COMMUNITY marketplace Carousell Philippines expects an expansion in the e-commerce and online classified ads landscape in 2022, as more consumers turned to online buying during the pandemic.
“In 2020, everything accelerated. The pandemic has provided customers with access to a variety of products from the safety of their own homes. We see this shift as an opportunity and inspiration not only to make Carousell even better but most importantly, to serve Filipino customers better,” Carousell Philippines General Manager Djon Nacario said at a virtual briefing on Wednesday.
“We have always strived to make sure there is every kind of thing for every kind of person,” he added.
Mr. Nacario described the Philippines as the most receptive market for secondhand goods in greater Southeast Asia.
“Listing views and monthly active users grew in 2021 and Carousell has become an essential platform for Filipinos during the pandemic with many of our users rallying together to help during the typhoon,” he said.
On March 8, Carousell is set to merge with Property24, an online property portal.
“This will provide an effective online platform for leading real estate developers, agencies, and brokers to help them showcase their property listings to a wider audience of qualified prospective buyers including the 4.62 million monthly visitors on Carousell,” Mr. Nacario said.
“In line with this, Carousell is also working on initiatives to improve the user’s experience on its platform to ensure that customers are able to find every kind of home for every kind of family,” he said. “We have taken in various feedbacks from our partners, developers, and users to make our property category even better.”
Carousell is also planning to team up with Premium Warranty Services Philippines, Inc., a provider of used vehicle inspection and warranty services, to launch the Carousell Autos Inspected and Warranty program.
The program is designed to provide buyers of secondhand cars “confidence and peace of mind when searching for vehicles in the Carousell platform.”
“We recognize that knowing the real condition of the car is a legitimate concern for most buyers. Carousell Autos Inspected and Warranty program will boost buyer’s trust in secondhand cars and will give them the assurance that the items listed on the platform are safe from hidden faults or defects,” he said.
In 2021, the online marketplace launched Carousell Media Group, a full-service platform that offers advertising solutions across the Carousell group’s family of brands.
It also launched Carousell Property Expo, which was the first experiential online event for property with over 1,500 listings from developers.
“Last year, Carousell secured an investment of $100 million from STIC Investments to accelerate its leadership in the region, and to reimagine the classifieds experience with a focus on convenience and trust, to make secondhand the first choice,” Mr. Nacario said.
In October last year, the company acquired Ox Street, one of the leading end-to-end marketplaces for authenticated sneakers and streetwear in Southeast Asia.
Founded in 2012, Carousell first began in Singapore as a web-based, classifieds marketplace before expanding operations to Malaysia, Indonesia, the Philippines, Cambodia, Taiwan, Hong Kong, Macau, Australia, New Zealand and Canada. — Luisa Maria Jacinta C. Jocson