KUALA LUMPUR: Following the six-year success of Malaysia's Top E-Commerce Merchant (Top ECM) Awards, Selangor Information Technology and Digital Economy Corporation (Sidec) recently announced the latest addition to the Top ECM Awards 2022.
The inclusion entails Affin Bank Berhad as the main sponsor, SubPlace as the official e-commerce marketplace, alongside its first-ever Selangor Fashion Accelerator 2022.
The Top ECM Awards not only reward successful, creative, and innovative homegrown e-commerce merchants, but they can also make use of the increased recognition and opportunities to improve their brand's presence among industry players.
Sidec's chief executive officer Yong Kai Ping said that the number of merchants shot up to 181 in 2021 compared to 2016 with only 60 merchants.
"The improvement shows that the e-commerce industry continues to grow, and Sidec will crown the best e-commerce merchant this year. After recording a total sales of RM123 million in six years, we aim to receive 250 submissions and hit the RM20 million sale," he said.
The merchants will be judged based on their Online Sales Contest (50 per cent), Livestream Contest (25 per cent), and Business Potential (25 per cent) during the three-month contest for the RM60,000 worth of cash prize.
The participants must have an e-commerce store operated before March 2022 that sells Business-to-Consumer (B2C) products, achieving a minimum of RM25,000 in sales or a minimum of 100 orders in any month between June 2021 to June 2022, supporting documents, and be registered under Companies Commission of Malaysia (SSM).
BRINGING FASHION INTO BUSINESS
Sidec is also helping fashion enterprises thrive in sales and investment potential as well as helping Malaysian startups and Small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) develop a sustainable ecosystem for modest fashion sector talents.
The initiative will provide an engaging experience that will increase brand recognition in the market and industry.
Also, the two-month programme will provide 16 fashion entrepreneurs coaching from experienced mentors through comprehensive workshops.
Sidec is also supported by judges like the Malaysian national music icon and businesswoman, Datuk Seri Siti Nurhaliza Tarudin who founded a clothing line, Creacion, in 2016 and the Afiya hijab label last year.
The programme will include hybrid class style (online and offline) workshops and mentoring sessions by renowned fashion industry professionals.
Applicants must be a Malaysian fashion startup or SM with a minimum sales turnover of RM100,000 in 2020 or 2021, have been in business for less than 5 years, and produce modest ready-to-wear (RTW) products.
The training is from August 1 to September 23 and only six will be chosen to pitch to investors and industry partners on the Demo Day on Oct 8, 2022, at the Pitch@Selangor 6.