I consider myself a seasoned online shopper. On any given day, I’ll see the same product sold by multiple sellers, each with different prices that make me pause and compare. Price is tempting, of course, but more and more, I find myself asking a different question: ‘Who can I trust to deliver what I paid for?’

After years of data, this shift feels significant: Filipino consumers, who for years focused on bargains and discounts, are quietly rewriting the rules of e-commerce. Today, buyers are looking beyond price tags. They want reliability, transparency, and service they can count on—and they are willing to spend more for it.

That is the central message of Milieu’s latest survey of 500 Filipino online shoppers, summarized in our blog post “Better service tops the wish list for Filipino online shoppers in 2025.” The findings show how good service now drives purchases as strongly as competitive pricing. More than half (55 percent) of the respondents said they would buy more if sellers offered responsive communication and timely updates, while nearly half (47 percent) said they are more likely to return to sellers who consistently deliver quickly.

This shift signals a maturing market, one where growth will depend on how businesses, platforms, and policymakers work together to sustain consumer trust while encouraging innovation. Long-term growth will come from investing in the buyer journey.

For Filipino shoppers, value is now defined as fairness, transparency, and respect at every step of the process. A smooth delivery, clear return policies, and responsive customer support are no longer “add-ons”—they are expected. Sellers who deliver on these promises see stronger loyalty, while those who fall short risk abandoned carts and negative reviews.

Interestingly, logistics is part of this story, but not in the way many assume. Our research found that most shoppers (52 percent) are not concerned about which courier delivers their orders, as long as packages arrive intact and on time. What matters more is accountability: 89 percent of buyers believe marketplaces should hold delivery partners responsible for meeting expectations on speed, reliability, and cost. 

This means investments in logistics and service should not be viewed as costs to be minimized but as commitments that directly impact sales. Free shipping, for instance, continues to soften the blow of rising logistics fees, keeping buyers engaged even as operational costs rise.

Service is not a cost but a growth strategy 

There is a misconception that improving customer experience is expensive with little payoff. But the data suggests otherwise. At the individual level, every seamless transaction strengthens a buyer’s confidence to purchase again.

The numbers bear this out in practice. The survey found that 46 percent of shoppers would stop buying from sellers that don't allow returns or refunds, while 65 percent refuse to purchase from sellers without reviews. While these are not idle threats, they are behavioral patterns that directly impact seller performance.

Delivery problems only compound these trust issues. Nearly half of shoppers have experienced delayed orders (47 percent), slow shipping (43 percent), or damaged and missing items (37 percent). Each negative experience affects not only that single transaction but also shapes future purchasing decisions and influences what buyers tell friends and family.

But the data also shows optimism. Filipino consumers reward reliability when they find it. Eighty-eight percent are willing to pay more for guaranteed on-time delivery, and 87 percent rated their most recent return or refund experience positively. Buyers are not looking for perfection. They are looking for consistency and honesty when issues arise.

Technology plays a vital role in this evolution, too, but Filipino shoppers are increasingly discerning about which innovations truly add value. The most commonly used features today like Buy Now, Pay Later at 40 percent adoption, livestream shopping at 35 percent, and easy return tools at 33 percent share a common thread: they solve friction points in the purchasing journey.

Innovation, in other words, must address real frustrations. It should reduce uncertainty, save time, and make each interaction feel more human.

Building trust across the ecosystem

As these dynamics play out, policymakers need to foster an environment of transparency and fairness while supporting innovation. That means investing in logistics networks, secure payments, and data-protection frameworks that build consumer confidence, while creating policies that protect consumers without stifling growth. Recognizing e-commerce as an economic infrastructure will ensure the ecosystem continues to create jobs, attract investment, and empower businesses.

For sellers, this shift means competing on experience as much as on price. The days of winning on discounts alone are ending. Sellers must invest in clear communication, easy-to-follow store policies, and quality-control measures that prevent problems before they reach customers. Reviews and returns should be treated as reputation-building opportunities, not costs to be minimized.

For platforms, the challenge is to keep strengthening the infrastructure that enables sellers to deliver consistently. Platform investments in logistics networks, payment security, and user-friendly design become the foundation that allows thousands of sellers to meet rising expectations. Platforms must also make these investments visible: show how couriers are vetted, payments secured, and disputes resolved fairly.

When sellers, platforms, and policymakers move in the same direction toward transparency and customer-centricity, the entire ecosystem strengthens. Trust becomes a competitive advantage for the Philippine market as a whole.

The path forward

This evolution of consumer expectations is a positive sign. It reflects a maturing digital economy where growth is driven not just by transactions but by trust. At Milieu Insight, we believe that understanding people's expectations, frustrations, and aspirations is the foundation for building that trust. Our data continues to show that when brands invest in people’s confidence, they invest in long-term growth.

The challenge now is for businesses, platforms, and policymakers to meet this moment. The path to stronger sales, greater loyalty, and a thriving e-commerce ecosystem lies in investing in the buyer experience. At the end of the day, trust is what keeps people coming back—it’s the real currency of loyalty in a crowded digital marketplace.

(Juda Kanaprach is the chief marketing officer and co-founder of Milieu Insight.)