UNIVERSITY OF THE PHILIPPINES VISAYAS

College of Management

MGT 186
Management in Information Systems and Technology

LEARNING ACTIVITY GUIDE Week 6: Web-enabled Enterprise

Philippines E-Commerce Wars

I don't like exploring malls for a long period neither hopping from one store to another. I don't
know either why my sister enjoyed these kinds of stuff while I'm feeling sick not only with the walking
but also with the buzzing sales lady following us in every corner of the store. That's why when I
discovered Shopee, I've been a frequent user of the app ever since. It's so easy and convenient. I just
have to install the app and sign-up, voila I already have my Shopee account and shop all I want. Before
adding the items to my cart, I would always read the product description and the some buyers’ reviews
to check the quality of the product as well as to avoid getting scammed or receiving damaged goods. I
also like how flexible the given modes of payment in Shopee. There are several options where I can pay
my purchases via cash-on-delivery (COD), money transfer services, or bank online. And in just a span of
days or weeks, my purchases are delivered right on my doorstep.

When I was using the Shopee app, I already heard of Lazada but never really used the app, not
until their 2021 birthday sale ad. Truth be told, I am easily tempted when I hear the word sale and
discount. That's why when I saw Lazada's birthday sale advertisement with Lee Min-Ho on it; I asked
myself, "Why not try the app?" The process on how you purchase the product/s is similar to Shopee but
their shipping fee rate is somehow different. On Shopee, the shipping fee is already fixed regardless of
the quantity or amount of the product/s. While in Lazada, the shipping fee is dependent on the total
amount and quantity of the purchases which means that the more products I buy from them, the higher
the shipping fee I would pay. That’s why I find Lazada more expensive than Shopee. This is also the
reason why the people in our household are patrons of Shopee than Lazada. Actually, there’s no need
for me to conduct a survey or ask the members of my family of their preferred online selling app
because I already hear the answer from the delivery guy frequently ringing our doorbell early in the
morning and shouting "Shopee delivery".

Writing my review between the two online shopping platforms may sound biased that's why I
searched in the internet, articles about Shopee and Lazada from an unbiased point of view. Delivery-
wise, Shopee is more efficient but Lazada has a cheaper delivery fee. Appearance-wise, when it comes
to the professionalism of the overall look and feel, Lazada presents itself with clean colors, easy to
navigate the homepage, and to a certain extent - minimalistic - which makes it easier to navigate.
Quality-wise, the equation between the two is equal. Buyers claimed to receive damaged goods or low
quality products both on Shopee and Lazada. That's why reading the item's description and reviews
from the buyers are essential to prevent GETTING SCAMMED. Finally, the price comparison shows that
Lazada is cheaper with the bigger electrical stuff, but when it comes to the smaller or more obscure
stuff, buyers can save more in Shopee.

After all the comparisons and contrasts, at the end of the day, quality will be more essential
than quantity. A buyer can't claim that he saves more in purchasing a cheap product that can be
destroyed the next day. Hence, I recommend the medium to impose punishments or termination for
scammers and bogus sellers who claimed their products are of high quality. Though these platforms
don't own the shops of these bad sellers, it will still reflect on their image and reputation on how keen
they are in handling buyer-seller issues. Hence, I highly suggest that instead of getting product images
from the internet, sellers should be required to post the original image of the products on hand. Before
the shipment of the product, sellers are also required to take pictures of all the purchases to assure
customers of the correct quality and number of their purchases. This practice will also help pinpoint the
issue of defects, whether it's on the seller or during delivery. Returns or refunds should be highly
imposed from the one responsible for the damage.
LEARNING LOG

Week: 6
Topic: Web-enabled Enterprise

I used to think that without technology, businesses today cannot survive.

Now I know that somehow this notion is true. Imagine, technology is utilized in every aspect of the
business may be it on an advertisement, supply chain, HRM, etc. and without technology, all would be
hard, tedious, and manual. Furthermore, I envisioned technology and business as a cycle, a give and take
relationship where they hone and mold together to stand the test of time.

However, I am not sure if laborers would be happy with the future advancements. The creation of
artificial intelligence (AI) to replace human management is somehow a bad omen for employees. We all
know that the more machines involved the less human labor is needed. But it doesn't mean that fewer
jobs will be offered in the future due to technology. As a matter of fact, technology continues to
conceive more opportunities and work for the future generation.

I know that technology is not all rainbows and butterflies it has thorns too. If you're not careful enough,
it can harm you. But again, do not let your fears decide your future. Take advantage of the good stuff
while being cautious of the bad ones. I hope that people will realize that more opportunities will come
in their way if they will only see the bigger picture. Fears and doubts are normal; you will experience
them along the way but don't let them consume your whole being.

Overall I feel relieved. For me, this course is like a breather where I can honestly express myself and
showcase my metaphors, negativity, and sarcasm unlike in other courses especially in MGT 187 which is
fully packed. The syllabus was designed akin to face-to-face classes where assignments, quizzes, long
exams, case studies, and application papers are all present. I would understand it if it is truly face-to-
face classes. But come on, this is remote learning and group outputs are highly discouraged. But there's
this one subject who wants to have it all. I really hope that course will have a learning log like this
because I don't know how to address this concern to my adviser without sounding stress or an
additional burden to them.