KUALA LUMPUR: Shopee Malaysia is offering 60,000 local micro, small and medium enterprises (MSMEs) benefits of up to RM3,000 each via its Go-eCommerce Onboarding programme.

In a statement today, the e-commerce platform said the initiative aims to encourage the adoption of e-commerce as a trade channel among local MSMEs and Malaysian citizens who wish to venture into entrepreneurship.

Shopee said it is co-funding the initiative in partnership with the Ministry of Finance and the Malaysia Digital Economy Corporation (MDEC).

“The Go-eCommerce Onboarding programme is open to registered Shopee sellers who are Malaysian citizens or belong in the MSME category as defined by SME Corporation Malaysia.

“For MSMEs to qualify, the company must have more than 50 per cent of its shares held by a local person or entity and the total monthly store sales must not exceed RM4 million,” it said.

Shopee added that the programme offers two types of benefits; the first one is available to existing Shopee sellers who have registered as a seller on Shopee before July 1, 2021, where they will receive RM2,500 in Shopee store coins cashback vouchers and up to RM500 in service fee rebates.

The second package is available to new Shopee sellers, namely, those who have registered as a seller on Shopee from July 1, 2021 onwards, where they would receive RM1,500 in Shopee store coins cashback vouchers and up to RM1,500 in service fee rebates.

“These benefits will encourage Malaysians to buy from new sellers, thus driving their sales, especially in the initial stage of their presence on the platform.

“As for existing sellers, it is understood that many have offline retail businesses that are impacted by the pandemic, so the benefits will help cushion the impact and keep cash flow moving for them via e-commerce sales,” it said.

The programme is part of the National Economic Recovery Plan (Penjana) e-commerce initiatives introduced last year, which resulted in the digitalisation of over 40,000 MSMEs.

The programme, which took place from July till September 2020, saw participating MSMEs recording a 158 per cent increase in daily sales.

“Interested sellers who meet the criteria can start applying from now until Nov 30 2021 at shopee.com.my/goecommerce,” it added. – Bernama