Here’s what Malaysians have been buying on Shopee. Spoiler alert: It’s a lot of self-care items

Shopee announced its “first mega sale of the year”—the 3.15 Consumer Day Sale. And along with the announcement, the platform has also revealed a few observations based on its users’ shopping trends. So, what did Malaysians buy in 2021—and will we buy the same stuff this year?

“As more people are accustomed to staying at home, Shopee noticed that many are looking to improve and prioritise themselves in terms of health, well-being, and to destress,” said Shopee in their press release.

According to the platform, there had been a 6 times increase for self-care products in 2021, compared to before the pandemic in 2019. Specifically, physical wellness, environmental self-care, and social well-being were seen to be the top three self-care trends. Additionally, Shopee witnessed a 10 times growth of demand related to home and living.

Physical wellness

The pandemic resulted in a lot of us changing how we went through our day. Before self-quarantines and work-from-home days, I would find days to go to the gym (sure, I’d use it to walk on the treadmill for a few minutes and spend a lot longer in their sauna). But COVID-19 has gotten me to think about how I can keep fit at home instead.

I bought a few “physical wellness” items for myself—like the Ring Fit Adventure pack for the Nintendo Switch and a yoga mat. Additionally, I have also invested in some at-home self-care items like a nail polish set, supplements, and plenty of skin-care items to revamp my regimen. And it seems like Shopee users basically shared the same sentiment.

“As Malaysians paid more attention to their physical wellness, Shopee noted that 42% of self-care items sold last year pertained to personal grooming, supplements, exercise equipment, cooking and baking supplies, sleepwear, and bath and spa,” continued Shopee.

Environmental self-care

It’s not just self-care items that people have bought more of—the platform noted “environmental safe-care”. It meant that people have been starting DIY projects—like wallpapering and growing indoor plants. There is also a 2 times increase in demand for home improvement items.

Social self-care

Shopee has also seen a growth of pet-care and “social self-care” as Malaysians have been purchasing pet supplies like grooming tools, pet homes, food, treats, and even fashion and accessories. The demand for these supplies has grown 13 times in the space of two years.

Other notable increases include a 2 times uplift for snacks—Shopee noted that ‘keropok’ was even searched nearly 7 times more in 2020, and over 25 times more in 2021. And since the launch of ShopeeFood in September 2021, the ‘bubble tea’ keyword search grew by more than 7 times by December last year. There’s also a whopping 13 times increase in cooking and baking supplies in 2021 as compared to 2019.

Shopee’s 3.15 Consumer Day features up to 95% off deals, free shipping with no minimum spend, and the chance to Spin & Win a Nissan Almera. You can also tune in to TV3 or Shopee Live at 9pm on 15 March for deals, local celeb performances, and more. You can find more information on the sale day itself here.

Related reading

• You can now buy RFID holders on Shopee. Should you get one for your car?
• I tried out the weirdest iPhone 13 cases I could find on Shopee