Video contents influence 62% of Singapore e-commerce purchases

Shopee and YouTube double down on creator-powered digital commerce.

Video commerce now makes up 20% of Southeast Asia’s total e-commerce value—and in Singapore, 62% of consumers report making purchases after watching a YouTube video. The sharp rise in video-driven shopping is transforming how consumers engage with brands and how small businesses participate in digital commerce.

According to Ajay Vidyasagar, Managing Director for YouTube Southeast Asia and Emerging Markets, video has become central to the consumer journey. “Two out of five consumers in Southeast Asia rely on online videos for any research. YouTube is actually the preferred choice for online video for 86% of all users in Southeast Asia.”

Vidyasagar credits this momentum to the growing ecosystem of creators and the authenticity they bring. “Over 5,000 YouTube creator channels in Southeast Asia now have over 1 million subscribers,” he noted. “When [creators] bring in a recommendation, there's real belief about its value. YouTube really shines because our creators are seen as among the most trusted voices.”

Chua Kel Jin, Director of Shopee Singapore, echoed the importance of creator-led content. “People like video commerce because it is fun. Because it is interactive,” he said. “The interaction actually helps buyers build trust. In Singapore specifically, 62% of people watch a YouTube video and then they want to buy something from an e-commerce platform.”

Shopee has partnered with YouTube to launch YouTube Shopping, allowing sellers to sync their products directly onto the video platform. “In the past, sellers needed to pay a high, fixed, upfront cost to engage content creators,” Chua explained. “Now sellers only need to pay content creators a commission, and this helps to guarantee and improve ROI.”

Shopee is also simplifying access to video commerce tools. “We’ve designed live streaming in such a way that all you need is a phone,” Chua said. “We also give real-time analytics so that sellers can get immediate feedback to engage buyers better.”

Looking ahead, both executives agree that video commerce is just getting started. “If 20% of all e-commerce is already today video commerce, we believe that is going to see a manifold increase,” Vidyasagar said. “The future of video commerce lies in more seamless shopping experiences that directly operate within your own favorite videos, your own favorite creators.”