KUALA LUMPUR: Ninja Van Malaysia, a tech-enabled logistics organisation, has launched an e-guide, titled “From Malaysia to Southeast Asia: A practical guide for e-commerce small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) expanding beyond borders”, aimed at helping Malaysian businesses expand into Southeast Asia’s dynamic e-commerce landscape.
The e-guide was developed in collaboration with market research firm Milieu Insight, following a survey of 1,200 shoppers across six Southeast Asian countries – Malaysia, Singapore, Vietnam, Thailand, the Philippines, and Indonesia – conducted in November 2024.
One key finding from the survey reveals that Malaysian brands stand out as trusted choices among Southeast Asian e-commerce shoppers. The survey also highlighted that, across these six countries, the top cross-border shopping categories are fashion and accessories (68%), food & beverage (47%), and health & beauty (46%).
“This demonstrates the competitive advantage that businesses based in Malaysia have within the Southeast Asian e-commerce market,” said Ninja Van Malaysia cross border head Denise Wong. “With Malaysia’s strong brand presence and its strategic location at the heart of Southeast Asia, local businesses are in an ideal position to leverage the country’s advanced logistics network for seamless cross-border expansion into neighbouring markets.”
This free-for-all resource is a step-by-step e-guide, starting from the practical end point of e-commerce logistics considerations, before moving back up to guiding Malaysia-based SMEs in selecting the most suitable country for market entry.
“From supporting 105,000 SMEs across Southeast Asia, we found that cross-border success hinges on three factors: optimising logistics networks, navigating regulatory landscapes, and catering to each market’s unique demands,” said Ninja Van Group commercial (cross-border) regional head Jeremy Hong.
“Drawing on a decade of operational expertise, we understand the challenges that businesses may face when trying to expand their business in a new market. This is why we’ve designed this e-guide in collaboration with CXPi and antics@play to craft useful actionable strategies for businesses. With this e-guide, we are confident that SMEs will be equipped with the knowledge to scale their businesses regionally,” he added.
The survey revealed that Malaysian brands are highly popular amongst Southeast Asian countries with 67% of Singaporeans purchasing from Malaysian brands, followed by 46% of Filipinos and 42% of Thais.
