9 in 10 affiliates positive about e-commerce in 2024
KUALA LUMPUR: Shopee Malaysia’s recent study found that nine out of 10 of its affiliates are feeling positive about their e-commerce opportunities in 2024.
Its “Championing Inclusive Commerce 2024” study of over 3,000 Shopee affiliates discovered that these affiliates are excited to humanise ecommerce with increased personalisation, engage with more users on posts and livestreams, and drive more traffic for local sellers aligned with their values.
Asked about the e-commerce trends they are most excited to embrace in 2024, Shopee said 75 per cent of its affiliates are enthusiastic about creating more personalised content for their audiences.
“Thirty per cent of our affiliates want to have more authentic engagements with their audiences, 30 per cent seek to personalise their content further through product education posts and livestreams, while the remaining 15 per cent want to collaborate with more local businesses to drive awareness,” it said in a statement today.
Shopee Malaysia head of marketing Kenneth Soh said the affiliates are leading the charge in humanising ecommerce, providing users with original content and ultimately building a stronger competitive edge for its local brands and sellers.
‘’This powerful statement tells us that Malaysian consumers are craving something real. They’re tired of the perfectly polished posts on their feeds. They want to connect with real people, with relatable stories and genuine experiences,” he said during the launch of the study on yesterday.
Sharing on the importance of authenticity and personalisation, Shopee affiliate livestreamer Celeste Phuah believes that developing original content is important when building sincere relationships with audiences.
“As an affiliate livestreamer, I believe it is important to be honest and open with my audience during my product recommendation live sessions.
I will share my opinions on the products they are interested in based on my own experiences. When I get questions from the audience, I do try my best to inform them on the various benefits and features about the products,” Celeste said.
The study also found that 94 per cent of Shopee affiliates anticipate a surge in user engagement through the power of authentic content and interactive livestreams.
The data unveils a crucial shift in audience behaviour, highlighting the growing demand for genuine connections between Shopee buyers and sellers, with affiliates taking on the mantle to digitally bridge this gap, it said.
Influential content digital portal Val Media’s chief operating officer Andrew Tay said his team is enthusiastic to see more engagements and interactions from its audiences this year.
“In the last few years, we have been branching out from just doing product review articles, to creative informative videos and social media postings.
“It is inspiring to see the different ways Malaysians consume digital content and we look forward to creating more content that drives user engagement and traffic for our local sellers,” he said.
On what the affiliates want to achieve this year, 100 per cent of them aspire to drive more traffic to local sellers in 2024, said the study.
Additionally, 96 per cent of them want to collaborate with more local sellers that are aligned with their values, reflecting their #ShopeeSapotLokal spirit in supporting Made-in-Malaysia products to fuel the nation’s vibrant digital economies, it said.
Shopee affiliate (top posting creator) Rita Zafran said she enjoys working with local brands and sellers as she believes that it is important to support the homegrown entrepreneurs.
“It lights up my heart when I drive traffic and awareness for a local seller of hand-made or traditional products to my audiences. I can’t wait to collaborate with these sellers in 2024 to create family-friendly content that is aligned with my Muslim culture and values,” she said.
In conclusion, Shopee affiliates collectively believe that the age-old phrase “honesty is the best policy” rings true when adding a human touch to their product insights and brand recommendations as they want to build sincere and genuine connections with their audiences, and aim to partner more with local brands and sellers aligned with their social and cultural values.
The “Championing Inclusive Commerce 2024” study is part of Shopee’s thought leadership series. These datadriven insights showcase how Shopee affiliates have the unique opportunity to build win-win relationships that drive customer loyalty for local brands and sellers.
Further insights on Malaysian affiliates will be shared in greater detail in the coming week. — Bernama