A recent survey conducted by e-commerce platform Shopee amongst 11,850 Malaysian sellers show that e-commerce is creating new livelihoods and opportunities amid rising economic challenges, with 70% citing that they have up to six dependants.
As such, despite being fully employed, 35.4% of the overall respondents reveal that they have turned to e-commerce for a second and even third, source of household income. These sellers were found to be making an average of RM2,750* per month selling on Shopee alone.
Additionally, the survey also indicates that e-commerce appears to be creating opportunities for aspiring entrepreneurs, regardless of gender, geography and age. Of the 11,850 sellers surveyed, 5,406 are new entrepreneurs enabled by e-commerce, who cited that their businesses are operated 100% online.
Interestingly, of these new entrepreneurs created by e-commerce:
- 72% are women entrepreneurs. They offer mainly health and beauty products, women’s clothing as well as fashion accessories and are able to generate RM3,950* on average a month.
- Meanwhile, 70.7% are aged between 18 and 35, of which, one in three are Sijil Pelajaran Malaysia (SPM) certificate holders. Despite this, these individuals are enterprising and able to generate an average of RM6,000* a month on Shopee, selling a huge variety of things such as children and Muslim fashion, groceries, babies and kids-related products amongst others. They also appear to be more reactive to current trends by building their assortment with in-demand items such as face masks, hand sanitizers, wet wipes and more.
- While the contribution of rural entrepreneurs only constitutes 13.3%, it is worthy to note that penetration is as far and wide as Pontian, Johor; Kuala Nerus, Terengganu and Kabong, Sarawak, and driven primarily by younger women. As a result, Shopee finds that e-commerce, too, is facilitating the nationwide supply of hometown specialties such as keropok lekor, kek lapis, ikan bilis Pangkor, belacan, cencaluk and more, giving consumers better variety online. These rural sellers are able to generate an average of RM3,200* in sales monthly.
Ian Ho, Regional Managing Director of Shopee said, “The survey findings show that e-commerce provides equal opportunity for all to make a mark online. While e-commerce helps to better livelihoods, this also goes to show that e-commerce can play a larger role in shaping the modern workforce. This is made easy as platforms like Shopee offer a holistic e-commerce ecosystem which includes integrated payment and logistics solutions, as well as marketing and operational support to bring high traffic to our platform, which in turn means more sales for our sellers. With the strong infrastructure in place, we can empower Malaysians to gainfully run an online store be it full-time or part-time, regardless of who they are and where they are from.”
Additionally, while e-commerce is still in early stages of growth, it is gradually creating a socio-economic ripple effect where over 1,700 of the 11,850 sellers surveyed shared that they employ full-time and part-time employees to cope with the overall rising demand from e-commerce.
Sellers anticipating surge in sales this 11.11: From the survey, 66.7% of respondents said they were doubling their inventory in preparation for the 11.11 shopping festival. Meanwhile, 70.2% of the sellers project at least 100% growth in sales on their Shopee stores this 11.11 Big Sale as compared to 2019, with some anticipating a five-fold increase.
Commenting on this, Ho said that the sellers’ optimism is a sneak peek into how massive the largest global online shopping festival will be for consumers. “Working closely with brands, retailers and sellers, we have put together great bargains and unmissable deals for Malaysians to enjoy till 11 November. They can look forward to daily free shipping with a minimum spend of RM11, get more value for money with daily 50% discount vouchers as well as 11 sen and RM1 Shocking Sale deals and more.”
Recognising that the support of the community is integral to the success of brands and sellers, Shopee is dedicating 11.11 towards creating stronger shared experiences. Consumers across the country will be connected and inspired through deals, enhanced features and entertainment such as the 11.11 Big Show on 11 November from 9PM – 11PM via Shopee Live, TV3, Tonton and YouTube.
Shopee will also deepen its commitment in uplifting local communities through its 11.11 Big Charity, its first regional charity drive. In Malaysia, it will partner charity organisations like the Malaysian AIDS Foundation in raising awareness and donations for people living with HIV including underprivileged children.
“E-commerce has made a profound impact on Malaysians, especially so this year. As we remain at the forefront of digital transformation, we are focused on making e-commerce for everyone by creating opportunities and meaningful shared experiences for sellers and buyers. We want every person and business to be able to benefit from the growth of e-commerce and participate in the future digital economy. 11.11 Big Sale, as with all our shopping festivals, reflects our commitment to transform the lives of communities we serve. We look forward to a fruitful 11.11 Big Sale,” Ho concluded.
For more information about Shopee 11.11 Big Sale, visit https://shopee.com.my/m/11-11
