YouTube, Shopee team up to bring video commerce to the forefront in PH

YouTube has officially rolled out its Shopping affiliate programme in the Philippines, marking a significant move in the region's fast-growing video commerce space. This launch, supported by eCommerce giant Shopee, brings the Philippines into a select group of six Southeast Asian markets where the service is now active—just seven months after its regional debut.

The programme allows creators to embed shoppable tags directly into their content, transforming passive viewing into a seamless purchase experience. For viewers, this means being able to discover and buy featured products without navigating away from the video. For creators and sellers, it means tapping into a more direct and engaged path to sales.

Vincent Lee, head of Shopee Philippines, noted that Southeast Asia now accounts for two-thirds of YouTube Shopping's global rollout, adding that YouTube stands as the most trusted platform driving purchase decisions among Filipino consumers.

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"At Shopee, we're where those decisions are turned into action—with a fast, secure, and seamless experience trusted by millions," said Lee in a LinkedIn post. "We're bringing together the best of both worlds: discovery on YouTube, where consumers seek inspiration, and conversion on Shopee, where they complete their journey confidently."

For Filipino content creators, the programme promises a new layer of monetisation—one that doesn't require pushing links in the description box or relying solely on ads. Instead, creators can now tag products in both existing and new videos, as well as during live streams. The tagged items are shown in a dedicated "Product" section, enabling real-time shopping alongside video consumption.

This move fits within a broader trend in Southeast Asia, where video commerce is becoming an essential part of the digital retail experience. In 2024 alone, video-based sales accounted for 20% of the region's eCommerce gross merchandise value, according to Google, Temasek, and Bain & Company.

The momentum is being powered by a unique regional blend: a thriving digital economy, a massive base of content creators, and a consumer base increasingly drawn to entertaining, content-driven shopping experiences. According to Kantar, eight in ten Gen Z consumers in Southeast Asia prefer shopping that includes entertainment, while nearly two-thirds of Filipino Gen Zs still turn to eCommerce platforms such as Shopee to complete their purchases.

Studies suggest that YouTube users are 98% more likely to trust creators' product recommendations than those on other social platforms, and that purchase intent is 3.8 times higher on YouTube. The shopping affiliate programme capitalises on this trust, offering a solution that not only benefits the creator economy but also provides brands with measurable results.

Advertisers, too, stand to benefit. YouTube's ability to pair creator-led content with tailored product feeds means brands can reach high-intent audiences with minimal friction. In Thailand, L'Oréal combined its YouTube campaign with Shopping affiliate links and recorded ten times more high-intent views, all while halving its cost-per-visit. Other countries that have rolled out similar programmes are Indonesia, Malaysia, Singapore, and Vietnam.

"By combining the trusted shopping experience on Shopee with the credible, authentic influence of creators on YouTube, we're enabling Filipinos to enjoy a seamless, content-to-cart journey—powered by two of the most reliable platforms they already know and trust," Lee added.

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