PHL microentrepreneurs, businesses ride the social commerce wave

ERICA JOY S. ARGONES, a 25-year-old licensed professional teacher and mother, has turned to social commerce, or selling items via social media, as a side hustle that she considers vital to support her family.

- By Edg Adrian A. Eva

"At that time, live selling was trending... I wanted to help with our expenses — paying bills, buying food, and other necessities," Ms. Argones told Business World in Filipino.

She starts her livestreams at midnight and these run until 6 a.m., selling secondhand women's clothing such as tops and shorts.

A transaction starts when a potential buyer comments during a livestream, and purchases are usually finalized via direct message. Ms. Argones either meets with the customer if they’re nearby or books a delivery rider to send the product.

If she manages to sell all her items, she said she earns nearly double her capital — typically around P6,000 — a modest amount that helps cover other essential expenses for her family.

"Tiyagaan lang talaga sa pagbebenta, kahit inuumaga na ako sa pagla-live (Selling really takes patience, even if I end up staying up until morning doing live selling)," she said.

Social commerce has enabled individuals like Ms. Argones, who, even with limited capital, reach out to a large pool of potential customers and earn additional income.

A Philippine Social Commerce Market Intelligence Report published in April said that more businesses in the country are using social media platforms as their huge number of users offers a sizable potential customer base.

Many Filipino businesses now use platforms like Facebook, Instagram, and TikTok, where builtin commerce features allow them to sell products directly without requiring customers to switch to a separate app, it said.

The report projected that the Philippine social commerce market will grow by 17.2% to $2.3 billion this year from $1.96 billion in 2024, adding that this trend is expected to continue, with the sector expected to expand at a compound annual growth rate of 12.6% from 2025 to 2030, reaching approximately $4.17 billion by the end of the period.