S-Mart Sabah | Official Online Store Launched by Shopee

I'm pretty sure everyone here is familiar with the name Shopee.

I have never thought I would be such a big fan of Shopee until Charlotte got me into using the app.

I was quite sceptical bout the idea of using the app as I was quite a loyal user to Lazada but after trying out the app myself, I left Lazada for good. Not to say Lazada is bad but I prefer something more trustworthy and a much more reliable source which was Shopee. 

Shopee, being Malaysia's number one e-commerce platform, 

is FINALLY expanding to East Malaysia by launching Sabah's very own dedicated online store called S-Mart Sabah. This is to make it much more convenient for our local market as well as to help reduce cost of living on daily essentials for Sabahans.

S-Mart Sabah can be found on Shopee. Just searach for "S-Mart Sabah". S-Mart Sabah offers one-stop access to a range of groceries and household necessities from leading brands including MILO, Maggi, Nescafe, Oral-B, Harpic, and Downy, with more coming on board such as PetPet and Genki. According to Nielsen, Malaysians are becoming more financially prudent and seek to save on daily necessities . In 2019, 88% stated that they are adjusting spending to save on household expenses, while 4 in 5 are seeking the lowest prices on necessities. S-Mart Sabah caters to the need for greater value by offering quality products at competitive prices, with up to 10% savings daily and up to 40% during special campaigns.

Sabahans will also enjoy greater convenience on S-Mart Sabah in the form of faster delivery, as products will be shipped directly from Shopee's fulfillment warehouse in Kota Kinabalu. Locals will now be able to receive their items within one (1) to three (3) days, down from five (5) to seven (7) days when they purchase online from sellers based in Peninsular Malaysia.

On top of that, Sabahans can also enjoy FREE SHIPPING on orders weighing up to 5kgs when they spend at least RM40 on the S-Mart Sabah store, an upsize from the usual 1kg if they purchase from Shopee sellers based in Peninsular Malaysia. This caters to the growing preference among Malaysians to shop for groceries and necessities in bulk online.

I was really happy to be given an opportunity to witness the launch of S-Mart Sabah along with other members from the media as well as other bloggers.

We were each given a goodie bag after registration.

Thank you Shopee for being so thoughtful 

by providing hand sanitizers and disposable facemasks to everyone.

I only knew Massy at the event.

Speech given by Mr Zed Li 
(Head of Seller Management, Shopee Malaysia)

"Having engaged with the East Malaysian market for four (4) years now, the feedback that we constantly receive from consumers is that it is difficult to find what they want and need in the state, and goods tend to also be costlier. When Shopee was introduced in the market with our assortment and nationwide reach, we filled that gap for East Malaysians. However, there is still room for improvement in terms of how the retail sector is able to provide for this market. S-Mart Sabah continues our effort to meet these needs. With our strong partnership with leading brands and retailers, as well as our third party logistics partner Pos Laju, we are now able to offer unbeatable convenience and value to Sabahans via S-Mart Sabah. We are happy to be able to put more money back into the pockets of consumers,"said Zed Li, Head of Seller Management, Shopee Malaysia.

"Pos Malaysia is proud to become the official logistics partner for Shopee's S-Mart Sabah. With the launch of the new online store, we expect an increase in demand for deliveries from customers in Sabah. As a committed partner, we will establish new operation hubs to cope with the demand and continue to provide customers with high quality services and support their retail experience. The immense growth of e-commerce in Malaysia presents great opportunities for our courier business and we will continue to invest in the e-commerce infrastructure to boost our service performance with the widest reach in the country," said Azahar Ariff, Group Head of Corporate Planning and Transformation, Pos Malaysia Berhad.

Zed Li, Head of Seller Management, Shopee Malaysia (seated right) and Azahar Ariff, Group Head of Corporate Planning and Transformation, Pos Malaysia Berhad (seated left) officially launced S-Mart Sabah by Shopee, flanked by YB Tuan Phoong Jin Zhe, Sabah Minister of Youth and Sports (standing left) and YB Tuan Kenny Chua, Assistant Minister of Sabah Finance Ministry (standing right).

The launch of Shopee S-Mart Sabah was held at Kota Kinabalu Marriott Hotel, and witnessed by YB Tuan Kenny Chua, Assistant Minister of Sabah Finance Ministry and YB Tuan Ginger Phoong Jin Zhe, Sabah Minister of Youth and Sports.

L - R : YB Tuan Phoong Jin Zhe, Sabah Minister of Youth and Sports; Azahar Ariff, Group Head of Corporate Planning and Transformation, Pos Malaysia Berhad; Zed Li, Head of Seller Management, Shopee Malaysia; and YB Tuan Kenny Chua, Assistant Minister of Sabah Finance Ministry at the launch of S-Mart Sabah by Shopee, held at Kota Kinabalu Marriott Hotel

Q&A session

"For years, Sabahans have been experiencing high cost of living. With S-Mart Sabah that comes with attractive discounts, Sabahans are able to purchase household necessities whilst enjoying prices similar to those in Peninsular Malaysia. That savings can then be used for other commitments such as children's education or upgrading to a better car, thereby giving the family a more comfortable life. We also see S-Mart Sabah to be providing a positive economic impact to the state through other areas such as employment. We welcome Shopee's investment and expansion in our state and look forward to more collaborations that would benefit Sabahan consumers and even entrepreneurs,"said YB Tuan Kenny Chua, Assistant Minister of Sabah Finance Ministry.

The State Government recognizes the need for e-commerce adoption to boost Sabah's digital economy, and Shopee's expansion to Sabah comes at an opportune time to support efforts and plans by several ministries including the Youth and Sports Ministry. YB Tuan Ginger Poong Jin Zhe, Sabah Minister of Youth and Sports said, "Apart from creating a platform for sellers and shoppers, we understand that Shopee also has other initiatives like Shopee University, a free sellers' workshop which can help equip youths with the knowledge to be e-commerce ready. There is more that we are able to do with Shopee to create opportunities for Sabahans, especially youths, who can venture into entrepreneurship and make a living by emulating some of the local and international brands who are now using the 'online-first' approach."

At the event, Shopee also announced its partnership with Pos Malaysia Berhad's courier arm Pos Laju, as its third-party logistics partner for S-Mart Sabah. Last mile delivery is one of the most crucial elements within the e-commerce ecosystem, and Pos Laju has been appointed to support Shopee in delivering parcels to the entire state of Sabah.

In celebrating the launch of S-Mart Sabah, Sabahans will get to enjoy FREE SHIPPING with a minimum spend of only RM20 instead of RM40, from now till the 29 February 2020. To start shopping, visit S-Mart Sabah at http://shopee.com.my/s_martsabah.fbs

Thank you Shopee for the goodies!