Lazada Malaysia partners domestic trade ministry to help upskill local SMEs

Lazada Malaysia has partnered with the Ministry of Domestic Trade and Consumer Affairs (MDTCA) to implement a series of initiatives to promote and upskill local SMEs through Lazada’s platform. This is in a bid to support the growth and digital acceleration of Malaysian SMEs, with the aim of thrusting Malaysia to the forefront of the digital economy.As part of the collaboration, which is in support of the government’s “Buy Malaysian” campaign, both parties will work closely to identify and collaborate with the ministry to promote local sellers with homegrown brands on Lazada; design a “Buy Malaysian” branded frame and encourage sellers with local products on Lazada to use them, so that local products can be easily identified on the platform; and feature the ministry’s “Buy Malaysia” campaign on Lazada’s various sales campaigns.Additionally, Lazada and MDTCA will also organise competency training sessions for local sellers to upskill them, share valuable insights and data and ensure that they are well prepared for upcoming Lazada campaigns; onboard and promote local designers in conjunction with KL Fashion Week to increase the exposure of local fashion brands to Malaysians; and carry out promotional activities on Lazada’s platforms such as promotional posts, creative content and competitions to generate awareness and promote the Ministry’s “Buy Malaysian” campaign.The collaboration runs concurrently with Lazada’s “Kita MerdeKawan” Merdeka campaign, which highlights the best deals from Malaysian sellers, culminating with a mega sale on 21 August 2019.[Digital Marketing Asia Conference 2019 in Kuala Lumpur Malaysia is coming back for it’s fourth year. ‘Moving Towards A Smart Nation’ will be this year’s theme with speakers from the civil service and private sector. Come join us on 26 – 28 August as we uncover the latest insights to empower digital marketers in Malaysia. Book your seats today.]Meanwhile as part of Lazada’s efforts to build a strong digital economy in the country, the Lazada WECOMMERCE Satellite Tradeshow offers an an avenue for Malaysian sellers to connect directly with global traders, to grow their businesses through assortment and better value by eliminating intermediary channels. Themed “Reinventing eCommerce Together”, the tradeshow also serves as a business-matching platform for regional traders to network and connect with local sellers, while providing a preview of the activities which will take place during the main event in October.According to Lazada, it has seen a 45% increase in local sellers in the last 12 months alone, proof that Malaysia’s eCommerce scene has “grown tremendously” in the recent years. The brand added that there are a high concentration of sellers emerging from Selangor, Kuala Lumpur, Johor, Perak and Penang. It’s current aim is to provide greater training and support for sellers in other parts of the country, including Kelantan, Terengganu, Sarawak and Sabah.Lazada Malaysia’s CEO Leo Chow (pictured left) said it believes that the way forward is to focus on the professional development and business growth of our current and potential sellers, who are critical players for the local eCommerce ecosystem boost, and sustainability for the future.“Through WECOMMERCE 2019, we aim to nurture digital entrepreneurship amongst Malaysian SMEs by providing them with the right technology, tools and training to accelerate the growth of their businesses,” he added.“I would like to express my deepest appreciation to Lazada Malaysia for coming on board the Ministry’s ‘Buy Malaysian’ campaign to support and uplift our local entrepreneurs. I believe that by combining our strengths, we will be able to increase the adoption of eCommerce amongst local SMEs and accelerate the growth of Malaysia’s Digital Economy,” said Datuk Seri Saifuddin Nasution (pictured right), minister of MDTCA.