Your first Shopee store can be live today.
Shopee Philippines is the country’s most visited online marketplace, and setting up a seller account is free and takes less than an hour. Whether you want to sell handmade crafts, imported goods, or resell items you source locally, this is your step-by-step guide to getting started and getting your first order.
What You Will Need
Before you begin, have these ready:
- A smartphone or laptop with a stable internet connection
- A valid Philippine phone number (for account verification)
- At least one product photo (taken with your phone is fine)
- Your product name, description, and selling price
- A GCash account or Philippine bank account to receive payments
- Basic packaging materials: poly mailers, tape, bubble wrap for fragile items
Optional (not required to start, but recommended once you are earning regularly):
- DTI business name registration (PHP 200 to 1,000 at bnrs.dti.gov.ph)
- A separate GCash or bank account for business income only
Step 1: Create Your Shopee Account
If you already shop on Shopee as a buyer, you can use that same account to start selling. No new account needed.
If you are new to Shopee entirely:
- Download the Shopee app from the App Store or Google Play, or go to shopee.ph on your laptop.
- Tap Sign Up and enter your Philippine phone number.
- Enter the OTP Shopee sends via SMS.
- Create a username and password. Your username becomes part of your shop URL, so choose something clean and related to what you sell.
- Your account is now active for both buying and selling.
That is the entire signup process. One account handles both sides of the marketplace.
Step 2: Set Up Your Shopee Seller Shop
Once your account is active, open Seller Center to build your shop profile.
On the Shopee app: Tap your profile icon, select My Shop, then follow the seller onboarding flow.
On a laptop: Go to seller.shopee.ph and log in with your Shopee account credentials.
Complete these four items before listing anything:
Shop name. Memorable, easy to spell, relevant to your products. You can change it later, but buyers who bookmark your link need to search again if the URL changes.
Shop description. Two or three sentences on what you sell and why buyers should choose your store. Be specific: “I sell Korean skincare, shipped from Quezon City within 24 hours.”
Profile photo. Your logo or a clear product photo. A shop with a profile image looks far more trustworthy than a grey placeholder circle.
Shop banner. Optional but worth 10 minutes. A banner with your shop name and product category tells new visitors what you sell before they read a single listing.
Shop profile complete. Now add your first product.
Step 3: List Your First Product
This is where most new sellers waste too much time trying to write the perfect listing. Post your first product now and improve it later. An imperfect live listing earns sales. A perfect draft earns nothing.
In Seller Center, go to My Products then Add New Product and fill in each field:
Photos. Minimum 3 images. Main image: white background, full product visible. Additional photos: product in use and close-ups. Shopee allows up to 9 — use them.
Product title. Include the product type, key features, and search terms. “Korean Moisturizing Sunscreen SPF50+ 50ml Lightweight For Oily Skin” ranks and converts better than “Sunscreen.”
Category. Select the most accurate category. Shopee’s commission fee varies by category, per the Shopee Philippines Seller Education Hub, so the category affects your actual payout.
Description. Include dimensions, materials, what is in the box, and anything a buyer would ask before purchasing. Specific descriptions reduce returns.
Price. Account for Shopee’s commission (typically 2 to 5 percent depending on category, per Shopee PH seller documentation), packaging, and any shipping contribution.
Stock quantity. Enter your actual available units. Shopee penalizes sellers who cancel orders due to out-of-stock items.
Variations. If your product comes in sizes or colors, add them here. Each variation can have its own price and stock.
Publish. Tap Save and Publish. Your first product is now live.
Your listing is live. Before buyers find you, configure your shipping and payment settings.
Step 4: Set Up Shipping and Payment
In Seller Center, go to My Account then Shop Settings to configure both.
Shipping
Shopee’s Supported Logistics (SSL) program connects you with official courier partners at negotiated rates. Enable the couriers available in your area: Shopee Express (SPX), J&T Express, LBC Express, Ninja Van, and 2GO Express (best for Visayas and Mindanao).
Enable all available couriers. Restricting to one or two loses buyers who prefer a specific carrier.
For every product you list, enter the accurate weight and dimensions when packed. Shopee calculates the shipping fee shown to buyers at checkout from these numbers. If your listed weight is lower than your actual packed weight, you absorb the difference.
Payment
Shopee collects payment from buyers on your behalf. Your job is to link where you want your earnings sent:
- Go to My Account then Bank Account / E-Wallet.
- Add your GCash number or Philippine bank account (BDO, BPI, UnionBank, Metrobank, and others are supported).
- Complete Shopee’s account verification.
Shopee holds your earnings in your Shopee wallet until the buyer confirms receipt or until the automatic release period ends. You then initiate a transfer to your linked GCash or bank account.
Enable COD. Under your payment settings, turn on Cash on Delivery. A large share of Philippine buyers, especially those outside Metro Manila, prefer to pay cash on delivery. Disabling COD significantly reduces your potential buyer pool. Enable it, price accordingly, and accept that a small percentage of COD orders will be refused on delivery.
Step 5: Get Your First Order
Your shop is set up. Your product is listed. Now you need buyers.
The fastest path to your first sale is personal sharing:
Facebook. Post your product link on your personal page and in local buy-and-sell groups. Write one honest sentence about the product, not a sales pitch.
Viber. Broadcast your product photo and link to your contacts. People who know you convert better than strangers.
TikTok. Film your product in 30 seconds, add a price overlay, and post. One organic video can drive significant traffic to your Shopee listing the same day.
Inside Seller Center, use these free tools to boost visibility:
My Vouchers. A PHP 20 off coupon on a PHP 150 product costs you little but builds your review count fast.
Shopee campaigns. Enroll your products in upcoming campaigns (Free Shipping Day, Pay Day Sale, 9.9, 11.11). It is free and puts your listings in front of buyers actively shopping those events.
Chat response speed. Shopee tracks your response rate and factors it into search placement. Respond within 30 minutes during your active hours.
When your first order arrives, you will receive a notification in the app and via SMS. Seller Center will show you a countdown to your shipping deadline.
Step 6: Pack and Ship Your First Order
Pack the product securely. Use bubble wrap for breakable items. Poly mailers work for clothing, accessories, and non-fragile products. Write or print the buyer’s address clearly on the package.
Print your airway bill. In Seller Center, go to My Orders, open the order, and tap Print Airway Bill. Print on A4 paper, cut to size, and tape it firmly to the package.
Drop off or schedule pickup. Bring your packed order to your chosen courier’s nearest branch, or schedule a pickup through Seller Center if the courier supports it.
Mark as shipped. After dropping off or handing to the courier, mark the order as shipped in Seller Center and enter the tracking number.
Message the buyer. Send a short Shopee chat message: “Your order has been picked up by [courier]. Tracking number: [number]. Let me know if you have any questions.” This takes 30 seconds and dramatically reduces follow-up inquiries. Buyers who get a proactive update are far more likely to leave a 5-star review.
Step 7: Build Your Shop After the First Sale
Your first sale proves the model works. Now build on it.
Request a review. Message the buyer after delivery and ask if everything arrived well. Happy buyers often leave reviews when reminded, and your review count directly affects credibility with future buyers.
List more products. Shopee’s algorithm favors shops with more active listings. Aim for 20 to 30 within your first month. Size and color variations count as separate listings.
Track your margins. Create a simple spreadsheet: product cost, selling price, commission, shipping contribution, and packaging. Some sellers discover they are losing money on their best-seller only after running this calculation.
Consistency wins on Shopee: regular listings, fast responses, careful packaging, honest descriptions. That is the full formula.
Common Mistakes New Shopee Philippines Sellers Make
1. Not Enabling COD
Cash on delivery is how a large share of Philippine buyers prefer to pay, particularly outside Metro Manila. Disabling COD to avoid refusals cuts you off from them entirely. Enable it, build a small buffer into your pricing, and treat the occasional refused delivery as a cost of doing business.
2. Using Blurry or Low-Quality Photos
On Shopee, your photos do the job a physical store does in person. A blurry image or a dark phone snapshot sends one message: this seller does not care. Take your own photos in natural daylight, white surface for the main image, product-in-use shots for the supporting images. Five honest photos outperform one polished stock image.
3. Entering the Wrong Shipping Weight
Shopee calculates the shipping fee shown to buyers from the weight you enter in your listing. If your actual packed product weighs more than listed, you absorb the difference. Weigh each product with its packaging before entering the listing weight. A basic kitchen scale (PHP 200 to 400 at most hardware stores) pays for itself in the first week.
4. Slow or Absent Responses to Buyer Chat
Shopee tracks your Chat Response Rate and uses it in search ranking. A buyer who waits several hours for a reply usually buys from a competitor instead. Enable chat notifications, set your business hours in Seller Center, and aim to reply within 30 minutes during your active hours.
5. Not Using Shopee’s Free Seller Tools
New seller accounts often have promotional credits from Shopee: voucher budgets, free shipping credits, or coins cashback. Many new sellers never claim or activate them. Check your Promotions section in Seller Center when you first set up your shop. Every free tool Shopee provides to get your first reviews and sales is worth using.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is it free to sell on Shopee Philippines?
Yes. Creating a Shopee seller account and listing products are both free. Shopee charges a commission fee (typically 2 to 5 percent depending on your product category, per Shopee PH seller documentation) when you make a sale, plus a payment service fee on non-COD transactions. You pay nothing until you sell something.
How does Shopee pay sellers in the Philippines?
Shopee releases your earnings to your Shopee wallet after the buyer confirms receipt or after an automatic release period. From your wallet, you transfer funds to a Philippine bank account or GCash. Payout transfers typically process within 1 to 3 business days, per Shopee Philippines seller documentation.
Do I need DTI registration to sell on Shopee Philippines?
No. You can start selling without a DTI registration. But once your shop earns regular income, registering as a business is required under Philippine law. DTI business name registration costs PHP 200 to 1,000 for sole proprietors and can be completed online at bnrs.dti.gov.ph in about 15 minutes.
What couriers can I use for Shopee Philippines?
Shopee Philippines supports several couriers through its Shopee Supported Logistics (SSL) program: Shopee Express, J&T Express, LBC Express, Ninja Van, and 2GO Express. Most new sellers enable all available couriers so buyers can choose based on their location and preference. You can adjust your courier settings in Seller Center at any time.
How do I get my first sale on Shopee Philippines?
Share your product listings directly to your Facebook, TikTok, and Viber groups. Enable COD so buyers outside Metro Manila can purchase. Set a launch discount using My Vouchers in Seller Center. Respond to buyer messages within 30 minutes. Shopee rewards fast response rates with better search placement.
You Are Now a Shopee Seller
Your shop is live. Your first product is listed. When your first order arrives, you will know exactly what to do.
Most aspiring Shopee sellers think about starting for weeks before actually doing anything. You followed the steps. That puts you ahead.
From here: list more products, earn your first reviews, and build your monthly sales number. Once you have Shopee running, read our guide to starting a full online business in the Philippines for the bigger picture around registration, sourcing, and platform strategy. And if you are still deciding what products to sell on Shopee, our niche selection guide for Filipino sellers walks you through choosing a profitable product category.