KUALA LUMPUR, Feb 16 ― In a remarkable surge, Shopee witnessed a staggering 420 per cent increase in affiliate-driven orders last year, a testament to the resounding success of its affiliate programme in reshaping consumer perceptions.

The findings, unveiled in the "Championing Inclusive Commerce 2024” study today, underscore the profound impact of Shopee's affiliate initiative to drive growth.

Conducted by Shopee Marketplace among 3,000 Malaysian affiliates between January 2 and 12, 2024, the findings also show that over 60,000 new affiliates have already joined the Shopee ecosystem so far this year, with over two-thirds of them eager to create more personalised content, emphasising authenticity and genuine engagement.

In a statement today, Shopee Malaysia’s head of Marketing, Kenneth Soh said the company has outstanding affiliates who have driven exceptional traffic growth, lending credibility to local sellers and brands through quality content that resonates with Malaysians.

"As we step into 2024, it is time to embrace authenticity and personalisation. Our study supports this, with 75 per cent of our exceptional affiliates expressing a desire to humanise the e-commerce experience and wanting to connect with their customers through relatable stories and genuine experiences,” he emphasised.

Soh highlighted that the affiliates are increasingly recognising the potential of live streaming, evident in a remarkable 500 percent spike in live stream orders over the past year, with the survey findings underscoring a notable shift in 93 per cent of affiliates expressing a strong desire to expand their presence on the platform via Shopee Live.

Additionally, 87 per cent of the surveyed respondents indicated plans to conduct more live streams, incorporating interactive features like polls to create dynamic and participative audience experiences, while 94 per cent foresee more local consumers engaging with the platform, Soh added.

"Our affiliates are the voices and trendsetters of their communities. They have the power to spread trust and connection to their audiences beyond the digital walls. Growing our ecosystem to support e-commerce will continue to be our key priority.

"We believe in the power of affiliates in driving important and impactful narratives and providing local sellers a platform to flourish further,” Soh said.

Meanwhile, in the same statement, one of Shopee’s top-performing Affiliate Livestreamers, Celeste Phuah shared that she prioritised authenticity in her live sessions, to always keep it real when talking about a brand's product and quality to build trust among her followers.

In the past six months, Phuah also facilitated the redemption of over six million discount vouchers across the platform, and through her educational Shopee Live sessions where she humanises e-commerce by explaining the intricacies of the platform and store vouchers to empower users.

Another high-performing Shopee Affiliate, Rita Zafran, said she believed that this year live streaming will become a major trend for affiliates.

She said she joined live streams to interact with her audience in real-time, address their questions, and promote the products she uses currently.

"My connection with the audience is built on shared interests and common challenges, such as the struggles of preparing children's lunchboxes and organising school bags. My main purpose is to identify products that truly meet the needs of my audience,” she explained.

Since Rita started streaming this year, she has engaged with her users by sharing her favourite home and living products, and her preferred Muslimah shawls. ― Bernama