KUALA LUMPUR: Almost half (45 per cent) of Shopee's sellers surveyed in its new study agree that the platform has enabled them to support their family with 26 per cent save and invest this income for rainy days ahead.
According to the "Celebrating the Heart of Malaysia on E-Commerce" marketplace survey, four in 10 local sellers said Shopee was their only business channel in this economy.
Besides that, more than eight in 10 participating sellers attribute the long-term success of their store not to discounts offered, but to locally-tailored shopping experiences.
Shopee Malaysia head of marketing campaigns Kenneth Soh said the survey underscored how Malaysian sellers continue to succeed and build financial security by selling on online marketplaces like Shopee.
"It's important for business owners to understand that Malaysian shoppers do have motivations beyond price for shopping online.
"They can create more loyalty and engagement simply by matching their offerings and content with buyer values," he said in a statement today.
Shopee said one of the clearest findings of this study was that despite the reopening of the economy, nine in 10 Malaysian shoppers still preferred online shopping.
More than half of shoppers on the platform adopted online shopping more permanently: 21 per cent felt it was now a habit, 17 per cent said they can easily find readily available stocks online, and 14 per cent wanted to access choices that were not available offline in their specific location.
Shopee said the study showed that not all shoppers prioritised discounts and vouchers exclusively.
Seven in 10 Malaysian buyers equated peace of mind with online shopping with Shopee.
The study, which surveyed 3,300 buyers and 2,100 sellers across Malaysia, will be shared in more detail on August 25.
It also dives deep into key learnings about how much Malaysian shoppers save online, the role of these savings given the current economic environment, and what drives their seller preference.
Shopee said the findings from the study can be utilised by businesses to build long-term loyalty with consumers.