Digital Commerce Forum: Optimising Your Digital Commerce Strategy

The emergence of Electronic Commerce (e-Commerce) has changed the traditional way of doing business. Consumers today have the choice of purchasing goods and services with no barriers of time and distance, through different channels and devices.

AMCHAM members had the opportunity to have a better understanding of e-Commerce via a Digital Forum that was organized on 29 September 2016. Mr. Sungkyu Chang, Partner, Advisory, ASEAN Customer Leader of Ernst & Young Advisory Services, led the session, by giving an overall view of this emerging market in Asia, stating that e-Commerce represents the largest economic growth in the Consumer Products and Retail Sector. In view of the potential size and growth, a growing number of brands are now focusing in this region.

Though e-Commerce does not need high technology, he remarked that resources, reliable partners, regulations (local and cross-border) and infrastructure are some of the challenges in this part of the world. Consumers on the other hand are concerned on the safety and security of electronic payment.

Ms. Wee Huay Neo, Director of e-Commerce at Malaysia Digital Economy Corporation (MDEC) concurred with Mr. Sungkyu on the potential growth of e-Commerce in the Asian Region. She added that with focused intervention, the potential to grow is bigger and thus the National e-Commerce Strategic Roadmap for Malaysia was set-up. Amongst the key initiatives are to
● increase the promotion and marketing of e-Commerce to SMEs
● mandate the adoption of e-procurement for statutory bodies
● lift non-tariff barriers
● create awareness on benefits and security of e-payment

The Government also has plans to encourage Malaysian business to move to e-payment systems and participate in international online marketplace.

Lazada, amongst the bigger platforms for e-Commerce business was represented by their General Counsel, Mr. Stelios Moussis,at the forum. He spoke on how the Company encouraged local business to sell online, which is aligned to the Government’s mandate of encouraging online businesses. Merchants benefitted as they need not worry about payment and customer service issues as it was managed by Lazada. He shared that though the Company is just a platform for transactions between buyers and sellers, regulators do not see it that way. Thus, the Company has put in certain controls to protect the interest of both transacting parties.

To get a perspective on e-payments, Mr. Rakesh Krishnamuti, Head, Large Merchants, SEAsia of Paypal, was the last speaker for the morning. He shared that customers are gaining more confidence in making online payments and they are trending towards mobile for purchases, ditching other devices as they can now make transactions on the go.
The panel discussion and Q&A session saw the speakers in consensus that e-Commerce has tremendous potential. To make it successful, all parties in this business need to collaborate with one another to enhance customers’ experience, by easing the process of buying. Only then would customers keep returning to buy online.
AMCHAM would like thank all the speakers who shared their knowledge and experiences with the audience.