AT first, kuih sellers like Saifuddin Ahmad tried selling their treats online as a way to reach new markets and new customers.

But when the Covid-19 pandemic forced everyone indoors and brought offline shopping to a screeching halt, e-commerce became a lifeline for Saifuddin and micro-businesses like him.

The range of products being sold on platforms such as Lazada and Shopee was expanded to not just the usual electronics, household appliances and clothes but even fresh and cooked food.

Those jumping on the bandwagon are not just established stores but like Saifuddin, humble petty traders that operate from roadside stalls.

Although movement restrictions have now been relaxed during the recovery movement-control order (RMCO) and people can go shopping again, Saifuddin still depends on e-commerce for a majority of the sales of his kuih peneram.

The 40-year-old had started selling online on Shopee at the start of the year because the platform made it easier for him to market his kuih to new customers outside of Kedah, where the business is based.

“By selling on the platform, I don’t have to spend on advertising and marketing because I am leveraging on their big name,” said Saifuddin, who has been selling kuih peneram from a roadside stall.

Through the platform, he’s been able to reach customers as far away as Sabah, Sarawak and Singapore as compared to just Kedahans.  

“Thank God with the new platform, I get new orders everyday. During the MCO I was swamped with orders. We sent out 50-60 parcels a day during that time.”  

Governments around the world, including Malaysia, imposed strict lockdowns in the second quarter of this year to control the spread of the coronavirus and this included shuttering physical stores.

As Malaysians stayed indoors and spent more time online, e-commerce platforms saw a 149% jump in business during the MCO compared to the same period last year according to a survey by E-commerce company Commerce.Asia.

Shopee for instance, launched a campaign called “Stay Home Essentials” that featured more than 20,000 commonly purchased products such as fresh and dry groceries, baby items, milk formula, nappies, toys, personal care products, household essentials, pet food and work-from-home equipment.

Lazada had also started an initiative to help small and medium businesses affected by the shutdown to go digital and start selling online through its Pakej Kedai Pintar programme.

The platform gave out RM10 million in funds for this initiative and saw a 300% jump in SMEs signing on to Lazada, said its CEO Leo Chow.

Under its Buy Malaysia campaign together with the Domestic Trade and Consumer Affairs Ministry, Lazada also offers RM8 vouchers, free delivery and discounts up to 70% for home grown produce, children’s clothes and snacks.

Farah Afiq was attracted to using these platforms to expand her Sarawakian kek lapis business due to the benefits it gave her and her customers.

She had been selling her “Baby Kek Lapis Sarawak” online on her own since 2014 but encountered difficulties when it came to deliveries and dealing with agents.

She signed on with Shopee in March, just before the MCO, and saw sales expand despite the near shutdown of the economy.

“In the past, agents and customers would complain of the high cost of delivery. But with Shopee, I get to reduce my logistics costs and my customers save more money,” said the 30-year-old based in Ipoh.

“If they buy one cake at RM10 and a second one, they get free delivery. So the final price is RM20 and they get it straight at their front door.”

Farah was able to earn RM10,000 per month through the e-commerce platform during the MCO.

Nur Hasliza Mohd Salleh said platforms like Shopee and Lazada have reduced headaches and risks for traders like her such as failed deliveries.

“In such cases, I had to refund customers’ money but with e-commerce platforms they give us many tools that help us prevent such things from occurring.” – September 4, 2020.