Here’s how Malaysians shopped online in time for Chinese New Year

Chinese New Year is going to be a lot different in 2021 with the rise of COVID-19 cases, along with the extension of the second MCO. But is celebrating still in the cards? Social media analytics service Wisesight shared the purchasing behaviour in Malaysia—based on the social data in January 2021—and it looks like the pandemic won’t stop us from celebrating safe at home.

eCommerce has been a popular way to shop even before the pandemic. But as movement has been restricted and in-person shopping has been discouraged, online platforms have been utilised more to sell goods.

Based on recent statistics shared by Shopee to Wisesight, items like 100 Plus, fashion and Chinese New Year decorations are among the top most searched items on its platform. Bird’s nest, abalone, and dried meat are among the top searched items as well.

The most purchased items include items like furniture and decorations, electronics and basic necessities. Spending on luxury items is expected to drop, and sales in gift items are expected to rise as interstate travels are not yet permitted.

According to Wisesite, there’s a spike in brand mentions on Twitter before the second MCO was enforced on 13th January. The spike in brand mentions for were Shopee, Mudah and Lazada—three popular shopping platforms in Malaysia—with 20 or 30 Twitter mentions each day.

The daily brand mentions increase rapidly after the second MCO announcement. Shopee recorded 183 Twitter mentions per day, Lazada recorded 84 mentions and Mudah recorded 43 mentions.

However, social mentions may not necessarily be a good indicator to gauge interest. But while it might not be a good indicator, it depends on the context. Customers can use social media to complain about poor delivery.

As for retail brands, another recent study from 13 to 25 January showed that their social platforms have been pretty active. In the period studied, the total engagement for the top 13 brands recorded was 166,219—with an average of 12,786 engagements per day.

Tesco is in the lead by a mile beyond other brands with 73,531 total engagements—followed by FamilyMart with 16,702 engagements and 7-Eleven with 15,747 engagements. However, while some of these brands have high engagement numbers, they often come with consumer enquiries and complaints.

“This signifies that while brands could seize the opportunity to promote festive campaigns, they should also be mindful about concerns raised by the consumers. Higher volume of contents and engagements in this period will also amplify the visibility of complaints and concerns voiced by consumers,” wrote Wisesight.

It looks like online retail sales haven’t slowed down during Chinese New Year preparations. CNY-themed sales on Shopee and Lazada would also contribute to the rise in sales. But Wisesight advises businesses to be mindful of the quality of products and services provided, especially when it concerns hygiene and SOP compliance.

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