The Malaysian Franchise Association (MFA) has announced its collaboration with online shopping platform, Shopee to promote the products of local franchises as well as to help industry players to cope with business challenges caused by Covid-19.
MFA Chairman, Hj Radzali Hassan said that the collaboration will enable businesses to open an official store on Shopee, promote their products as well as vouchers online.
“If there is a promotion on Shopee by the brands, buyers stand to receive and enjoy greater savings when making a purchase,” he said at a press conference during the Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) signing ceremony today.
He added that one of the main reasons Shopee was selected as MFA’s strategic partner, is to leverage Shopee’s platform network to promote franchises overseas such as in Indonesia, Singapore, Philippines and Thailand.
The handover of the MoU between the MFA Chairman Head of Fast-Moving Consumer Goods, Shopee Malaysia, Tan Ming Kit was witnessed by the Minister of Domestic Trade and Consumer Affairs (KPDNHEP), Alexander Nanta Linggi. Also present, Deputy Minister of Domestic Trade and Consumer Affairs (KPDNHEP), Rosol Bin Wahid, Secretary General, Ministry of Domestic Trade and Consumer Affairs (KPDNHEP), Haji Hasnol Zam Zam Bin Hj Ahmad and Deputy Secretary General (Domestic Trade), Ministry of Domestic Trade and Consumer Affairs (KPDNHEP), Alauddin Bin Sidal.
According to Nanta , the initiative will help the franchise industry players that were affected as the number of visitors dwindled due to public concern over the outbreak of the pandemic.
“Online purchases have seen a remarkable surge throughout the implementation of the Movement Control Order (MCO) and Conditional Movement Control Order (CMCO). As such, I am confident that with such a collaboration, the burden on businesses can be reduced,” he added.
KPDNHEP is refining the implementation of the planned program, and the Ministry hopes that all industry players would be involved in providing support and views, in the upcoming business session.
Shopee has also rolled out various measures to help local micro, small and medium enterprises (MSMEs) recover from the impact of Covid-19. Tan, said, “In April, we launched a RM15 million Shopee Seller Support Package to help MSMEs come online and ensure they do well on Shopee. Last week, we concluded our first-ever Jom Cari Makan campaign to help over 400 F&B outlets as they enter the recovery phase.
The campaign offered more than 1,000 meal vouchers at up to 50 percent off, and at the peak of the campaign on June 13 and 14, our F&B merchants experienced a 12-times increase in sales. In fact, many of the brands that saw a spike in orders are members of the Malaysian Franchise Association.”
Tan added, “We hope that more local franchises, too will get to share the same kind of success as their counterparts. Through the MoU today, Shopee is pledging to assist local franchises not just with setting up their online stores but also providing support through our marketing tools and in-app features such as Shopee Live, Shopee Games, campaigns and more. Additionally, we will offer contactless solutions in the form of our ShopeePay e-wallet which can be used both online and offline to help MFA’s members synergise the full potential of omnichannel retail. We look forward to working closely with MFA and local franchises in their digitalisation efforts while offering something and everything that will greatly benefit Malaysians.”
MFA will serve as a mediator between franchises and Shopee to drive the digitalisation of offline retailers via mass onboarding onto Shopee’s solutions. These digital solutions include training, the setting up of their official stores and activating ShopeePay e-wallet as a payment mode in their offline retail outlets.
The partnership is touted as one that is sensitive to the country and economy’s needs as contactless transactions by buying deals ahead of visiting an F&B outlet or choosing to pay using the ShopeePay e-wallet at retail outlets also serve as a precautionary measure to keep Malaysians safe amid Covid-19.
The Ministry, Association and Shopee hope that the collaboration can assist businesses to improve and recover after having been affected by the outbreak of the pandemic.
