Young Malaysians promote ‘smart consumption’, says Shopee survey

New data from Shopee’s marketplace shows that a growing number of young Malaysians are turning to secondhand, pre-loved, and demo unit items over new products. The trend is a sign that younger consumers in Malaysia are becoming more environmentally conscious and want to make smarter consumption choices.

Shopee’s data reveals that over the past three years, 1.4 million value-based items were sold on the platform, with 50% being fast-moving consumer goods such as baby and pet products, groceries, and health and beauty items. Meanwhile, 27% were pre-owned fashion, 17% were lifestyle products, and the remainder were used electronics.

According to Kenneth Soh, Head of Marketing at Shopee Malaysia, value-based shopping is the future, and Generation Z shoppers are telling the company that they are looking for pre-loved, recycled, reused or display units four out of every six times they search for something new.

Soh added that it is humbling to meet the needs of this group of consumers and that Shopee is making it easier for Malaysian sellers to list their pre-loved goods and describe their conditions authentically so that people can make smarter shopping decisions.

Shopee’s February 2023 data also showed that pre-loved SKU listings increased by 15% compared to the same month last year. Hand sanitizers were the most popular warehouse clearance supply due to Malaysians’ increased need for personal hygiene protection. Skincare, cosmetics, and personal care products that are overstocked but affordable were also in demand.

The trend towards pre-owned products is also reflected in influencers’ content on Shopee Live, with four times more pre-loved orders sold and twice as much live streaming content for pre-owned products compared to new ones. Shopee said this could be due to the authenticity generated by influencers demonstrating pre-loved units in their genuine condition along with positive messages shaping sustainable mindsets.

As the leading e-commerce platform in Southeast Asia and Taiwan, Shopee promotes an inclusive and sustainable digital ecosystem by enabling businesses to digitalize and grow their online presence. Shopee is part of Sea Limited, a leading global consumer internet company, with a mission to improve the lives of consumers and small businesses with technology through its three core businesses: Shopee, Garena, and SeaMoney.