Shopee Affiliates Embrace Authenticity & Personalisation in 2024

Shopee, the leading e-commerce platform in Southeast Asia & Taiwan, has conducted their ‘Championing Inclusive Commerce 2024’1 study involving over 3,000 affiliates, revealing a resounding positive sentiment for the year ahead. The results highlight a significant trend towards humanised content and increased immersive experience of livestream.

Shopee Affiliates are emerging as key players in shaping consumer perceptions. The study reveals that over two-thirds of affiliates are eager to create more personalised content, emphasising authenticity and genuine engagement. This trend is underlined by the staggering 420% increase in affiliate-driven orders last year, with over 60,000 new affiliates joining the Shopee ecosystem in 2024 so far.

Kenneth Soh, Head of Marketing at Shopee Malaysia said “We have 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% of our exceptional affiliates expressing a desire to humanise e-commerce experience and wanting to connect with their customers through relatable stories and genuine experiences.”

The survey highlighted a shift towards leveraging Shopee Live, with 93% of affiliates expressing a desire to grow further using this platform. Additionally, 87% 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% foresee more local consumers engaging with the platform. 

“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 further flourish,” continued Soh. 

Affiliates are recognising the potential of live streaming, with a 500% increase in live stream orders over the past year. They see the value of live streaming in generating lively consumer engagement through real-time interaction and its ability to convert to immediate sales.

Celeste Phuah, one of Shopee’s top-performing Affiliate Livestreamers emphasised the authenticity of live sessions. "I always keep it real when talking about a brand's product. I share my honest thoughts on its quality, and that's how I build trust with my followers. Before promoting any sponsored products, I make sure to try them out myself. This way, I can be sure they're beneficial for the audience and reasonably priced.”

Celeste is one of the many affiliates that harnesses personalisation and authentic engagement via Shopee Live. She simplifies the shopping journey for approximately 36,000 rural Malaysians seeking convenience online every day. Over the past six months, Celeste has facilitated the redemption of over six million discount vouchers across the platform. Through her educational Shopee Live sessions, Celeste humanises e-commerce, explaining the intricacies of platform and store vouchers to empower users.

Rita Zafran, a high-performing Shopee Affiliate, shared, "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 my audience's needs. In 2024, I believe live streaming will be a major trend for affiliates. I am joining live streams to interact with my audience in real-time, address their questions and promote the products I'm currently using.” 

Since Rita started streaming in 2024, she engages with her users by sharing her favourite home and living products, and her most-used Muslimah shawls. Rita describes these products with the aim of creating a helpful space where users can openly ask any product questions they may have. In the comments section, Rita patiently addresses questions such as ‘Where did you buy these cute lunch boxes?’, ‘Do these tumblers retain heat well?’, and ‘Can you share some styling tips for tudung please?’, providing a human-touch to her e-commerce content. 

The ‘Championing Inclusive Commerce 2024’ study is part of Shopee’s thought leadership series. These data-driven insights showcase how Shopee Affiliates have the unique opportunity to build win-win relationships that drive customer loyalty for local brands and sellers.