty brands. You’d find brands there that are otherwise limited in malls and local online stores, like Neogen and Missha. Again, shipping takes a bit of time, but trust Althea to keep your package safe and secure.
4. Fully Booked
If Fully Booked’s flagship store in Lazada and Shopee doesn’t satisfy you, visit their main website. They have a wider selection there, as well as upcoming titles for pre-order. You can also get a discount card for PHP 700 or by accumulating PHP 15,000 worth of purchases in a single year. Another option is to spend PHP 10,000 on a single receipt, but you have to be addicted to buying books to do that.
5. Book Depository
Sometimes, the best titles aren’t just available in any local bookstore. Thankfully, Book Depositoryoffers almost any book you can think of, and they ship to many countries for free. The books’ prices depend on how far your country is from the UK, where they ship the books from. The only downside is the wait before your books arrive, which could take up to 30 days. Hence, you should make your purchase at least a month before you plan to read your book.
6. MetroMart
If grocery shopping makes you uneasy because of the pandemic, try shopping at MetroMart. It’s an e-commerce site where products from different Philippine supermarkets are available. As such, you can get fresh produce, personal care items, and even flowers delivered to your doorstep.
7. The Green Grocer Manila
Since groceries tend to offer limited organic goods, check out The Green Grocer Manila. They provide all-natural meat, premium deli items, and farm-direct dairy products. Baby products, canned goods, health supplements, and wine are also available. To pay using your card, create a PayPal account and enroll your cards there.
8. Pet Warehouse
If you’re seeking high-quality and long-lasting pet care products, buy from Pet Warehouse. They offer a wide range of products, from food to toys to grooming products. What’s more, the shop isn’t just for cats and dogs, but for fish and other smaller pets, too.
9. Poundit
Poundit offers gadgets and accessories for a discounted price. Brands include Samsung, Apple, and Oppo. You can find smartphone models there that most malls don’t offer anymore, like the iPhone 11 Pro and Pro Max models, as well as the iPhone X series. But the store’s most extensive collection is audio devices, which include Marshall and Fender speakers.
10. Zalora
Lastly, for fashion finds, go to Zalora. They offer a multitude of brands, both local and international. They have special promos from time to time, and specific brands also hold their own promos on the website. You can be a Zalora brand ambassador, too, earning you a discount code that your friends can use when they buy on the website for the first time.
Online shopping is immensely fun, so be careful to avoid overspending. What’s good about a debit card is that it has a maximum spending limit, helping you budget more responsibly. Credit cards, on the other hand, can offer rewards. But no matter which one you use, buy only what you can afford.