GETTING to buyers, local and abroad, at a click of a mouse is the key
advantage of setting up an online retail business.

And this is what a number of Malaysian sellers are doing through eBay, which has helped them sell to a broader, global audience in a low-cost and effective way.

“The long-term growth of e-commerce is driven by enhanced safety, reliability and the ease of use of online payment systems, particularly for high-volume, cross-border transactions,” says Allis Ghim, director at eBay, who oversees Southeast Asia.

“We see the online retail format as a way for consumers to shop for their purchases conveniently and safely. During these challenging times, consumers will be more cost-conscious and keep a lookout for great deals on the Internet. Online marketplaces such as eBay offer an incredible selection of items at great value in more than 50,000 categories in 39 markets worldwide.” Globally, eBay has 89 million registered members. Though the company does not make available any specific figures for Malaysia, Ghim says a Malaysian eBay member sells five hobby or craft items every 10 minutes, 14 jewellery or watches every hour, and about 440 items of clothing or accessory every day.

“Malaysian members are active in cross-border trade – buying from and selling to the world. One key indicator is the value of goods transacted by Malaysian users on eBay that grew by 50.9 per cent last year, largely due to the seasonal sales of textbooks for the US Back to School season from July to September.” Ghim says eBay offers big opportunities for Malaysian entrepreneurs to increase their revenue by selling in international markets such as the United States where festive periods such as Halloween and Christmas are well-celebrated.

She highlights that a common reason cited for shopping on eBay is the ability to find unique items and brands that are either available in limited quantity or range, or not available at all in local retail outlets.

“So, this is where Malaysian sellers can push their value proposition,” she points out.