iTrueMart, Thailand's Biggest Online Retailer, Is Now in the Philippines

Wazzup Pilipinas!

Thailand's number one online retailer is now in the Philippines!

iTrueMart Philippines was formally launched to members of the media on November 24, 2015 at Discovery Primea in Makati city.

The world's second biggest online shopping portal has launched before December arrives as we all know that it would definitely be among the busiest months with the coming of the holiday season. Christmas is definitely just around the corner and would entail many people to generously splurge on a shopping spree for gifts and other stuff to pamper themselves and their loved ones.

But with the influx of people all wanting to visit their nearest shopping malls, this would normally result to traffic congestion, long queues in cashier stations, gift-wrapping counters, ATMs, taxi lanes if you commute or parking lots if you bring your own car, etc., This would eventually force you to dine outside because of the hours spent at the mall which further burdens you financially. Most of the time, a day is not enough since most of our time is wasted on these difficult and delaying situations that extremely stresses us out and robs us of our precious time.

We have seen many netizens now resorting to online purchases for some of their needs ranging from gadgets, appliances, clothes, beauty products, and a lot more. The number of online shoppers have tremendously increased as well due to the added security features that are now available online. 

Delivery methods are now reliable and faster, plus the products available for online purchases have grown exponentially that soon malls may eventually just evolved into showrooms or places where people can just try out products before they buy. The actual products would just be delivered directly to the buyers after they have picked their choices. But who knows, maybe soon there would be virtual shopping portals where buyers can seemingly experience using the products even through realistic digital technology. With that invention, people can just remain indoors and everything gets delivered to their directly to their homes.

Below is the official press release of iTrueMart Philippines for your added information:

Most of the time, shopping entails visiting a mall and going from store to store to pick out the best gifts for your family, friend, or significant other. This usually takes hours to do which leaves you exhausted at the end of the day and involves additional spending on transportation, parking, food and drinks. Now that Christmas is nearing, shopping for gifts is an even bigger chore than ever. But this should not be a problem because iTrueMart is now here in the country, and it is making shopping a whole lot better.

iTrueMart, Thailand’s leading e-commerce retailer, has launched the iTrueMart.ph e-commerce website to serve the Philippine market and bring an unrivaled shopping experience with access to a variety of products, various payment channels, and competitive pricing.

Under the slogan “Great Value, Everyday,” iTrueMart.ph works only with authorized distributors of international brands and act as authorized dealer of local brands so customers can be assured that all products on the website are genuine. The current focus of the site is on smartphones and gadgets and it will expand into consumer electronics, computers and laptops, health and beauty and moms and kids in the future. iTrueMart.ph also caters to the Filipinos' love of bargains and offers lower prices with the use of vouchers. Moreover, it provides free delivery and free returns with cash on delivery payment as an option for customers.

Mr. Punnamas Vichitkulwongsa, CEO of Ascend Group, says, “e-commerce will have huge potential when the AEC fully materializes. According to a study by Ystats SE Asia eCommerce, the volume of ASEAN’s mobile Internet users rose 56% in 2015. Up to 56% of the Thai and Vietnamese populations are now accessing the Internet via their smartphones, a figure close to the Philippines’ 50% rate. Recognizing the growing number of mobile-Internet users, we are confident that online shopping in the region will also grow. The AEC is an emerging and interesting market for e-commerce through which entrepreneurs can expand their businesses.

Mr. Vichitkulwongsa adds, “At present, iTrueMart has already been tapping into the AEC market with over 150 million US Dollar investment planned for 2016. The investment will be used for e-commerce optimized fulfillment centers, logistic hubs, expansion of our own fleet, marketing, and ramping up assortment and inventory. We are debuting our operations in the Philippines and that will be followed by Vietnam, Indonesia, Myanmar, Cambodia, Malaysia and Singapore later in 2016. We are committed for long-term success in the Philippines and everywhere else that we go to.”

Mr. Seubsakol Sakolsatayadorn, General Manager of the iTrueMart division at Ascend Commerce, says “iTrueMart.ph is not a newcomer to the market as the team is backed by the strong success of iTrueMart in Thailand. During the past year, the number of visits to iTrueMart.com has increased by as much as 424%. Since October 2014, the average number of visits recorded was 4.6 million per month. iTrueMart.com receives 7,000 orders per day on average, with the highest volume of daily orders at 10,000. This marks the highest record in Thailand’s online retail industry, which puts iTrueMart.com at the forefront of Thailand’s e-commerce sector. Moreover, iTrueMart.com’s delivery averages at two days throughout Thailand and it enjoys the lowest e-commerce return rate in the country which confirms the trust and shows the high quality of the products offered on the website.”

Mr. Dean Krstevski, Chief Operating Officer E-Commerce of Ascend Group, says, “The decision to launch in the Philippines stemmed from the fact that competition in the e-commerce sector in the Philippines is still considered low. With the market still in its infancy, there are still plenty of opportunities for new players. Now that the e-commerce market is being developed, brands are increasingly looking for partners to sell their products online, which we see as a great advantage that will help us speed up our market entry. We are confident of our success in the Philippines because we have a strong team with extensive experience in both online and offline retail.”

Mr. Krstevski adds, “iTrueMart.ph is determined to become the dominant e-commerce player by 2017 and the second largest e-commerce player by the end of this year through partnerships with key local brands and authorized distributors, as well as attractive Christmas campaigns, where customers are offered great value and guaranteed delivery before Christmas Eve. Our goals are to be the top-of-mind e-commerce brand, to have great assortment at best prices, to provide the best end-to-end customer experience and to become the most trusted online shipping platform.”

To deliver the best possible end-to-end customer experience, iTrueMart.ph is starting off delivery in the Luzon area and will further expand from the beginning of next year. iTrueMart.ph is targeting to have 100 vehicles in its delivery fleet by the year-end, operating out of its own fulfillment center in Pasig. In addition, with 45% of the traffic coming from mobile devices, iTrueMart.ph has a mobile version while a mobile application will be rolled out by the first quarter of 2016.

iTrueMart.ph is the answer to Filipinos' shopping woes, offering various products, easy payment methods, and great deals with just a click of a button. It allows shopping from home or the office, using a desktop computer, tablet or smartphone - definitely an easier and faster way to shop. Online shopping is the future and iTrueMart.ph is here to stay.

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