According to new research from Shoppee, 60% of Malaysian consumers are proactively supporting local sellers ahead of Merdeka Day with #ShopeeSapotLokal, ahead of the company’s 9.9 Super Shopping Day.
“Interestingly, not all buyers prioritize discounts and vouchers exclusively. Seven in 10 Malaysians value peace of mind over lower price,” said Kenneth Soh, Head of Marketing Campaigns at Shopee Malaysia.
The report, “Celebrating the Heart of Malaysia on E-Commerce” when asked, 3,356 consumers “Why do you think it is important to support local sellers?” during the month leading up to Merdeka Day, 30% endorsed the quality of made-in-Malaysia goods that cater to their local preferences, 20% said that they want to keep the economy running for patriotic reasons and 8% were sellers supporting other local sellers in the same boat.
Also, 42% said they preferred shopping locally to get their items delivered faster.
The report also examined what Malaysians valued about online shopping. Over 70% of consumers surveyed estimated that their everyday online shopping transactions resulted in savings of over 5% consistently.
Economic uncertainty was the primary reason respondents valued every Ringgit saved, with 50% of buyers needing to reduce expenses in this environment, 14% not earning enough to cover essentials, 10% foreseeing major expenses in the coming months and 6% providing for multiple dependents.
Nine in 10 Malaysians still buy online despite the reopening of physical outlets because it is a learned and adopted habit. The majority value having ‘peace of mind’, with 40% enjoying the convenience of parcels delivered to their doorstep, 17% feeling safe with Shopee Guarantee, and 10% trusting reviews and pictures from other buyers.
For 49% of buyers, Shopee is the top-of-mind shopping destination for lifestyle products, including home decoration items, fashion pieces, and health and beauty products.
Apart from that, 24% of buyers purchase living essentials (groceries and diapers) from Shopee, 16% look for tech devices (computers, mobile devices and TV) and the remaining 11% buy automobile parts or work and school supplies.
“We are humbled to discover that half of our local sellers surveyed say the income earned on our platform is crucial as it enables them to support their families,” said Soh.
The majority of local sellers began selling online with Shopee to overcome existing limitations on their earnings and participation in the economy: 24% because it is their only source of income, 5% are not able to get a job, 18% need to supplement income and 24% feel the pressures of higher costs of living. 30% said they became Shopee sellers because of their passion for their business.
