The e-commerce landscape in Southeast Asia is experiencing significant growth. The rise of the internet and smartphones has made online access more widespread in Southeast Asia. Another reason behind the growth of ecommerce platforms in Southeast Asia is the growing middle class. The growth of digital technology has enhanced the consumers’ purchasing power in Southeast Asia, which is leading to a rise in online sales.
The rise of online marketplaces in Southeast Asia has created plenty of opportunities for sellers and diverse payment options. Users can pay with options like cash on delivery and digital payments. E-commerce in Southeast Asia has simplified the purchasing process for consumers.
The government is also supporting e-commerce platforms in Southeast Asia. The government is introducing policies like national e-payment schemes in countries like Thailand to promote the e-commerce sector. The expansion of cross-border e-commerce is also presenting exciting growth prospects for e-commerce in Southeast Asia. It is aided by the B2B2C fulfillment model. This model is helping in fostering collaboration within the e-commerce ecosystem.
E-commerce market in Southeast Asia is valued at $99.5 billion in 2022. The e-commerce market in Southeast Asia is projected to reach $762.6 billion by 2030. It is growing at a compound annual growth rate of 19.8% from 2024 to 2030.
Indonesia and Singapore are currently leading the e-commerce market in Southeast Asia. Countries like Vietnam, Thailand, and the Philippines are expected to see significant increases in their e-commerce market values.
Here is the list of top e-commerce platforms in Southeast Asia that are changing the dynamic landscape of online commerce.
Table of Contents
Qoo10
- Founded in: 2010
- Founded by: Ku Young-bae, a South Korean national
- Headquarters: Singapore
- Operations: Japan, China, Hong Kong, Malaysia, Indonesia and more
Qoo10 is the world’s largest online marketplace. It is aiming to become Asia’s leading platform. It offers a secure and convenient shopping experience for buyers. It does it by providing a powerful online marketplace.
Currently, Qoo10 operates seven localized marketplaces in five countries. The company is planning to expand into more Asian countries soon.
The company’s vision is to connect diverse buyers and sellers globally while enhancing everyday life. The platform focuses on supporting small and medium enterprises by providing tailored services and marketplace solutions.
Shopee
- Founded in: 2015
- Founder: Forrest Li
- Headquarters: Singapore
- Operation: Malaysia, Thailand, Taiwan, Indonesia, Vietnam and the Philippines
Shopee is the leading e-commerce platform in Southeast Asia and Taiwan. The company is designed to provide customers with an easy, secure and fast online shopping experience through robust payment and logistics support.
Shopee connects buyers and sellers across multiple regions. It offers a wide range of products. Its product line includes electronics, clothing and household items. The platform features benefits like free shipping, a return policy, and an easy product search. It also encourages users to rate and share their shopping experiences.
Shopee provides tools for sellers to enhance engagement with potential buyers, such as live streaming. Additionally, the company also provides Shopee Mall. It is an exclusive program that showcases products from top sellers and larger brands. Shopee is committed to fostering growth and innovation in the e-commerce space as a subsidiary of Sea Limited.
Zalora
- Founded in: 2012
- Founded by: Magnus Grimeland, Paulo Campos and Peter Kopitz
- Operation: Singapore, Indonesia, Malaysia, Brunei, the Philippines, Hong Kong and Taiwan
Zalora is a leading online retailer of fashion, beauty, and lifestyle products in Southeast Asia. It offers a wide range of items from over 3,000 international and local brands. The company’s product range also includes apparel, shoes, accessories, beauty products and lifestyle items.
Zalora focuses on providing personalized customer experiences across all platforms. The company aims to enhance search, product recommendations, and content. The company offers various e-commerce solutions like comprehensive warehousing and fulfillment services, TRENDER Professional for market insights, shopping events to boost sales, and e-store management services.
Zalora is dedicated to delivering a seamless shopping experience across mobile, tablet, and desktop devices as a customer-first brand. The platform is known for its reliable and fast delivery, multiple payment options, and features like cash-on-delivery. Zalora also introduced a live-streaming feature called Z-Live in 2021.
Zalora also offers a 30-day free return policy, free delivery on qualifying purchases, and a next-day delivery subscription service called ZVIP. Additionally, the platform provides a Cashback program and a visual search function to help shoppers find products based on their style preferences.
Lazada
- Founded in: 2012
- Founded by: Maximilian Bittner
- Headquarters: Singapore
- Operates in: Indonesia, Malaysia, Philippines, Singapore, Thailand, and Vietnam
Lazada is aiming to create an Amazon-like business model in Southeast Asia. It is a subsidiary of Alibaba Group. It serves as a marketplace for merchants and brands. It connects sellers with consumers. Lazada connects diverse regions through its technology, logistics, and payment capabilities.
Currently, Lazada offers the largest selection of brands and sellers in Southeast Asia. The company is aiming to serve 300 million customers by 2030. Lazada benefits from its advanced technology infrastructure as the flagship of Alibaba Group.
Tiki
- Founded in: 2010
- Founded by: Son Tran Ngoc Thai
- Headquarters: Vietnam
- Operations: Vietnam
Tiki is an all-in-one commercial ecosystem in Vietnam. It features several member companies. Tiki Company Limited operates an e-commerce platform. The platform allows sellers to conduct their buying and selling processes online. The company’s other vertical TikiNOW Smart Logistics Company Limited provides end-to-end logistics, transportation and postal services for the platform. It’s another vertical Tiki Trading Company Limited sells goods and services on Tiki.vn. It offers around 10 million products across 26 categories to millions of customers nationwide.
Tiki focuses on improving service and product quality to deliver a complete shopping experience with the motto “All for Customers”. It features fast delivery options, which include a 2-hour service and next-day delivery through TikiNOW, which makes it a pioneer in Southeast Asia. Tiki also guarantees genuine products with a 111% refund policy for fake items.
Carousell
- Founded in: 2012
- Founded by: Siu Rui Quek, Marcus Tan, and Lucas Ngoo
- Headquarters: Singapore, Malaysia, Indonesia, the Philippines, Taiwan, Hong Kong, Macau, Australia, New Zealand and Canada
- Operations: Vietnam
Carousell is an online marketplace. It facilitates buying and selling new and secondhand goods. The company operates as both a consumer-to-consumer and business-to-consumer platform. Carousell aims to simplify the selling and buying process in the e-commerce landscape. The company offers a mobile-first experience with features like in-app chat and easy photo uploads for listing items.
The platform promotes sustainability through its Carousell Green initiative. It encourages customers to buy and sell pre-owned items with their initiative. Carousell also organizes community meet-ups where sellers can share stories and merchandise.
Carousell focuses on providing users with tools to address their needs, whether it’s decluttering or earning extra income. It is a leading multi-category platform for secondhand goods in Greater Southeast Asia. Carousell strives to create a seamless experience for users. The company is making secondhand items the preferred choice of users by leveraging technology.
Tokopedia
- Founded in: 2009
- Founded by: William Tanuwijaya, Leontinus Alpha Edison
- Headquarters: Jakarta, Indonesia
- Operations: Indonesia
Tokopedia is an Indonesian e-commerce company. It enables individuals and businesses to sell products online. It offers a wide range of items. The company’s product line includes electronics, fashion, beauty products, household goods, toys, furniture, groceries, automotive items and digital products.
The platform is accessible via both desktop and smartphone apps. The platform aims to provide a safe and comfortable user experience. On their platform Merchants can set up online stores for free, which makes it an attractive option for sellers. Tokopedia is one of the most popular e-commerce platforms in Indonesia.
Bukalapak
- Founded in: 2010
- Founded by: Achmad Zaky, Muhamad Fajrin Rasyid and Nugroho Herucahyono.
- Headquarters: Jakarta, Indonesia
- Operations: Indonesia
Bukalapak is an Indonesian e-commerce platform. It is one of the largest e-commerce players in Southeast Asia. It is designed to help small businesses sell online. The name “Bukalapak” translates to “open a stall” in Bahasa Indonesia. The company’s name reflects the company’s goal of bringing Indonesia’s millions of small mom-and-pop stores into the digital marketplace.
The platform serves as a third-party intermediary. It facilitates purchases between consumers and merchants. It also provides additional online services through Mitra Bukalapak, such as bill payments and phone top-ups. Bukalapak also offers financial products like mutual funds and gold trading.
Bukalapak features a cash-on-delivery (COD) option for users. The company’s different verticals like BukaExpress work for enhanced shopping experiences, BukaMall for products from official brands with return guarantees, and Flash Deals for limited-time offers. It also includes six protection policies for both merchants and consumers. The policies cover areas like delivery and digital goods.
Blibli
- Founded in: 2011
- Founded by: Kusumo Martanto, Martin Hartono, Lisa Widodo, Hendry and Lay Ridwan Gautama
- Headquarters: Gambir, DKI Jakarta
- Operations: Indonesia
Blibli is aiming to become the preferred commerce ecosystem for consumers and institutions in Indonesia. It has adapted to the needs of modern, tech-savvy customers with time. The company provides an integrated omnichannel experience. These channels meet almost 90% of Indonesia’s potential spending across various categories, which include daily essentials, travel, lifestyle, electronics, household furniture and utility bills.
Blibli plays an essential role in the daily lives of Indonesians. Blibli’s mission focuses on empowering the country’s economic and business sectors through a sustainable shopping ecosystem. The company emphasizes customer-centric goods and services. It is striving to enhance the shopping experience for Indonesians.
Orami
- Founded in: 2012
- Founded by: Ferry Tenka, Sarah Huang Andrew Sendak, Harprem Doowa, and Shannon Kalayanamitr
- Headquarters: Greater Jakarta
- Operations: Indonesia
Orami is an e-commerce platform. It is dedicated to selling a wide range of products for mothers and babies. It offers baby bouncers, rockers, walkers, carriers, strollers, clothes, toys and childcare products.
The company’s mission is to make online shopping convenient, enjoyable, and rewarding for customers. Orami provides several features like original products, free shipping, dedicated customer service, and an easy return policy. The platform is accessible through a website and app.
Orami also runs a program called Ibu Sibuk (“busy mothers”). The program promotes and sells products to friends and communities. Orami focuses on Community, Content, and Commerce as its core business pillars to meet the needs of parents with a vision to “Simplify Parenting”. The company aims to address the complexities of modern parenting through technology. It focuses on offering innovative products and services that solve everyday challenges.
Mudah.my
- Founded in: 2007
- Founded by: Singapore Press Holdings Limited and Schibsted ASA
- Headquarters: Kuala Lumpur
- Operations: Malaysia
Mudah.my is a popular online marketplace in Malaysia. It allows users to buy and sell new and used items. It operates as a consumer-to-consumer (C2C) platform. The platform is free to use and requires no technical expertise or upfront investment. The name “Mudah” means “easy” or “convenient” in Bahasa Malaysia, which reflects the platform’s goal.
Mudah.my allows users to buy and sell a wide variety of items. The list of items includes cars, properties, electronics, clothing, and pets. The process of using the platform is simple. Sellers can simply post ads for their items and buyers can purchase them.
The platform enables users to generate extra cash by selling unused items. It helps customers to find items at lower prices. Mudah.my also utilizes the WhatsApp Business API for marketing and it has also been used as a teaching tool for e-commerce fundamentals. Mudah.my continues to provide a convenient space for people to buy and sell a diverse range of goods as part of Carousell.
Conclusion
The future of e-commerce in Southeast Asia is looking promising. The e-commerce market in Southeast Asia is projected to grow up to $230 billion by 2026 and $762.6 billion by 2030. This projection reflects a robust compound annual growth rate of 19.8% from 2024 to 2030. Southeast Asia’s user penetration is also expected to rise extensively.
Social media and social commerce are major driving trends in Southeast Asia’s e-commerce sector. With that, the adoption of omni-channel business models and advancements in payment systems are also contributing to the growth of e-commerce. However, challenges like online fraud, cybersecurity issues, and complex local regulations for cross-border operations are continuing to interrupt this growth. Southeast Asia stands as a major player in the global e-commerce arena. It is showcasing a robust recovery post-pandemic with a combined GDP of $3 trillion.
Overall, Southeast Asia is set to become a dynamic hub for e-commerce. It is presenting numerous opportunities for businesses and consumers alike.
