Shopping is a national pastime in Malaysia. Malaysian likes to window shopping online as 83% of Malaysian internet users bought something through the web. But not all online shopping sites are the same. Some are better than others for specific categories of items, or could have rewards programmes that can help user save on future purchases.
Shopee
Shopee is a Malaysians top online shopping platform of choice. Shopee was launched in 2015 and has gained a reputation for being slightly cheaper than other online platforms. There are three categories of sellers on Shopee which are normal sellers, Shopee Mall sellers and preferred sellers. Preferred sellers are featured by Shopee for having a high product ratings and strong sales record, among other criteria.
Shopee Mall sellers are official brands or top sellers. Shopee also has its own rewards programme which is the Shopee Coins. User will earn 1 Coin for every RM1 you spend with Shopee Mall and Shopee Preferred sellers or by participating in promotional events. Shopee sells various items such as home and lifestyle products, electronics, food items, health, beauty and fashion.
Lazada
Lazada is one of the most searched shopping platforms in Malaysia. Lazada was launched in 2012 and has been acquired by Chinese e-commerce giant Alibaba. Lazada sells various items such as electronics products, home and lifestyle products, health, beauty and fashion. Lazada has two platform which are online website and mobile application.
There are three different types of sellers on Lazada. Firstly, LazMall sellers are official brands or authorised sellers. Next, local sellers refer to those based in Malaysia. Lastly, LazGlobal sellers are based in China, Japan or Korea. This means that consumer can have access to a wide variety of items.
Mudah.my
Mudah.my is a well-known Malaysian online classifieds marketplace and was launched in 2007. Mudah.my has since been acquired by Carousell, another online marketplace platform. At Mudah.my online site consumer will find properties, used items, job listings and second-hand vehicle. Mudah.my was known for selling second-hand items.
At Mudah.my, sellers can be individuals or businesses. There is no rating system to determine if a seller has had past successful purchases in this platform. If you’ve made a purchase, your best bet is to opt for cash on delivery, so you can inspect the goods in person before making a payment. Plus, the payment method in Mudah.my was arrange with seller.
Carousell
Carousell is a marketplace for new and used items and was launched in 2012. Most of the sellers on Carousell are individuals selling used items. There are all sorts of things for sale such as consumer electronics, clothing, properties, sports gear and car. While, fashion and health and beauty products are the popular at Carousell.
It is recommended to look for sellers with high ratings if consumer is buying high price items. There is also a Carousell Protection feature which allows consumer to make a payment through one of the supported payment methods but the money will be withheld from the seller until consumer has confirmed that they received the item as listed.
Harvey Norman
Harvey Norman is an Australian-owned chain store and one of the biggest electronics brands in Malaysia. Harvey Norman’s catalogue includes PCs, laptops, home appliances and computer accessories. While Harvey Norman prices sometimes be more expensive than some retailers on Shopee, but this platform regularly offers clearance items where consumer can save up to 90% on older stock.
Harvey Norman is a good choice to purchase larger or more valuable electronics online, as consumer can rest assured that the items bought will be original and genuine. Other than that, Harvey Norman also offers free shipping within West Malaysia on any orders above RM100.