Zulhafiz, who founded Sutra Nurani with the aim of preserving and promoting traditional Malay music, turned to e-commerce during the pandemic to reach a broader audience. He has since sold over 68,000 items and expanded Sutra Nurani’s footprint to Singapore.
OVER the past decade, Malaysia’s e-commerce landscape has undergone a significant transformation, reshaping how businesses of all sizes reach and serve customers.
Today, it has become an important growth engine for millions of micro, small and medium enterprises (MSMEs) across the country.
For many Malaysian businesses, the digital economy has opened up new possibilities. Beyond expanding their reach, e-commerce has enabled sellers to offer more seamless shopping experiences, connect with customers nationwide and build the skills needed for long-term growth.
Online ecosystem for MSMEs
“Since our founding in 2015, Shopee has been working towards building a digital ecosystem which is accessible to all, where businesses and communities can thrive,” said Shopee chief operating officer Terence Pang.
Across South-East Asia, Taiwan and Brazil, MSME sellers today make up more than 99% of all sellers on the platform, collectively generating over US$270bil in gross merchandise value over the past 10 years.
Efforts to support smaller businesses include investments in seller education through Shopee University, which offers more than 1,500 online learning modules across the region.
These are complemented by in-person training sessions and workshops held across various states and cities in Malaysia, covering topics ranging from setting up an online store to digital marketing and campaign optimisation.
Together, the programmes aim to help MSMEs build confidence online and strengthen their business fundamentals over time.
Such support became especially critical during Covid-19, when the movement control order forced physical stores to close.
As businesses pivoted online, digital platforms played a key role in helping sellers continue operating, adapt to changing consumer behaviours and remain resilient during a period of uncertainty.
Levelling the digital playing field
As more MSMEs came online, they began tapping a growing range of digital tools to improve visibility and reach new customers.
Many of these tools are integrated within Shopee’s ecosystem and are accessible to sellers regardless of their marketing budgets, experience or in-house expertise.
One such tool is Shopee Live, the platform’s in-app livestream feature, which combines real-time interaction with online shopping.
Since its launch in 2019, MSME sellers across the region have recorded an average yearly increase of more than 300% in orders generated through Shopee Live, underscoring the growing role of interactive content in driving engagement.
Shopee Video enables sellers to showcase products through short-form videos that buyers can browse at their convenience.
Each year, MSME sellers upload an average of 16 million additional Shopee Video content, reflecting the format’s growing popularity as a discovery and engagement tool.
Sellers are also increasingly turning to Shopee’s Affiliate Marketing Solutions to collaborate with affiliates and key opinion leaders to help strengthen brand visibility and reach wider audiences without the need for large marketing teams.
A snapshot of how Malaysian sellers have leveraged the tools and initiatives by Shopee throughout the decade.
Taking tradition online
Beyond commercial growth, many sellers in Malaysia seek to preserve cultural heritage and serve their communities.
One such seller is Mohd Zulhafiz Jamaludin, a traditional Malay music teacher who founded Sutra Nurani to preserve and pass on traditional Malay music to future generations.
Initially operating out of a physical store in Selayang, Selangor, the business offered walk-in customers handcrafted rebana and other traditional instruments.
Sutra Nurani’s handcrafted rebanas are made using synthetic materials, which improve durability.
When sales slowed during the pandemic, Zulhafiz turned to e-commerce to reach a broader audience. After setting up his store on Shopee, he began using tools such as Shopee Ads to boost visibility and connect with customers nationwide.
Today, Sutra Nurani has sold over 68,000 items to buyers outside major cities, including customers in Sabah and Sarawak.
The business has also expanded to Singapore through the Shopee International Platform, bringing traditional Malay musical instruments to a wider regional audience.
Sutra Nurani’s journey reflects how e-commerce can support not only business growth, but also keep local craftsmanship and cultural traditions alive.
Sutra Nurani has brought traditional Malay musical instruments to customers across Malaysia and the region, through e-commerce.
Keeping pace with demand
As Malaysia’s digital economy continues to evolve, MSMEs’ needs are becoming more diverse.
Changing shopping habits have placed greater emphasis on speed and convenience, particularly for everyday and time-sensitive purchases.
To help sellers respond, Shopee has introduced Shopee Instant Mart, a new solution designed to help eligible sellers capture fast-growing online demand by leveraging their existing physical stores.
As more Malaysians turn to online channels for their everyday, immediate needs, Shopee Instant Mart allows sellers to extend their reach beyond walk-in traffic and serve nearby buyers in real-time.
Orders are automatically routed to the most suitable nearby outlet and fulfilled through Shopee-supported logistics partners, reducing the complexity of delivery coordination and enabling sellers to offer instant delivery services without investing in new infrastructure.
This new offering complements Shopee’s broader suite of fulfilment solutions, including Fulfilled by Shopee and Same Day Delivery, which aim to help sellers improve service quality without significantly increasing operational demands.
At the same time, Shopee also continues to invest in new technologies that help sellers operate more efficiently as their businesses scale. Today, sellers can tap AI-powered solutions such as advertisement optimisation tools and other enhancements to better interpret business data and optimise operations.
Tools such as seller chat assistants, product photo enhancers, as well as AI video creation also help MSMEs seamlessly manage customer engagement and content creation with less manual effort.
“Today, as AI transforms commerce, we are excited to carry on innovating, creating solutions that empower sellers and nurture communities.
“Together, we have come a long way since those humble beginnings. I look forward to seeing our ecosystem continue to grow and adapt, moving onward and upward,” said Pang.
After a decade of growth, e-commerce has become an integral part of how Malaysian MSMEs build resilience, expand access and capture new opportunities.
For many, digital platforms are no longer just sales channels, but business partners for long-term success.
As Malaysia’s digital economy continues to evolve, continued access to advanced tools and solutions will remain critical in helping MSMEs adapt, remain competitive and grow over time.
