One In Five Malaysian Online Shoppers Are ‘Savvy’, The Rest Are One Click From Joining Them

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Only one in five Malaysian online shoppers qualifies as a “Savvy Shopper”, according to a new study commissioned by Lazada and conducted by Cube Asia.

The study, 2026 eCommerce Savvy Shopper Report: Southeast Asia surveyed 6,000 online shoppers aged 18 to 61 across six Southeast Asian markets.

The report defines Savvy Shoppers as those who meet benchmarks across four areas:

  • Verification: checking product details, reviews and authenticity information
  • Value optimisation: comparing prices, vouchers and overall purchase value
  • Confidence and protection: assessing seller credentials, return policies and platform safeguards
  • Digital fluency: using platform tools, external information and AI to inform purchases
Kaya Qin, Lazada Malaysia CEO & Simon Torring, co-founder at Cube. Credit: Team Lewis Malaysia

The Ringgit Gap

In Malaysia, 20 per cent of online shoppers are Savvy. The regional average is 24 per cent.

They account for 25 per cent of e-commerce spending, and spend 36 per cent more each month than General Shoppers, higher than the 31 per cent regional difference.

The report estimates this at a US$900 million annual marketplace spending gap.

The study noted that the figure reflects the marketplace value associated with Savvy Shoppers’ higher spending, not extra spending caused by being savvy.

Verification Is The Weak Spot

Another 17 per cent of Malaysian shoppers are Near-Savvy, meaning they meet three of the four benchmarks.

For 45 per cent of them, Verification is the only benchmark they have yet to meet.

The report found 62 per cent of Malaysian respondents already check seller details before buying.

The study found Savvy Shoppers place more importance on protection and trusted shopping environments:

  • 39 per cent are willing to pay more for better purchase protection, compared with 24 per cent of General Shoppers
  • 43 per cent direct more than half of their online spending to Mall sections of marketplaces, compared with 29 per cent of General Shoppers
  • 32 per cent are willing to spend more to activate discounts, compared with 29 per cent of General Shoppers

What Lazada Says It Is Doing

Lazada Malaysia said the findings reinforce four priorities: making trusted sellers easier to identify, value easier to assess, protection more accessible, and digital tools more useful.

During the 9.9 sale, 46 per cent of Lazada Malaysia’s purchasing customers bought from LazMall.

Lazada’s Refund Agent automatically resolves 37.6 per cent of Malaysian refund requests, while human agents handle complex cases and conflicting evidence.

Nearly one-third of consumer-initiated Lazzie conversations in Malaysia relate to delivery, order tracking and after-sales support.

Lazada Malaysia CEO Kaya Qin said the aim is to help Malaysians spend well, not spend more.

“A good deal should not end at the checkout. Shoppers should be able to compare the full cost, know who they are buying from and have confidence in the support available after purchase,” she said.

Credit: 2026 eCommerce Savvy Shopper Report: Southeast Asia

READ MORE: Taobao Malaysia Adds 1,400 J&T Drop-Off Points For Local Returns

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One In Five Malaysian Online Shoppers Are ‘Savvy’, The Rest Are One Click From Joining Them
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