How Filipinos are winning the 'tawad' game online
Click, cart, and haggle:
Published Aug 9, 2025 06:13 am
From the bustling “palengke” to online platforms, the art of “tawad” (haggling) is a timeless Filipino tradition.
As Filipinos evolve alongside technology, the marketplace tradition once reserved for the hustle and bustle of wet markets is finding new life in the digital realm. The art of “tawad” or haggling is seen growing in the world of online shopping, yet its brushstroke still paints the same picture—to tame the bite of rising grocery prices.
Looking at the data of the Philippine Statistics Authority (PSA), consumer price increases have eased last month, with headline inflation dropping to 0.9 percent from 1.4 percent in June. The price of rice fell by 15.9 percent, the steepest drop for the staple since 1995.
While numbers tell a story of historic relief for consumers, the voices in wet markets across the country hum a different tune.
A July survey by prominent polling body Pulse Asia found that 62 percent of Filipinos are most concerned about the rising cost of basic goods and commodities.
Easing inflation was deemed the most urgent national concern, edging out the call for higher wages, creating more jobs, and fighting corruption, among other issues.
This economic climate among Filipinos, especially with its burgeoning middle class, has triggered significant behavioral changes in how households spend.
With a tight budget, many are now prioritizing value in buying everyday goods, becoming more intentional before making purchases.
A consumer report by Tokyo-based firm Dentsu shows a growing trend among Filipinos to be more discerning, particularly by weighing a product’s necessity, cost-efficiency, and long-term benefits.
Brand loyalty or impulse buying has now been outweighed by quality and practicality, as rooted in the classic consumer mindset of being “sulit” or getting the best value possible.
This behavior is even more evident in grocery shopping, as consumers often buy in bulk to secure better deals.
With the rise of grocery shopping online—which was the only choice for many during the pandemic—it has now become the new avenue for Filipinos seeking convenience and the best value for their goods and commodities.
This new phenomenon is not out of the ordinary, as nearly 75 percent of the entire population has regular access to the internet, based on findings from the statistics platform DataReportal.
Such broad access provides many opportunities to be comfortable with application usage and digital transactions, especially with continued improvements in platform safeguards and payment security.
Online shopping platforms, which have steadily risen to become the top choice for purchasing everything from everyday goods to fashion items and even gadgets, have ignited consumers’ desire to find the best deal.
In a world of rising prices, Filipinos are finding new ways to be “sulit” (getting the best value) through savvy online shopping.
Buyers can now compare prices across multiple platforms, search for the best price per unit, check bundle deals, and strategically stack vouchers or coins.
On digital platforms such as Lazada, groceries are no longer limited to dry goods and canned items, as they also enable quick delivery of fresh produce, frozen meat, dairy, and specialty items straight to consumers.
As more Filipinos embrace the convenience of grocery shopping online, the special allure of the local market remains entrenched through savings-focused habits—the art of “tawad.”
While online shopping eliminates the need for a buyer to haggle with a vendor for a cheaper price, innovative mechanics and promotions on these platforms help shoppers save.
The classic Filipino habit of getting the best deal is now at our fingertips, as online platforms like Lazada offer new ways to be a savvy shopper.
Lazada is responding to the clamor for better deals through its grocery channel, LazMart, by curating deals aligned with the Filipinos’ desire to “tawad.”
LazMart offers deals such as “buy more, save more,” bundles that group high-frequency items into cost-efficient packs, and even loyalty vouchers and stackable promos to make the most of every peso.
Lazada said these tactics are proven effective for the company as they attract price-sensitive shoppers while fostering brand loyalty in an otherwise congested digital market.
Even as inflation shows signs of continued easing in the months ahead, Filipinos’ value-first approach online is as Filipino as haggling in the wet market.
Beyond affordability, consumers are always on the lookout for smarter ways to stretch their budgets. With grocery shopping going increasingly digital, platforms that let shoppers practice “tawad” are changing the way retail works in the country.
Lazada said its LazMart platform is eager to embrace this role through accessible tools, value bundles, and customer-first features.
“It is helping create a new standard of smart, digital grocery shopping that fits not only with today’s economy, but in the future as well,” it said.