Annual #MYCYBERSALE sees growing participation from SMEs

The fifth #MYCYBERSALE 2018 is set to become Malaysia’s biggest ever national online sale event since 2014, with over 1,200 merchants offering products and services in more than 20 retail categories.   

The event is proving to be a successful model for the Small Medium Enterprises (SMEs) with almost 70% of the participating merchants coming from this sector, according to the organiser.

(From left): Mathialakan Chelliah, member of board of directors, Malaysia Digital Economy Corporation; Ahmad Norhad Zahari; Deputy Secretary of Information Technology Division, Malaysia’s Ministry of Communications and Multimedia; Ganesh Kumar Bangah, PIKOM chairman; and Danny Lee, PIKOM deputy chairman at the launch of #MYCYBERSALE 2018.

Happening from 3-7 September, #MYCYBERSALE 2018 is organised by the National ICT Association of Malaysia (PIKOM) and supported by the Malaysia Digital Economy Corporation (MDEC). The regional and international brands taking part in this online sale event include Lazada, Shopee, Shopback, 28Mall, Malaysia Airlines, Qoo10, Hermo, Shopback, Coca Cola, Mead Johnson and Unilever.

“#MYCYBERSALE merchants have lined up attractive deals and items at hugely discounted prices for consumers to take advantage of. This is the time to grab fantastic travel deals, your favourite tech gadgets, shop for festive holiday gifts and year-end parties,” said Ganesh Kumar Bangah, chairman of PIKOM.

Almost two thirds of the Malaysian internet users are online shoppers and #MYCYBERSALE 2018 has the potential to reach over 13.9 million online shoppers in Malaysia, he added. PIKOM is confident the targeted RM370 million (US$90 million) in gross merchandise volume (GMV) -- defined as the total revenue generated during the five-day sales period before making an allowance for discounts -- for the event will be surpassed.

In line with its theme Driving growth through omni-channel commerce, #MYCYBERSALE 2018 is aimed at encouraging SMEs and micro-enterprises to adopt an omni-channel approach for their businesses to reduce dependency on social media private messaging sales.

More than 600 merchants are expected to ship orders to China, United Arab Emirates, the US and other countries in Europe and South-east Asia.

With the favourable Ringgit currency rate expected to attract more overseas customers to #MYCYBERSALE 2018, PIKOM is certain that the targeted RM50 million export revenue will be achieved, Ganesh shared at the launch of the event.

In 2017, #MYCYBERSALE attracted 1,007 merchants generating RM311 million in GMV, with RM39 million in export revenue.

#MYCYBERSALE 2018 event drew strong support from more than 100 leading corporate and retail brands in the private sector which included pinnacle partners Commerce.Asia, Fusionex, Mastercard and Lazada; premier partners Mobiversa, SAP Malaysia, Shippop, Shopback, CapFiX and y5zone Malaysia; gold partners iPay88 and Malaysia Productivity Corporation (MPC); and silver partners SF Express, eGHL, GDex, LWE, SF Express, World First and City-Link Express. The event also attracted initiative partners and marketing partners as well as lucky draw sponsors.

“This is the second year that PIKOM is helming #MYCYBERSALE and I am confident it is on a progressive road to become a fully self-sustainable event as more than 62% of the event this year is funded by the private sector compared with 40% last year,” Ganesh added.

He shared that from this year onwards, the #MYCYBERSALE event will be held annually between the National Day and Malaysia Day.

Datuk Yasmin Mahmood, chief executive officer of Malaysia Digital Economy Corporation (MDEC), commended the efforts by PIKOM in taking on the mantle of organising the campaign for the second consecutive year. "Initiated by MDEC in 2014, we are pleased to continue to support #MYCYBERSALE, which is helping more local SMEs take their rightful place in the burgeoning e-commerce arena and place Malaysia as a regional e-commerce powerhouse. Initiatives such as #MYCYBERSALE are aligned with a fundamental objective of the National Strategic E-commerce Roadmap, which is to accelerate adoption of e-commerce (in Malaysia). Our SMEs and micro-enterprises will benefit greatly from these proactive steps to boost online trade.”

At the stroke of midnight on 3 September, consumers can enjoy an array of promotions and deals at www.mycybersale.my from over 20 retail categories. These include electronics, fashion, baby and kids, travel, health and beauty, home and living, F&B, wellness services, home appliances, and sporting equipment.

By Muneerah Bee