8 Insights on Double-Digit Sales & Payday Habits for Malaysian Marketers

I remember sitting on my sofa, phone in one hand, items in my cart, the clock ticking down toward midnight. It was 11.11, and within minutes those must-haves I’d eyed weeks ago were gone. That moment made me realize Malaysian shoppers do not simply respond to flash sales. They plan. They wait. They strategize around the calendar.

If you are a marketer targeting Malaysian consumers, the insights from our recent survey of 416 Malaysians give you a powerful lens for campaign timing, messaging, channel mix, and product strategy. And when I compared these with findings from the Vase.ai Retail Shopping Trends Malaysia 2025 report (417 Malaysians), one especially striking pattern emerged: Omnichannel behavior is now the norm, and only 4 percent of people shop exclusively in physical stores. That shift underpins many of the insights I’m going to share.

Note: The dashboard is only accessible via laptop or desktop.

Questions we asked in this survey:

1. How often do you usually shop during Double-Digit Sales (e.g., 11.11, 12.12)?
2. Do you hold back on shopping and wait to buy more during Double-Digit Sales?
3. When do you usually shop during Double-Digit Sales?
4. What factors usually influence your decision on what to buy during Double Digit Sales?
5. Do you usually set aside a specific budget for Double Digit Sales?
6. How do you usually find out about Double Digit Sales promotions?
7. In your own words, what motivates you the most to shop during Double Digit Sales? Please share any reasons or experiences that influence your decision.
8. Which of the following promotions would encourage you to buy more items than you normally would during Double Digit Sales?
9. How often do you usually shop during Payday Sales (e.g., 25th of every month)?

Here's What We'll Cover:

• 1. Shoppers Strategically Delay Purchases

• 2. Payday Sales Create a Reliable Monthly Pulse

• 3. Peak Buying Happens Before and Just After Midnight

• 4. E-commerce Ads Dominate Discovery. Social Media Closes the Gap

• 5. Scarcity and Limited-Time Exclusives Drive Urgency

• 6. Discounts Alone Don’t Seal the Deal. Shipping and Trust Matter

• 7. The Right Promotions Expand Baskets

• 8. Omnichannel Experience Is Now the Norm

• Your Next Steps: The Marketer’s Checklist

Phase 1: Planning & Anticipation

1. Shoppers Strategically Delay Purchases

Key Stat:

57% sometimes wait and 37% usually wait for Double-Digit Sales; only 6% shop anytime.

🗣️ What Malaysians Said:

“There are lots of vouchers and discounts on that day and i always wait at that time to buy something expensives to get discounted price”
Female, 21, Chinese, Selangor

“I’m motivated to shop during Double Digit Sales because of the bigger discounts, vouchers, and free shipping offers. It’s also the best time to buy items I’ve been waiting for at a lower price, so I can save more compared to normal days.”
Male, 24, Indian, Kuala Lumpur

“Saya termotivasi membeli semasa Jualan Double Digit kerana tawaran diskaun besar, baucar, dan penghantaran percuma yang menjadikan harga lebih berbaloi. Pengalaman lepas mendapat penjimatan ketara juga membuat saya tidak mahu terlepas promosi seterusnya.”
Male, 28, Malay, Kuala Lumpur

🧠 Why It Matters:

Malaysians manage timing and budgets months in advance. A regular launch outside sale cycles can feel irrelevant. Competitors who align with Double-Digit calendars may capture pre-allocated budgets before you even enter consideration.

⚡Action Steps:

• Start teasing 1–2 weeks early to warm intent.

• Offer early-access deals or loyalty previews to lock in interest.

• Use blog or social content as a deal timeline for pre-sale research.

2. Payday Sales Create a Reliable Monthly Pulse

Key Stat:
23% shop Payday monthly, 36% shop frequently, 22% occasionally.

🗣️ What Malaysians Said:

“I shop every month (12 times a year)”
Female, 21, Malay, Selangor

“I shop very frequently (more than 9 times a year, but not every month)”
Male, 24, Malay, Kuala Lumpur

“I shop often (about 5–8 times a year)”
Male, 28, Chinese,Kuala Lumpur

🧠 Why It Matters:

Payday acts as a recurring loyalty touchpoint. Brands can reinforce habit purchases and introduce new products when wallets are freshly topped up.

⚡Action Steps:

• Use Payday Sales for essentials or replenishments.

• Pair Payday offers with loyalty points or referral rewards.

• Build Payday into your always-on marketing calendar.

Phase 2: The Moment of Action

3. Peak Buying Happens Before and Just After Midnight

Key Stat:
41% shop the evening before, 37% midnight–2:59 AM, 32% evening of sale.

🗣️ What Malaysians Said:

“The evening before (e.g., 8:00 PM – 11:59 PM, before midnight launch)”
Female, 21, Malay, Selangor

“Between 12:00 AM – 2:59 AM”
Male, 24, Malay, Kuala Lumpur

🧠 Why It Matters:

Inventory and intent surge early. Brands that delay ads or promos until daytime miss eager buyers.

⚡Action Steps:

• Schedule flash drops or limited editions for 12 a.m.

• Prep backend systems and support for surges.

• Re-engage in evening prime time with refreshed creatives.

4. E-commerce Ads Dominate Discovery. Social Media Closes the Gap

Key Stat:
80% discover via e-commerce platforms, 72% via social media, plus app notifications and influencers.

🗣️ What Malaysians Said:

“More discount or gifts. And free delivery on shopee, lazada”
Female, 25, Chinese, Selangor

“E-commerce platform ads (e.g., Shopee, Lazada)”
Male, 28, Indian, Kuala Lumpur

“Social media ads (e.g., Facebook, Instagram, TikTok)”
Female, 26, Malay, Johor

🧠 Why It Matters:

Shoppers bounce between marketplaces and feeds. Discovery in one place often drives conversion in another. Ignoring platform synergy leaks conversions.

⚡Action Steps:

• Mirror deal messaging across marketplaces and social feeds.

• Use short-form videos and livestream shopping to convert curiosity.

• Track cross-channel journeys to understand attribution.

5. Scarcity and Limited-Time Exclusives Drive Urgency

Key Stat:
39% respond to limited-time exclusives, 26% impulse deals.

🗣️ What Malaysians Said:

“Promotions that I can't resist”
Female, 25, Chinese, Selangor

“For me, the biggest motivation to shop during Double Digit Sales (like 9.9, 10.10, 11.11, 12.12) is the feeling of getting maximum value for money. Prices are usually slashed lower than normal promotions, and on top of that there are stackable vouchers, free shipping, and cashback, which makes me feel like I’m really stretching my budget further.”
Male, 28, Indian, Kuala Lumpur

“Perkara yang paling memotivasikan saya untuk membeli-belah semasa Jualan Double Digit adalah Diskaun besar dan tawaran masa terhad serta pemberian baucar dan kupon eksklusif.”
Female, 22, Malay, Johor

🧠 Why It Matters:

Scarcity creates earned excitement. Without urgency, even discounted items risk being postponed or forgotten.

⚡Action Steps:

• Use countdowns, flash deals, or treasure hunts to gamify.

• Build limited-edition bundles to push urgency.

• Highlight “Only X left” or “Ending soon” in creatives.

Phase 3: What Seals the Deal & Grows the Basket

6. Discounts Alone Don’t Seal the Deal. Shipping and Trust Matter

Key Stat:
80% value discounts, 67% free shipping, 51% necessity, 35% quality/reviews.

🗣️ What Malaysians Said:

“Harga promosi Hadiah sampingan Penghantaran percuma Tawaran menarik yang jarang diberi.”
Male, 27, Malay, Kuala Lumpur

“Penghantaran percuma dan diskaun yang tinggi serta berbaloi dengan pembelian saya.”
Female, 28, Malay, Selangor

“Get Free shipping or get any voucher. This is very important especially for Sabahan.”
Male, 25, Sabah

🧠 Why It Matters:

The total value equation matters more than price. Free shipping and trust signals convert browsing into baskets.

⚡Action Steps:

• Pair discounts with free shipping thresholds.

• Highlight reviews, cashback, or platform perks.

• Show transparent costs early to reduce cart abandonment.

7. The Right Promotions Expand Baskets

Bundle deals, platform vouchers, and cashback consistently encourage shoppers to buy more than planned.

🗣️ What Malaysians Said:

“it offer more discount than usual. so it attracts me to buy”
 Male, 25, Chinese, Selangor

“Discounted Branded items”
Female, 44, Malay, Kuala Lumpur

“There are lots of vouchers and discounts on that day and i always wait at that time to buy something expensives to get discounted price
”
Female, 28, Malay, Johor

🧠 Why It Matters:

Beyond single-item discounts, bundle mechanics and vouchers increase average order value and repeat spending.

⚡Action Steps:

• Test buy-more-save-more bundles or cashback offers.

• Use vouchers tied to basket size to nudge upsells.

• Promote bundle savings early so shoppers plan around them.

Phase 4: Long-Term Strategy

8. Omnichannel Experience Is Now the Norm

From the Retail Trends report, 40% of Malaysians shop both online and offline equally; only 4% shop exclusively in physical stores.

🗣️ What Malaysians Said:

 Female, 30, Malay,Kuala Lumpur choose online shopping because
“diskaun kedai dan diskaun platform serta penghantaran percuma”

Male, 28, Indian,Selangor choose in-store shopping because
“When I want to try the item before buying to make sure it fits me.”

Male, 28, Chinese, Johor choose online shopping because
“High Customer Rating for good product with affordable price from physical store.”

🧠 Why It Matters:

Shoppers move fluidly between channels. A disjointed presence risks lost credibility and missed conversions.

⚡Action Steps:

• Offer buy-online-pick-up-in-store or easy returns.

• Keep pricing, branding, and promos consistent.

• Align inventory and ads across all touchpoints.

For more on how Malaysians blend online and offline shopping, check out our Retail Shopping Trends Malaysia 2025 report.

Your Next Steps: The Marketer’s Checklist

✅ Align launches and promotions with Double-Digit Sales and Payday cycles.

✅ Schedule midnight or early-morning deals to capture peak shoppers.

✅ Mirror messaging across e-commerce and social media.

✅ Pair discounts with free shipping for higher conversions.

✅ Test bundle deals and cashback promotions to expand baskets.

✅ Use Payday Sales strategically for retention and replenishment.

✅ Build urgency with limited-time exclusives and gamified campaigns.

✅ Deliver a seamless omnichannel experience across online and offline.

Ready to turn these insights into action?

Use these findings to power your next Double-Digit Sales or Payday campaign and watch how a data-driven, audience-first approach lifts your results. Whether you’re planning promotions, designing in-store experiences, or refining e-commerce messaging, Vase.ai lets you test, validate, and optimize your strategy with real-time consumer feedback. So you launch with confidence and impact.

The dashboard is only accessible via laptop or desktop.

 Double-Digit & Payday Shopping: Your Key Questions Answered