60% of Malaysian Consumers Buy Local Ahead of Merdeka Day
60% of Malaysian consumers are proactively supporting local sellers ahead of Merdeka Day with #ShopeeSapotLokal, at the live reveal of the platform’s largest marketplace study this year, Celebrating the Heart of Malaysia on E-Commerce*, ahead of the company’s 9.9 Super Shopping Day.
When 3,356 consumers were asked “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% stated that they want to keep the economy running for patriotic reasons and 8% were sellers supporting other local sellers in the same boat. 42% preferred shopping local to get their items delivered faster.
Among these respondents, half of them (54%) are working full time, 18% are in-between jobs, 17% are senior citizens, 6% are stay-at-home parents and 5% are university students.
Shopee 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.
“Interestingly, not all buyers prioritise discounts and vouchers exclusively. Seven in 10 Malaysians value peace of mind over lower price,” according to Kenneth Soh, Head of Marketing Campaigns at Shopee Malaysia.
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.
“When Malaysian consumers express their values through online shopping preferences this way, we truly understand why eight in 10 local sellers started their selling journey online with Shopee. 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.
* The 2022 “Celebrating the Heart of Malaysia on E-Commerce” survey was conducted by Shopee Marketplace, between 19 July to 17 August 2022. Voluntary feedback was obtained from 2,132 Malaysian sellers and 3,356 Malaysian buyers on the platform.
