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Home Credit’s top-selling commodities in 2021
January 13, 2022 5:26 p.m.
As expected, the greater usage of digital payments was seen in 2021 with more and more Filipinos finally embracing safe and convenient options for their daily spending and transactions. One of the fastest growing digital service providers who surely felt this uptick in the volume of digital payments usage is Home Credit. For that year alone, they recorded more than 2 million additional users in their mobile app and more than 1.8 million who availed the online shopping feature of their consumer financing services.
Aside from these two interesting consumer trends that they noted, the longtime leader in the buy & now pay later (BNPL) space summarizes below its top selling commodities to paint a picture of what defined 2021 for them and their customers. Now let’s break down the top items that were mostly added to your carts and checked out:
In 2021, many people looked for items that will allow them to work and play seamlessly in the comfort of their homes. Smartphones remained to be the top commodity comprising half of the total sales in 2021 at 52%.
With smartphones leading as the top selling item, the brands that also took the top spot are those from the mobile phone industry namely Oppo, RealMe, Vivo, Samsung, Xiaomi, Huawei, and Apple – all of which performed strongly in the market. The OPPO A94 became the best-selling smartphone of the previous year, thanks to its reliable camera features that’s perfect for taking pictures or even vlogging. At an affordable price, it also has a capable gaming performance for your favorite mobile games.
Laptop sales also doubled last year compared to the previous year and the obvious driver for this growth was brought by millions of workers and students who are still at a work-from-home or online class setup. ACER proved to be the laptop brand of choice and their Aspire line-up was a hit for users looking for a device that can get the job done when it comes to ordinary, everyday tasks but without the huge cost.
Acer Aspire 3 |
With infinite content to consume and the convenience of easily connecting streaming platforms, televisions still reign as THE device to complete the viewing experience. Consumers seemed to agree since more than a hundred thousand television units were sold last year, one of the highest next to smartphones. And their go-to brand? Pensonic LED3257 which features HD screen resolution, Android/Smart TV options and a budget-friendly price.
Panasonic also took its rightful place in the top 10 list of best-selling brands as laundy washers, refrigerators and other home and kitchen appliances were still in-demand last year, which goes to show that consumers still find home appliances as essential items to make it easier to accomplish household tasks.
Air conditioners also saw a 125% increase in sales during the height of the summer. A great number of shoppers definitely preferred inverter aircons because of its energy saving technology that lets you save more on monthly bills.
Additionally, bicycle sales continue to soar with more than 50,000 units sold last year. The continuous increase in sales reflects the growing interest of Filipinos in practicing a more active lifestyle and an alternative day-to-day transportation.
In terms of area, Cebuanos took the top spot for the highest sales at 7.1%, alongside the province of Cavite. As seen in the breakdown below, provinces dominated the list with most sales coming from Calabarzon area and a few in the North.
These trends only show that consumers’ varied necessities or interests can be reflected in the things they purchase. Whether it’s an item that people always buy or something that the present situation calls for or demands, Home Credit – being a leader in the BNPL space – has got it all covered with a wide selection of products you can choose from, offered at 0% interest and affordable monthly installments.
Are you thinking of getting some of these items, too? Shop now at any of Home Credit’s 9, 000+ partner retail stores or by downloading the My Home Credit App. For more information, go to www.homecreditph
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PH slides to top 4 in Kaspersky’s new global ranking of countries most targeted by online threats
February 5, 2024 9:46 p.m.
In 2023, web threats targeting the Philippines were about two percent less (48%) than in 2022 (49.8%), according to the latest Kaspersky Security Network (KSN) report.
With this new data, the country moved two spots down to fourth place worldwide among countries most targeted by malicious files from the internet and phishing websites. It looks like a positive development but Kaspersky is strongly advising against dropping the armor.
“There are two things that could explain the drop in web threats, albeit slightly. First is that we see the country is slowly making headway in cybersecurity. We classify the Philippines to be in the intermediate group of countries that are identifying cyberattacks and making efforts to implement rules. The second one and this we have to seriously take note, is that cybercriminals are continuously taking other attack routes that might be off the radar. One trend that we consistently have been seeing lately is their preference for targeted attacks instead of the spray and pray method,” said Yeo Siang Tiong, General Manager for Southeast Asia at Kaspersky.
“Complacency, however, is still not an option. Cybercriminals continue to develop their tools and techniques. They actually surprise cybersecurity experts all the time. Our mindset should be how to be able to hunt threats before they could cause harm and damage. At this point, I recommend that we should be talking more about threats as we proactively learn to detect and respond to them. This is where threat intelligence comes in handy,” added Yeo.
Web or online threats are attacks through browsers which are also cybercriminals’ tried and tested way to spread malware. It can easily be done with or without the involvement of the victim.
A web attack with victim participation is done through social engineering. The victim is tricked into doing something that jeopardizes their personal security or the security of the organization they work for. The objective is to get the victim to respond by clicking an infected email attachment, a compromised website, or responding to a fake unsubscribe notice, among others. Last year’s data breaches involving a government agency and an e-wallet company, which were each reportedly traced to phishing, are examples of this type of web threat.
An attack requiring no victim involvement is through drive-by downloads. By simply visiting a compromised website, their device gets infected automatically (and silently) particularly if they failed to apply a security update to one of their apps. This method is used in most web attacks.
In the recent global ranking, the Philippines came behind Mongolia (51.8%), Moldova (48.9%) and Greece (48.8%). Since 2019, the country has consistently been in the top 10 ranking countries.
Among Southeast Asian countries, the Philippines is trailed by Malaysia with the overall percentage of users attacked by web-borne threats from January to December 2023.
To stay protected, Kaspersky recommends users the following:
- Do not download and install applications from untrusted sources
- Do not click on any links from unknown sources or suspicious online advertisements
- Create strong and unique passwords, including a mix of lower case and upper case letters, numbers, and punctuation, as well as activating two-factor authentication
- Always install updates
- Ignore messages asking to disable security systems for office or cybersecurity solution
- Use a robust cybersecurity solution appropriate to your system type and devices
For organizations, Kaspersky recommends the following:
- Always keep software updated on all the devices to prevent attackers from infiltrating network by exploiting vulnerabilities
- Use strong passwords to access corporate services. Use multi-factor authentication for access to remote services
- Choose a proven endpoint cybersecurity solution for business that is equipped with behaviors-based detection and anomaly control capabilities for effective protection against known and unknown threats
- Use dedicated set of effective endpoint protection, threat detection and response products to timely detect and remediate even new and evasive threats
- Use the latest threat intelligence information to empower your security experts
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There’s a Nanyang near you for all your Singaporean food cravings
August 4, 2023 6:30 p.m.
Missing Singapore’s famous Hainanese Chicken Rice, Laksa fishball, Cheesy Chicken Chop Noodles and Kopi?
Visit your nearest Nanyang Philippines branch.
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Globe powers up TOYCON 2023’s landmark 20th year
June 29, 2023 6:53 p.m.
As Toycon Philippines proudly commemorates its 20th year, the landmark celebration promises to be more electrifying than ever with the formidable support of leading digital lifestyle brand Globe.
For the first time, Globe is the title sponsor of the iconic pop-culture event, bringing a new level of excitement and engagement to the toy collector and creator community.
Globe has always been at the forefront of supporting diverse subcultures and passions, and this partnership is a testament to its commitment. As part of the collaboration, Globe will bring to life the rich world of its cinematic and theatrical partners, further enriching the TOYCON 2023 experience for attendees.
“Globe is thrilled to collaborate with Toycon Philippines, especially on such a milestone year,” said Mike Magpily, VP, Head of Segment Strategy and Subcultures at Globe.
“As the country’s most reliable network and top digital solutions platform with an ecosystem of various services, we’re uniquely positioned to foster the vibrancy of the toy collecting and creating community. This partnership underscores our commitment to nurturing a wide array of passions and interests while ensuring the best connectivity for all participants.”
Cholo Mallillin, Marketing Head at Toycon Philippines, said: “The collaboration with Globe will further elevate the Toycon experience. This partnership will bring more surprises and rewards to our community. We invite everyone to join us as we celebrate 20 years of Toycon in the most exciting way possible.”
TOYCON 2023 will be held at the SMX Convention Center in MOA from July 7 to 9, 2023. Attendees are in for a treat, as they have the chance to meet their beloved childhood characters, explore an expansive marketplace of unique toys and collectibles, and participate in exclusive Globe activities.
One of the highlights of the partnership is a series of exclusive perks for Globe customers. By using Globe Rewards points, customers will have the opportunity to win various ticket tiers ranging from Day Passes to VIP Passes. There will also be exclusive toy freebies for VIP pass holders, and unique Globe-only activities, such as paint-your-own Gudi.
At the event, Globe will also host an interactive booth featuring activities designed to reward and inspire. From earning freebies by donating Rewards points to a good cause, to free arcade plays and meet-ups with popular streamers, Globe customers are in for an exciting weekend of gaming and beyond.
To keep up-to-date with all the exciting promotions and surprises at TOYCON 2023, Globe customers are encouraged to use the GlobeOne app.
To learn more about Globe, visit https://www.globe.com.ph/.