This article first appeared in Digital Edge, The Edge Malaysia Weekly on January 27, 2025 - February 2, 2025

Given Malaysia’s strong brand presence and 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, says Ninja Van Malaysia.

In its newly launched e-guide “From Malaysia to Southeast Asia: A Practical Guide for E-commerce Small and Medium-sized Enterprises (SMEs) Expanding Beyond Borders”, the Southeast Asian logistics giant found that Malaysian brands are among the most trusted by e-commerce shoppers in Malaysia, Singapore, Vietnam, Thailand, the Philippines and Indonesia.

Malaysian brands showed particularly strong performance in Singapore (67%), followed by the Philippines (46%) and Thailand (42%).

The survey also identified the top cross-border shopping categories as 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,” Ninja Van Group head of cross-border Denise Wong said at the launch of the e-guide in Kuala Lumpur on Jan 21.

The e-guide is aimed at helping Malaysian businesses expand into Southeast Asia’s e-commerce landscape in collaboration with market research firm Milieu Insight, following a survey of 1,200 shoppers across six markets conducted in November 2024.

“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,” says Ninja Van Group regional head of commercial (cross-border) 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.”

Milieu Insight’s regional head of growth Marcus Lim added that Southeast Asians display “diverse shopping behaviours”, offering Malaysian businesses a unique opportunity to capitalise on this diversity.

“By tailoring products and services to local needs, and tapping into where the locals are at the right time, businesses can build stronger consumer connections. Understanding brand discovery methods, seasonal trends and key holidays is essential for adapting marketing and product strategies,” says Lim.

This includes localising products, packaging and services to meet market preferences. Tailoring the entire brand experience, from customer service to payment options, fosters trust and loyalty, driving long-term growth.

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