PRA members along with more than 150 businesses joined the first ever ASEAN Online Sale Day (AOSD) last August 8, 2020. The AOSD is a one-day sale event across the ASEAN region that was participated by different e-commerce businesses and online retail platforms that offered online discounts and promotions on food, apparel, furniture, digital services, and even hotel stays to consumers within the region.
The online sale event was organized by the ASEAN Coordinating Committee on Electronic Commerce (ACCEC) to facilitate cross border e-commerce in the ASEAN region and improve consumer trust in e-commerce and promote the unique ASEAN identity. The event was launched in the ASEAN Website at http://aseanonlinesaleday.com.
Promotions of the sale event in the Philippines was spearheaded by the Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) that partnered with different trade organizations such as the Philippine Retailers Association (PRA), Philippine Franchise Association (PFA), and UnionBank-GlobalLinker.
Among the participants who joined the regional sale are PRA Members including Karimadon, BigBenta, Expressions Stationary Shop, Bench, Karat World, The Wedding Library, Wilcon Depot, and Ardent World Inc.
According to the Department of Trade and Industry (DTI), the Philippines had 36 online retailers and platforms featured in the AOSD Website which sent a positive message that the country is “open for business” amidst the challenge posted by COVID-19.
In a statement during the AOSD launch, DTI Secretary Ramon Lopez stated that “The Philippines is one with ASEAN in promoting e-commerce. During the time of the pandemic, Filipinos are increasingly finding e-commerce as part of the new normal. To maximize on this, DTI is boosting efforts to digitalize our MSMEs so they can not only benefit from the opportunities but also actively participate in the digital economy. We also realize the role of digital platforms; hence, we are encouraging our MSMEs to partner and onboard with digital platforms to take advantage of their wider reach even as they lower their operating costs.”
The launch of the event is in celebration of the 53 years of the ASEAN that was founded on August 8, 1967. ASEAN is comprised of ten (10) countries including Brunei Darussalam, Cambodia, Indonesia, Lao PDR, Malaysia, Myanmar, Philippines, Singapore, Thailand and Viet Nam.
