Carousell, one of the world’s largest and fastest growing classifieds marketplaces, announces its partnership with Malaysia Digital Economy Corporation (MDEC) to jointly rolled-out the Government’s Short-Term Economic Recovery Plan (PENJANA) e-commerce initiative called the PENJANA Micro and SMEs (MSMEs) E-commerce Campaign. The collaboration is part of its continuous effort to support Malaysian micro-sellers and small-medium enterprises (SMEs). As more businesses turn to online selling in the new normal, Carousell is well-positioned to offer local businesses greater access to an established, local community of millions of active users through its free, safe and easy-to-use platform.
“Since the start of the MCO, Carousell has worked diligently to support local businesses, especially those who have been hardest hit by the pandemic. Thus far, we have developed various initiatives such as #TetapBuka – this was our first collaboration with MDEC, aimed at helping local retailers. This latest initiative is now targeted at individuals, home-based sellers and micro businesses, from curry puff sellers to transport service providers. These are the people who are a big part of Malaysia’s landscape and we are honored to have this opportunity to continue our partnership with the Government through MDEC and lend our support through PENJANA,” said Tang Siew Wai, Country Head, Carousell Malaysia.
Carousell’s initial incentives included free Advertising Credits worth RM100 for 2,000 micro-sellers and SMEs, and attractive seller monetary incentives from various campaigns. Under the PENJANA eCommerce Initiative, Buyer Discount Vouchers are subsidised by Carousell and PENJANA for online transactions via Carousell Protection. Through this collaboration, MSMEs can benefit from advertising credits, seller incentives, buyer discount vouchers and various marketing assets. Applications can be submitted at here.
“Consumers have increasingly turned to online purchasing, especially over the last quarter as the COVID-19 pandemic has dramatically changed altered consumer behaviour. Through this PENJANA MSMEs E-Commerce Campaign, MDEC together with e-commerce partners such as Carousell are facilitating MSMEs’ shift to digital platforms and assisting them to navigate this new business environment. By doing so, MSMEs are more agile and able to build resilience against future shocks. Carousell, as one of Asia’s leading online marketplaces, has remained a stalwart partner in helping small businesses to make that digital transition. MDEC is pleased to collaborate with Carousell Malaysia to assist more local businesses so that they can benefit from its free and easy-to-use platforms. This is in line with MDEC’s national digitalisation agenda to further encourage business and society to take the digital leap and embrace the 4th Industry Revolution (IR4.0) to achieve shared prosperity for all.” said MDEC’s Chief Executive Officer Surina Shukri.
Carousell’s enhanced features, which provide additional support for sellers, include:
- Carousell Coins (ie Advertising Credits) to boost sellers’ visibility among potential buyers
- Chat function to allow secure communication, contributing to higher levels of engagement and trust among sellers and buyers
- Carousell Protection, an escrow system for contactless, more secure payment using FPX (Bank Transfers), MasterCard and Visa
Thus far, feedback has been positive from business owners using the Bump and Spotlight function on Carousell Ads. Data also shows that the chat function alone results in 30-50% higher likelihood of successful transactions, and Carousell Protection has contributed to an average 226% daily increase of successful transactions since the start of MCO. Statistical analysis has also shown that Carousell users know what they want and are highly inclined to make purchases on the platform, with over 80% using the search function to go directly to the item they want.
To apply for the PENJANA eCommerce Initiative, visit this link. For more information on efforts spearheaded by Carousell to support local businesses impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic, log on to this link.
