KUALA LUMPUR, Feb 12 — More Malaysians turned to online shopping to search for Chinese New Year essentials this year, driven by convenience, competitive prices, and a wider variety of products, according to data from e-commerce platform.
From festive decorations and traditional snacks to new clothes and gift hampers, the e-commerce platforms reported a surge in sales as consumers increasingly turned to the Internet for festive shopping traditionally done offline.
On Chinese e-commerce site Taobao, fashion categories such as Chinese New Year-themed matching family T-shirts and traditional costumes like horse-face pleated Chinese-styled skirts (also called mamianzhequn in Chinese) saw increased demand.
“Festive decorations, including tanglungs, wall and door stickers, and cute cartoon red packets, have also seen a notable uptick,” Taobao Malaysia told Malay Mail.
Separately, Shopee Malaysia said its trend insights showed that Malaysians were increasingly using online shopping for festive essentials.
“Items that were once typically bought offline are now being purchased online as more Malaysians are embracing e-commerce for its convenience, competitive prices, and interactive shopping experiences.
“With the help of digital shopping, Malaysians continue to uphold cultural traditions by leveraging e-commerce for greater convenience,” Shopee Malaysia’s head of marketing and business intelligence Tan Ming Kit said in a statement.
Among the most sought products were festive treats, with searches for cookies, snacks, hampers and beverages surging over 3,000 per cent year-on-year.
Home decorations were also a key focus, with searches for “CNY decor” and “red lanterns” increasing by over 1,700 per cent.
Fashion and beauty remained top categories, as searches for red dresses, cheongsam, and traditional attire surged by 1,600 per cent, while beauty products like red lipstick, eyeshadow, and nail polish jumped by 1,900 per cent.
Tan also said the number of affiliate livestreams on the platform skyrocketed by over 160 per cent and resulted in 240 per cent increase in orders for local businesses selling CNY goods.
“Malaysians are embracing digital commerce not just for convenience but also for interactive experiences like livestreaming, which enhance engagement and help them make informed purchasing decisions.
“This shift demonstrates how e-commerce is transforming shopping behaviours, proving that even items traditionally bought offline are now readily available online, leading to increased online purchases,” Tan said.
