THE MODELS walk down the runway in their summertime, corporate, and casual looks. As a model comes out in a striking outfit, you think to yourself, “I like that one.” At the same time, you stay glued to your phone reading the details of each eye-catching item. When the fashion show ends, you are among the 12,000 viewers who have just “added to cart” the latest items on sale from the show.

On May 17, e-commerce site Lazada launched the first “See-Now-Buy-Now” fashion show in the Philippines at the Atrium of Eastwood mall in Quezon City.

A “see-now-buy-now” fashion show allows the attendees of the live show and remote customers viewing it on their phones to shop for the products as they are featured on the runway from the Lazada app. As the models walk down the runway, a link in the shape of a rectangle appears at the bottom of the phone with the clothes’ brand and photo. Viewers may click on it and it proceeds to a new page with the product details. It also allows the viewer to instantly add the item to their online shopping cart. It also allows viewers to interact with the show hosts and win prizes and vouchers while tuning in live.

SHOPPERTAINMENT
The event is among several Lazada projects to spearhead Shoppertainment (shopping and entertainment) innovations in Southeast Asia and runs across its five other markets: Vietnam, Indonesia, Malaysia, Singapore, and Thailand.

“In this kind of event, this resonates with the demographics we really want to talk to,” Jason Huan Lazada Philippines Chief Marketing Officer told the press after the launch.

“The benefits of watching it on the app is you can collect vouchers that the brands and sellers in Lazada actually pushes out. And you can shop immediately for the items that you see [which you] are attracted to,” he said, noting that Lazada is the first e-commerce platform to offer the concept in Asia.

According to the global study “Digital in 2018,” the Philippines took the top spot as the social media capital of the world with Filipinos spending an average of three hours and 57 minutes on social media daily in 2017.

Mr. Huan said that social media engagement makes the Philippines a unique market.

“I think the whole ecosystem here is really very supportive of online shopping as well. And the Filipino consumers are now very savvy on what they want, [are] very well read, they basically want the best for themselves,” he said.

The first fashion show was themed “Women’s Festival,” with over 100 participating fashion and beauty brands.

“The first push for us is women, because I think the empowerment topic is very big for us as a brand. And we will continue with the momentum,” Mr. Huan said of the theme. “We’re trying to draw more millennial females to shop with us.”

Live stream fashion shows which will be held in the succeeding months will carry various themes.

MORE PROMOS AND PRIZES
Since May 14, shoppers can get additional discounts and vouchers from brands like BUM, Wrangler, and Garnier by playing on the LazGame feature on the Lazada app. Shop and Match — the newly launched game — allows players to earn cupcake points and exchange them for vouchers.

With the convenience promoted by the innovation, Mr. Huan considers the act of impulse buying as a “healthy past time.”

“This is not for females only, because I do impulse buying myself. Sometimes it’s not about what you need, it’s about what you want. And if that little purchase makes you happy, it’s fine,” he said.

The Women’s Festival videos will remain on view at Lazada’s official Facebook page even after the festival ended on May 19. — Michelle Anne P. Soliman

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