12 Trending Products in the Philippines to Sell in 2021 (and Ideas for How to Market Them)

Best Selling & Trending Products in the Philippines

1. Dumbbells

Interest in at-home workouts and fitness equipment has skyrocketed due to the pandemic, social distancing, and stay-at-home directives. It comes as no surprise that Filipinos are eager to purchase dumbbells to stay on top of their workout regimen, and we predict this trend to continue well into the year. There’s high levels of buyer intent in those searching for dumbbells in the Philippines.

Data from Google Trends shows consistent interest throughout the year for the keyword ‘dumbbells’, reaching as high as 100 on one occasion. 

Further data from SEMrush indicates an average of 22,000 searches on Google for ‘dumbbells’. While organic SEO efforts may take a while to bear fruit, given the high keyword difficulty rating, it’s likely that paid campaigns on Facebook, Instagram, Search, and other social platforms will pay dividends. 

In the event that you already manage a health and fitness store in the Philippines, adding dumbbells to your existing SKUs is an excellent method to drive up traffic, visibility, and sales. You can do so either by a targeted Google Adwords campaign or even paid social media campaigns on Facebook and Instagram targeted at people interested in health and fitness. 

And once a prospect is poking around on your site, it’s easier to upsell with accessories like fitness bands, training shoes, and other workout gear. Even if they only purchase a pair of dumbbells, you can still make use of their email address for additional marketing campaigns later down the road. 

2. Appliances

Household appliances are one of the hottest consumer categories in the Philippines, with the market estimated at $159 million in 2021 and growing at a CAGR of 19%. By 2025, this market will be worth $318 million. 

There are an average of 15,000 monthly searches for the keyword ‘appliances’ in the Philippines, with a very low cost per click of $0.07. What this means is that while the traditional powerhouses like Samsung and LG will dominate the organic search results, investing in a Google Adwords campaign can put you front and center at a relatively low cost.

Other variations of this keyword to target are branded keywords such as ‘sm appliance’, ‘abenson appliance’, and ‘robensons appliances’. There is substantial search volume for all three; we recommend a paid search campaign that helps divert some of this traffic to your site, which will help give you the initial visibility you need for your products. 

Since appliances are a high-ticket item, it is unlikely that customers will purchase on their first visit to your store. They might want to do further research on your product or competing brands before arriving at a decision, so be sure to set up retargeting campaigns as well as investing in reviews and testimonials that help prospects overcome the initial trust barrier.

3. Skincare

Filipino consumers are expected to spend over $2 billion annually on skincare products by 2027 including creams, facial cleansers, lotions, and more. Data from Google Trends indicates that it’s a category with high demand throughout the year.

When it comes to finding things to sell online in the Philippines, skincare products are a robust category that offers a high degree of repeat purchases. If you’re building a new brand in this space, however, the challenge is to drive visibility and foster trust.

Visual platforms such as Instagram, Pinterest, and even TikTok can help with the first stage of brand awareness and entice consumers at the top of the funnel. User-generated content is key; this includes video reviews, testimonials, and branded hashtags. Influencers, while expensive, have an engaged social following that you may be able to leverage to drive traffic to your store. 

We recommend an omnichannel marketing strategy that targets prospects at disparate touchpoints. Your customer might discover you on Pinterest or TikTok and click through to your store. After browsing through your products, they might be enticed to buy but decide to leave it to another day.

The eventual purchase may come a few days later after they see an additional ad on Instagram. Relying heavily on only one acquisition channel, whether it’s Google Adwords or Instagram, may not be the best approach.

Data from SEMrush indicates an average of 6,600 monthly searches for the term ‘skincare’ in the Philippines. That’s not bad but slightly less than expected, which could mean that Filipinos don’t actively search for new skincare brands and may only be persuaded to purchase after they see an ad on a visual platform that piques their interest. The cost-per-click is relatively low, however, at $0.51 which means you could target search queries for branded skincare products if you’re just starting out. 

Brand affinity and perceived value is extremely high in skincare. This means you must have high-quality creatives across all your ad campaigns as well as a well-designed store that conveys high brand value.  

There’s also an opportunity to build out content that will help attract organic inbound traffic. Keywords such as ‘best skincare for men’, ‘best skincare for women’, and variations of these are frequently searched by worried consumers looking for solutions. Catering to this search intent will help drive evergreen traffic and expose your brand to new customers who may not have heard of you before. 

4. Shoes

Filipino consumers retain interest in shoes all year round, as evidenced by Google Trends data. Interest reaches as high as 100 during the summer months and rarely drops below 75. Shoes are often an impulse buy, too, which means a well-designed creative supported by a conversion optimized website can help you stand out.

In total, there are nearly 50,000 monthly searches in the Philippines for shoes. While it’s hard to rank for this keyword organically, a relatively cheap cost per click of $0.24 gives you the opportunity to buy high-intent traffic. 

As we mentioned earlier, any entrepreneur starting a new brand in shoes or the footwear category must pay careful attention to brand building. Start by understanding what segment you wish to target: millennial athletes, comfortable footwear for seniors, trendy designs for Gen-Z, or any other affinity group you’ve identified. 

Product photography, user-generated content, and reviews will help your brand stand out. Make sure to highlight specific attributes of your brand — if they have anti-microbial threads or whether they’re waterproof. Assuage your buyers’ concerns by offering free returns and exchanges. Partnering with influencers is also not a bad idea, especially if they’re willing to consider an affiliate sales model. 

Euromonitor Research suggests that Filipino consumers had a preference for comfortable footwear products in 2020, as a result of extended lockdowns and more time spent at home. This included sandals, slippers, and lighter shoes. That’s something worth considering as you launch a new store and decide on your product inventory.

5. Video Games

Global demand for video games and consoles has reached the stratosphere, compounded both by chip shortages and at-home entertainment needs due to the pandemic. Filipino consumers are no different; they desire the PS5, the new Xbox, as well as accessories, games, and app store cards. 

With almost 15,000 monthly searches for ‘video games’ in the Philippines, there’s an opportunity for you to direct some of the traffic to your store. While you won’t have to invest in brand building in the same fashion as a footwear brand, the challenge will be to find a reliable supplier. 

If you can handle the operational and supply chain element of a video game store, the sky’s the limit when it comes to sales.

6. Fitness Apparel

When you consider that Filipino consumers spent $1.5 billion on fitness apparel in 2019 and are now almost exclusively working out at home, it makes for a product category that has substantial market appeal. 

The keyword ‘apparel’ has almost 15,000 monthly searches and a manageable cost per click of $0.58.

While this keyword is probably better suited for top of the funnel awareness campaigns, you can also leverage keywords with higher buyer intent such as ‘workout clothes’, ‘fitness apparel’, and ‘gym clothes’. There's a robust search volume for all three keywords in the Philippines.

Other than simply gauging search intent, it’s a definite possibility that brand activation and conversion campaigns on Facebook and Instagram will work well, too. Well-crafted videos showing your brand and underscoring its attributes can drive sales. 

By working with influencers, it’s possible to leverage an engaged audience and get a shoutout in a post or Instagram Story. Both TikTok and Instagram Reels are popular social media channels to promote virality, so you could also try it on your own with the attempt to grow an organic following. 

Other tactics worth trying out are:

• Running contests to encourage people to follow your page and tag their friends
• Featuring your customers on your page with user-generated content
• Q&A sessions on Instagram Live to talk about your designs
• Product posts with shopping tags

7. Kids Toys

As kids spend more time at home due to school closures, parents must think of creative ways to keep them engaged and be able to concentrate on their own work, too. Often this involves purchasing more toys and games to distract children and spark their creative spirit.

There’s a total of nearly 10,000 monthly searches for the term ‘kids toys’ in the Philippines. 

Related keywords such as ‘toys’ have over 60,000 searches, ‘toys for kids’ also has 10,000, and ‘fidget toys’ has nearly 20,000, making it a niche definitely worth exploring.

8. Home Improvement

Interest in home improvement has remained steady throughout the past year, indicating more consumer discretionary spending in this category. That’s not unexpected, since Filipinos are spending much more time at home. It’s natural that they would want to spruce up their surroundings with DIY suggestions and tools. 

While paid campaigns social media campaigns work well when it comes to marketing and outreach for this item, we believe a content-based approach can also yield long-term dividends. This could be investing in a content marketing strategy concentrated on video platforms as well as tutorials, showing Filipino consumers how to beautify and uplift their living environments creatively and within budget. 

A home improvement store can also sell things like gardening, kitchen, and amateur carpentry tools. Interest for tools among Filipinos is very high throughout the year, as evidenced by Google Trends.

The advantage of a home improvement store is the sheer number of SKUs you can add on to it. If you’re looking for reliable suppliers, the Oberlo Shopify app is worth checking out.

9. Home Office

The home office category displays similar consumer trends to home improvement. Due to pandemic-forced lockdowns, white-collar Filipino workers have switched to working from home, making it a necessity to invest in things like desks, chairs, monitors, and other peripherals. Corporations have also extended one-time work from home grants, helping employees furnish their home office as they see fit.

Interest in the past 12 months has been consistent, touching 100 at least twice and above 90 on a few occasions. 

If you’re starting a new home office brand or even dropshipping items from overseas, visual platforms like Instagram and Pinterest are the best way to start building a social following. Home office manufacturers aren’t subject to the same kind of brand building efforts as in apparel and fashion, so one way to set yourself apart is with competitive pricing. Value-added services like free delivery and assembly can also help convince prospects to click buy. 

Partnering with influencers, starting contests and giveaways, and investing in superior product photography are also proven methods to grow your home office and furniture store. 

10. Selfie Ring Lights

The explosion of user-generated content on TikTok and Instagram Reels has accelerated the demand for complementary products, and no product is more ubiquitous than the selfie ring light.

The keyword ‘selfie ring light’ has almost 3,000 monthly searches in the Philippines. These are definitely conversion focused with high buyer intent. Complementary keywords such as ‘tiktok ring light’ also rake in 150 searches a month.

It’s relatively straightforward to get started selling this product. Multiple suppliers from China specialize in ring lights. Many offer whitelabeling services, too, helping you make a brand of your own as opposed to generic packaging. 

Both search-based and social campaigns should work well for this product. Given that it is a fairly ubiquitous product with little differentiation between brands, it’s likely that the eventual decision to purchase will be based on price sensitivities. So find a cheap, reliable supplier and keep your margins lower than the competition! 

11. Coffee

Filipinos are voracious consumers of coffee, consuming almost as much as the United States, and maintain active interest in the drink all year round. 

With people spending more time at home, there’s an interest in trying new coffee blends such as dalgona coffee, flavored iced coffees, and more. The keyword ‘coffee’ has an incredible 90,000 searches a month in the Philippines, with a relatively high cost per click of $1.82.

The best part about building a coffee brand is that it’s a sticky product. If people like it, they’ll continue to buy it, and refer your brand to their friends and family. Consider adding a subscription model to your store with a discount if people sign up for a monthly service. ReCharge is a handy Shopify app that allows you to seamlessly incorporate a subscription model in your store.

Other than just search traffic, we expect social media to play a key role in building your coffee brand too. Contest and giveaways can help grow your Instagram page organically. With people eager to post humblebrags on social media, your new coffee brand can also suggest recipes and refreshing drinks in the tropical heat. A monthly winner picked from those posting your branded hashtag is an established method to improve engagement rates and social following.

12. Jewelry

Rounding up our list is jewelry, which has surprisingly remained a popular item in the Philippines despite limited socialization and stay-at-home directives in place. 

Building a jewelry brand is hard given the high-ticket nature of the product, but the rewards can be high. You may want to experiment with artisanal and handcrafted jewelry first before diving into things like gold, diamonds, and other precious stones. Of course, design and positioning is absolutely vital for a product like this. Building a jewelry brand means you must do some market research on your core customer, their unique preferences, and needs before diving in. 

Perhaps you wish to embody a classical style or appeal to local cultural trends. Whatever you decide upon, your marketing strategy will come after your brand guidelines have been agreed upon. And the strategy will involve a variety of customer touchpoints including visual social media platforms, public relations campaigns, high-definition product videos, and, perhaps, an influencer strategy. 

In total, jewelry has approximately 15,000 monthly searches in the Philippines. While all these searches may not be driven by higher buyer intent, there’s definitely an opportunity to capture some of this traffic and drive awareness of your store.

Happy selling!

The Time to Start is Now

So there you have it. Listed above are the top selling products in the Philippines. We recommend that you do your research before you decide on what to sell online in the Philippines, but it’s equally important to get started by building a store. Product trends and research is one part of the equation; a successful ecommerce business also entails a cohesive marketing strategy, customer experience, and after sales service. 

Simply put, you learn by doing. It won’t be perfect when you get started, but you will learn as you go along. 

If you’re interested in hands-on training that walks you through the process of starting an online store around a profitable niche, be sure to watch our free webinar series. During the webinar, one of our team members will share how they grew one of their online business ideas to over 8,000 sales per year, along with the marketing tactics that worked (and the ones that flopped).