YouTube, in partnership with Shopee, has officially launched YouTube Shopping in the Philippines, further expanding its footprint across Southeast Asia.
With this rollout, the YouTube Shopping affiliate program is now available in six countries in the region, solidifying YouTube’s role in shaping the future of video commerce.
Through YouTube Shopping, Filipino viewers can now purchase products directly from videos and livestreams through seamless product tagging — eliminating the need to click on external links or switch between platforms. Tagged products appear within a dedicated section under each video, directing users straight to Shopee for checkout.
“This is part of YouTube’s broader push into video commerce,” said Sapna Chadha, Vice President for Google Southeast Asia and South Asia Frontier. “Southeast Asia is shaping the future of shopping with its deeply engaged video-first audience, profitable digital economy, and vibrant creator community.”
he partnership between YouTube and Shopee unlocks new opportunities for local creators and sellers alike. Eligible Filipino content creators can now monetize by featuring and tagging products in their content, earning affiliate commissions. This move adds to their existing monetization tools like Ads Revenue, YouTube Premium, Channel Memberships, and Super Thanks.
Shopee sellers, meanwhile, stand to gain greater exposure, with content creators promoting their products directly to engaged audiences.
“This collaboration allows sellers to connect with creators and harness their influence to drive sales effectively,” said Vincent Lee, Head of Shopee Philippines.
Lee also emphasized the safety advantages of direct tagging, which minimizes phishing and fraud risks.
“When you can connect and tag the product directly to the Shopee app, there’s no room for scam or fraud,” he explained.
Trust remains at the core of YouTube Shopping’s model. According to Google, creators will be carefully vetted before being allowed into the affiliate program, ensuring quality, trustworthiness, and proper labeling — especially in light of rising AI-generated content.
“We will ensure checks and balances. We’ll assess history, quality, ranking, and behavior over time,” said Chadha.
She added, “Any AI-generated content will also be clearly labeled to maintain transparency and trust.”
Recent studies highlight YouTube’s strong position in video commerce: users are 98% more likely to trust YouTube creators’ recommendations compared to other social platforms, and YouTube drives 3.8 times higher purchase intent on average.
With video shopping now accounting for 20% of Southeast Asia’s e-commerce GMV in 2024 — a fourfold increase since 2022 — the Philippine market is poised for massive growth in this space.
Advertisers also stand to benefit. Through YouTube Shopping, brands can directly link partnership ads with creator videos, shortening the journey from discovery to purchase.
Brands like L’Oréal Thailand have already seen success, achieving 10x more high-intent views and double the efficiency in cost-per-visit compared to previous campaigns.
Top-performing categories in YouTube Shopping include Beauty, Mobile & Gadgets, and Home & Living.
With the Philippines joining Indonesia, Malaysia, Singapore, Thailand, and Vietnam, Southeast Asia now hosts six of the nine global markets where YouTube Shopping is available. This expansion reinforces YouTube’s pivotal role in both the creator economy and the evolving digital shopping landscape.
As Sapna Chadha noted, “Building on our early momentum, YouTube Shopping will continue to grow, unlocking new opportunities for viewers, creators, brands, and partners across this dynamic region.”
