SHARING the findings of its recent survey, e-commerce platform, Shopee hosted a virtual forum titled the "Future of e-commerce with Malaysian influencers", discussing the relatability of the influencer community in online selling.
The panel was joined by Shopee Malaysia head of marketing campaigns, Kenneth Soh; Shopee Bintang seller Hanita Sayuti, Nikki Wong (Shopee Livestream influencer), Syazwani Md Saad (Shopee affiliate), and moderated by host, Azaria Tagaya.
Diving straight into the topic of the power of livestream, Soh said, 27 per cent of their surveyed buyers said they watch Shopee Live for both entertainment and educational content and 41 per cent of consumers find it useful.
"In Shopee Live's "Mum's Club Show" programme, communities of mom influencers speak about health topics related to other moms, kids, and even kids with special needs."
He said, their ecosystem of influencers are made of Shopee's fellow users and sellers, which offers trusted feedback—what consumers look for in live shows – authenticity.
"On Shopee, we have an ecosystem of trusted influencers — they are fellow users and sellers themselves who provide authentic experiences during Big Campaigns. While thousands of buyers watch Shopee Live daily, not everyone watches solely for shopping purposes.
To build a more engaging and personalised relationships with online patrons, Wong, who owns a Bitcraft store on the platform said she never goes live purely to secure sale but also to share her personal experiences and views as if her clientele were her friends.
"Consistency breeds familiarity, familiarity breeds confidence, and confidence breeds sales. I don't have the intention of going live just to get sales, but to share something good with my followers as I would to a friend," said Nikki who is part of Shopee Live's All Stars community, an active and supportive group of influencers who frequently share product reviews, DIY tips, and even feedback on each other's livestream feeds.
INCREASED KNOWLEDGE
"Our data shows that 75 per cent of surveyed customers follow influencers' tutorial videos in order to solve problems and expand their product knowledge,'' added Soh.
The survey, which was conducted by Shopee Marketplace obtained voluntary feedback from 2,459 Malaysian buyers and 1,035 Malaysian sellers on the platform.
Hanita, who also runs a fragrance business called Zheo Lab, also agrees that influencer marketing plays an important role in driving business.
"Influencer marketing is important for business owners as a touchpoint for audiences. There are no brand or product limitations.
"Personally I'll be engaging with local celebrity, Datuk Rosyam Nor as the ambassador of my Cat Perfume, one of my best selling products on Shopee. Our promotion video has already gone live and we look forward to collaborating with more influencers in the future."
CREATING BOND
The survey also indicated that e-commerce patrons wanted to feel more connected.
A reviewer on home and living products, Swazwani agrees that listening with empathy and developing personalised content are important for building long-term customer loyalty.
"I practise transparency and consistency as I attract people who share my values. I make sure to greet my followers every morning and share about my day with them. The process takes time. We should not be afraid to enquire and collaborate with businesses and brands to increase our experience and exposure," she said.
To conclude, Soh said, in order to future proof themselves and stand out in a crowd, Shopee encourages influencers to continue building loyalty by being authentically human in their content and engagements.