Southeast Asia is one of the most exciting places today to be an online seller. With a growing middle class, a tech-savvy population, and an Internet economy expected to reach US$300 billion by 2025, the region is poised for an eCommerce boom. And e-marketplaces such as Shopee, Lazada, and Tokopedia are making it easier for solopreneurs and businesses to capture a share of the online market.
We’ve previously covered the success stories of 10 Lazada sellers in our region. This time around, let’s zoom in on several examples of successful Shopee stores, and examine their eCommerce Asia strategies.
If shops had personalities, Cheng Woh would be that grandpa who could tell you all about decades-old herbal remedies—as well as the latest updates on his social media feed.
Despite carrying some specialty items—such as ginseng roots and Chinese medicated oils—Cheng Woh isn’t complacent about its marketing efforts. Its product photos, for instance, are clear and appear to have been professionally shot.
At one point in our lives, we’ve all been obsessed with a snack that a friend brought back from overseas. Before eCommerce business, the only way to buy those goodies was to travel ourselves. Now, thanks to cross-border eCommerce and e-marketplaces, it’s getting easier to purchase such items.
The seller is also transparent with customers, informing them via the shop’s homepage that the items are shipped from China and that deliveries may take one to three weeks.
Its banner images feature products of popular Korean cosmetics brands Nature Republic and The Face Shop. Its menu bar carries more brand names such as Laneige and TheSAEM.
For aspiring Shopee sellers with low capital, JK Beauty Hub proves that you don’t need to have hundreds of items in your catalogue—as long as you have a strong proposition. The store sold only 173 products back in December 2019, but takes pride in the fact that every single one is truly from a Korean brand. It carries items that are in high demand, as well as products that people are likely to buy in larger quantities or to purchase repeatedly.
JK Beauty Hub also goes beyond mere product descriptions. For instance, for an aloe vera soothing gel—one of its top-selling items—it explains that the aloe vera was sourced from an organic farm in California. It also offers an infographic suggesting ways to use the gel.
The reason we’re featuring Idolm Mart is its foresight. As early as December last year, when many shops were focusing on year-end shopping sprees and Christmas gift-giving, Idolm Mart was already promoting Chinese New Year goodies.
By promoting these items more than a month ahead, Idolm Mart got a head start on other Shopee sellers. And by receiving orders in advance or studying the number of people who have saved its goodies as a favorite or added them to a shopping basket, Idolm Mart also anticipated demand and planned its production schedule. That’s crucial for products that are made to order and created by hand, such as pineapple tarts.
A traditional technique of wax-resist dyeing, batik is often used in Indonesian textiles. And now, the fashion elite have spoken—batik is in.
Shopee store Meiza Batik Fashion capitalises on this trend by featuring batik prints on both classy and casual apparel.
It also helps that the seller consistently receives high ratings, and shares examples of positive customer feedback on its Shopee homepage.
That said, it’s a strategic move to sell quality anti-ageing products made from natural ingredients. That’s what Shopee seller Beauty Mania Shop does.
It sells, among other things, serums and firming creams with ingredients like mushroom blends and avocado.
Electronics & media is the most popular e-commerce category in Vietnam, with a volume of US$685 million in 2019. On Shopee, one of the top searches in this category is for “tempered glass iPhone.” The top seller for this item—with 54,500 pieces sold to date—is seller Phu kien Moc Linh.
For its popular tempered glass for the iPhone, Phu kien Moc Linh made the most of Shopee tags. Someone searching for a “6 plus,” for example, would find not only the iPhone 6 Plus among the results, but also this item:
While Shopee offers online stores support through campaigns, subsidised shipping, and promotional tools, it’s up to each seller to make the most of these features and get creative, too.
Based on these examples of successful stores on Shopee, here are some pro tips to note:
E-marketplaces like Shopee have lowered the barrier for businesses to sell their products online. More than just eCommerce pricing strategies, by studying successful stores’ best practices, you can build and grow your online business, and capture a slice of the eCommerce Asia market.
Selling on Shopee means you’ll need a reliable integrated logistics partner to take charge of the most demanding parts of eCommerce platforms in South East Asia. J&T Express’ comprehensive eCommerce solutions and software integrations can assist you as you steadily build up your Shopee store—and see your sales numbers and seller rating go up.
We are also Shopee’s official logistics partner in Singapore. This means you can easily arrange your J&T shipments, get tracking numbers and notifications, print waybills, and calculate shipping fees through Shopee’s system!
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