Let’s be honest: Hunting down that exact budget gadget or specific shade of lipstick a Filipino creator just raved about in a video can feel like a digital scavenger hunt. You pause the video, squint at the description box hoping for a link, maybe even resort to desperately Googling vague product descriptions. It’s a clunky process we’ve all just accepted.

Well, get ready for an upgrade, because YouTube and Shopee are joining forces to fix that right here in the Philippines. YouTube Shopping just officially flipped the switch in the Philippines, partnering directly with the e-commerce giant. The dream? Seamless shopping inside YouTube. See it, like it, click it, buy it — all without leaving the vibe of your favorite creator’s content.

The pitch: From the link-in-bio hassle to instant gratification

Instead of burying links, creators can now directly tag products from Shopee within their long-form videos, Shorts, and even livestreams. These tags pop up neatly, often in a dedicated list or overlay, letting you click straight through to the Shopee page.

We at at Revü have actually had access to this affiliate program for over a month now, and honestly, we’re still trying to make tagging products a regular habit — it’s surprisingly easy to forget when you’re focused on filming and editing. So while the tool’s been there for us to test, we’re still getting used to remembering it’s part of the toolkit now.

Why this is a huge deal for Pinoy creators

This isn’t just a minor feature update; it’s potentially a seismic shift for the massive Filipino creator economy. We’re talking over 450 channels with more than a million subscribers and thousands more knocking on that door. For years, many have relied on ad revenue, maybe some sponsorships, maybe a Merch shelf. This affiliate program offers a much more direct way to monetize the influence they already wield.

And let’s be real, that influence is potent. In fact, one global study by market-research firm Ipsos found people are a whopping 98% more likely to trust YouTube creators over influencers on other platforms or even traditional ads. When a creator you trust recommends something, it hits different. YouTube knows this, Shopee knows this, and now they’re building infrastructure around it.

Local creators are definitely seeing the potential. Camille Co nailed the everyday struggle: “I always get asked where I got this and that… Now with YouTube Shopping, it’s so much easier to share these products that I love and truly believe in. A huge plus also for me, because I get to earn on the side while doing so.”

The ceiling for product commissions? Look at creators in other Southeast Asian markets where this launched earlier. A Vietnamese beauty creator saw revenue nearly quintuple, and an Indonesian tech channel reported affiliate income hitting 50% of their total earnings in one quarter last year. If that translates here, we’re talking about potentially life-changing money for some creators, fundamentally altering the economics of being a YouTuber in the Philippines. Interested creators can check eligibility here.

So what does this mean for your watch (and shopping) habits?

For viewers, the immediate upside is convenience. That cool smartphone, that perfect outfit, that must-have home decor item — buying it becomes less of a chore. It taps right into the desire for entertaining shopping experiences that studies show Gen Z craves.

But it also raises interesting questions. Will watching YouTube start to feel… different? Will creators feel pressured to constantly tag products? Will authenticity take a hit if every video feels like a potential sales pitch? It’s a fine line to walk. The magic of creator recommendations lies in perceived honesty. Turning every creator into a potential storefront risks commodifying that trust. It’s something both creators and viewers will need to navigate.

The big machine behind the curtain

Obviously, Google, YouTube’s parent, and Shopee aren’t doing this out of pure altruism. Southeast Asia is a ridiculously fast-growing e-commerce market, and video commerce is exploding, hitting 20% of the pie in 2024. This partnership is a strategic move to capture that growth, blend content with commerce, and give advertisers powerful new tools, like L’Oréal Thailand’s campaign that saw 10x more high-intent views. It’s about keeping users (and their wallets) within their ecosystems.

As Vice President for Google Southeast Asia and South Asia Frontier Sapna Chadha put it, SEA is “shaping the future of shopping,” and Shopee Philippines head Vincent Lee sees it as key to integrating “content, community, and commerce.”

The future is clickable

YouTube Shopping rolling out in the Philippines isn’t just another feature drop. It’s a statement about where online culture and commerce are heading. It solidifies the creator’s role not just as an entertainer, but as a powerful curator and, now, a direct point of sale.

Will it revolutionize how Filipinos shop online? Maybe. Will it change the game for creators? Almost certainly. One thing’s for sure: Your YouTube feed is about to get a whole lot more shoppable. Whether that’s a utopia of convenience or a slippery slope remains to be seen, but it’s definitely going to be interesting to watch… and click.

Press release

---