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10 Consumer Shopping Habits in Malaysia That Will Shape Retail Strategy in 2025

Written by Vase.ai | Sep 11, 2025 3:21:16 AM

I still remember the Saturday mall rituals. Meeting friends at the food court, browsing store windows, carrying shopping bags till our arms hurt. Fast forward to 2025, and I caught myself buying new shoes on Shopee at midnight, delivered to my doorstep. That moment made me pause. If my own habits have changed this much, what about the rest of Malaysia?

A new Vase.ai survey of 417 Malaysians revealed a striking fact: only 4% now shop exclusively in physical stores. Nearly everyone else mixes online and offline shopping. For marketers and market researchers, this is not just trivia. It’s a wake-up call about how consumer behavior is shifting in Malaysia.

Here are 10 retail insights every marketer and researcher should know, backed by data, shopper voices, and actionable steps.

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

Questions we asked in this survey:

  1. Which of the following best describes your shopping habits in the past 3 months?
  2. In the past 3 months, how often have you shopped ONLINE (websites, apps, social media)?
  3. In the past 3 months, which of the following categories have you spent money on through ONLINE shopping (websites, apps, social media)?
  4. When do you usually prefer to shop ONLINE (websites, apps, social media)?
  5. When you shop ONLINE (websites, apps, social media), which types of experiences or services do you find most valuable?
  6. What is your ONE favourite ONLINE store / marketplace to buy from?
  7. Through which ONLINE channels do you usually shop?
  8. In the past 3 months, how often have you shopped in PHYSICAL STORES (shops, malls, outlets)?
  9. In the past 3 months, which of the following categories have you spent money on through PHYSICAL STORES (shops, malls, outlets)?
  10. When do you usually prefer to shop in PHYSICAL STORES (shops, malls, outlets)?
  11. When you shop in PHYSICAL STORES (shops, malls, outlets), which types of experiences or services do you find most valuable?
  12. What is your ONE favourite PHYSICAL STORE to buy from?
  13. What are the main reasons you rarely or never shopped in PHYSICAL STORES (shops, malls, outlets)?
  14. Do you expect physical stores to also have an online presence (e.g., website, app, social media) for shopping or information?

Here's What We'll Cover:



1. Omnichannel Is Now the Norm

Shopper Split:

  • 40% omnichannel (shop equally online and offline)

  • 39% online-focused (entirely or mostly online)

  • 21% offline-focused (entirely or mostly in-store)

🗣️ 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:

The offline-only shopper is nearly extinct. Malaysians now expect brands to exist across channels. This insight reflects a bigger trend in Malaysian consumer behavior,  the blending of online and offline into a single, fluid shopping journey.

👉 The future belongs to brands that connect experiences seamlessly.

⚡Action Steps:

  • Offer buy online, pick up in-store or return in-store.

  • Use QR codes and digital tie-ins to link channels.

  • Track journeys with integrated data across online and offline.



2. Shopping Is “Always On”

Key Stat:
Online shopping has become routine: 24% shop more than once a week, 18% shop once a week, and 29% shop every 2–3 weeks.

Physical stores show a similar rhythm: 19% shop more than once a week, 29% shop once a week, and 28% shop once every 2–3 weeks.

🗣️ What Malaysians Said:

“Saya berasa amat nyaman apabila membeli secara online boleh dilakukan secara santai. Tidak perlu kelam kabut mengejar masa, bersesak didalam 1 ruang yang sempit. Itulah gunanya shopping online. Sambil baring-baring pun boleh shopping.”
Female, 21, Malay, Selangor

“Kadang nampak barang menarik di social media terus beli.”
Male, 24, Malay, Kuala Lumpur

“Physically seeing and feeling the product. The joy of walking around, especially after a while of not doing window shopping with family.”
Male, 28, Chinese,Kuala Lumpur

🧠 Why It Matters:

Shopping frequency is high in both channels. Online has become part of daily routines, while malls remain a weekly cultural habit.

👉 Online is now a steady habit, but physical stores remain the cultural heartbeat of Malaysian shopping.

⚡Action Steps:

  • Online: run weekly flash deals and monthly sales anchored to payday.

  • Offline: sustain weekly in-store activations.

  • Build campaigns where online inspires in-store visits and offline drives digital engagement.



3. Category Breakdown: What Malaysians Buy and Where

Key Stat:
Fashion: 71% online vs 37% in-store
Groceries: 45% online vs 84% in-store
Electronics & Gadgets: 47% online vs 17% in-store
Health & Beauty: 60% online vs 43% in-store

🗣️ What Malaysians Said:

“More options to compare, especially on pricing. Real life feedback on product purchased by other buyers. More varieties of the same/similar product can be found in 1 place.”
Female, 21, Malay, Selangor

“ada big sales. blh tolak voucher, free shipping. harga lg murah”
Male, 24, Malay, Kuala Lumpur

“Near my house, got a lot food and ingredient that i need”
Female, 25, Chinese, Penang

“i can see the freshness, or touch the products”
Female, 32, Indian, Johor

🧠 Why It Matters:

Category context drives behavior. Malaysians are comfortable buying fashion and gadgets online, but essentials like groceries are still an offline-first experience.

👉 Tailor strategies by category, not channel.

⚡Action Steps:

  • Fashion & beauty: double down on visuals, reviews, influencers.

  • Electronics: highlight specs, pricing, and fast delivery.

  • Groceries: strengthen in-store experience while offering pickup/delivery.




4. Online Means Deals, Offline Means Experience

Key Stat:
When shopping online, 49% of Malaysians chase discounts, 42% compare prices, and 41% wait for seasonal sales.

In-store, they prioritize seeing and trying products 44% and immediate access 47%. 

🗣️ What Malaysians Said:

“A lot of discount and perks were given by the shopping apps”
Female, 25, Chinese, Selangor

“Customer service from sales assistant who can help explain.”
Male, 28, Indian, Kuala Lumpur

“Video explanation of the product, review from previous buyer, cash back, free delivery, discount vouchers, platform pay later, 0% interest rate for 12 months.”
Female, 32, Chinese, Penang

“Price reasonable, for example like makeup stuffs, physical store always expensive than online. Sometimes the price is mark up 40% higher, so the price that online shopping provided is the most valuable.”
Female, 29, Malay, Selangor

🧠 Why It Matters:

This insight reflects Malaysian consumer behavior at its core: online is price-driven, offline is trust-driven.

👉 E-commerce wins on speed and discounts, physical stores win on experience and human support.

⚡Action Steps:

  • Online: stress competitive pricing, vouchers, fast shipping.

  • Offline: double down on service and try-before-you-buy.

  • Keep price parity across channels to build credibility.


5. Consumers Expect Every Store to Be Online

Key Stat:
41% expect physical stores to also have an online presence.

🗣️ What Malaysians Said:

“Yes, I expect all physical stores to have an online presence.”
Female, 31, Chinese, Kuala Lumpur

🧠 Why It Matters:

For Malaysians, offline without online feels incomplete. They expect a hybrid by default.

👉 Digital visibility is the new storefront window.

⚡Action Steps:

  • Keep Google Maps, hours, and social profiles updated.

  • Add simple catalogs or WhatsApp ordering.

  • Mirror promos across both offline and online.



6. Social Media Sparks Impulse Buys

Key Stat:
35% of Malaysians say they shop online after seeing something interesting on social media.

🗣️ What Malaysians Said:

“Kadang nampak barang menarik di social media terus beli.”
Male, 35, Malay, Penang

“I think the product review by the other user really helps me in choosing the product that I think would be the best for me”
Female, 28, Malay, Kuala Lumpur

“TikTok pembelian produk yang disediakan agak menarik perhatian untuk membeli dengan harga berpatutan bersama penghantaran percuma”
Male, 25, Sabah

🧠 Why It Matters:

Platforms like TikTok, Instagram, and Facebook are no longer just for discovery. They are active sales floors, a shift reinforced by our TikTok shopping behaviour
 insights.

👉 Use social to close the sale, not just create awareness.

⚡Action Steps:

  • Invest in influencer-driven campaigns with direct checkout links.

  • Create social-exclusive deals to drive urgency.

  • Prioritize short video and live formats that convert curiosity into instant purchase.



7. Channel Preferences: How Malaysians Shop Online

88% shop via marketplaces, 71% via social platforms, 26% via brand websites.

🗣️ What Malaysians Said:

“shopee cuz it have many voucher”
 Male, 25, Chinese, Selangor

“Tiktok shop. Shopee. Lazada. Kedai yang menawarkan jualan secara online.”
Female, 44, Malay, Kuala Lumpur

“TikTok amat menjadi perhatian ramai menerusi perkhidmatan yang diberikan penghantaran percuma seluruh Malaysia”
Female, 28, Malay, Johor

🧠 Why It Matters:

Malaysians prefer trusted, familiar platforms when spending online.

👉 Meet shoppers where they already are instead of forcing traffic to your site.

⚡Action Steps:

  • Focus ad spend and listings where Malaysians browse and buy.

  • Use social proof and reviews on those platforms to build trust.



8. Top 3 Rulers of E-Commerce

Shopee 65% dominates as the favourite online store, followed by TikTok Shop 26% and Lazada 11%

🗣️ What Malaysians Said:

“shopee cuz it have many voucher”
 Male, 25, Chinese, Selangor

“Tiktok shop. Shopee. Lazada. Kedai yang menawarkan jualan secara online.”
Female, 44, Malay, Kuala Lumpur

“TikTok amat menjadi perhatian ramai menerusi perkhidmatan yang diberikan penghantaran percuma seluruh Malaysia”
Female, 28, Malay, Johor

🧠 Why It Matters:

Malaysians are loyal to platforms, not brand sites. If you’re not on Shopee, TikTok Shop, or Lazada, you’re missing where the action happens.

👉 Marketplace presence is non-negotiable for brand visibility.

⚡Action Steps:

  • Optimize your Shopee, TikTok Shop, and Lazada listings.

  • Leverage Shopee Live / TikTok Live campaigns.

  • Mirror marketplace deals on brand-owned channels.



9. Food Is Still an Offline Habit

Key Stat:
78% buy food and beverages in-store, compared to 48% who order online.

🗣️ What Malaysians Said:

“I always go to store to find food because for me the food need to be check before buying”
 Male, 26, Chinese, Selangor

“like clothes i can directly test the size in the fitting room. then something like groceries or food such as a new instant noodle flavour i can try it from the promoter”
Male, 27, Indian, Kuala Lumpur

🧠 Why It Matters:

Food is cultural and social. Eating out or shopping for food in person is deeply embedded in Malaysian consumer behavior.

👉 Food remains one of the strongest offline-first categories.

⚡Action Steps:

  • F&B: elevate dine-in atmosphere.

  • Use digital vouchers to pull customers into outlets.



10. Product Interaction Still Wins In-Store

Key Stat:
29% value hands-on product interaction most when shopping in-store, while 16% say customer service is their top priority.

🗣️ What Malaysians Said:

“Great explaination regarding products from the promoter”
 Male, 26, Chinese, Selangor

“Easy to navigate. Helpful staff to direct me what im looking for”
Male, 27, Indian, Kuala Lumpur

“good service，good quality，good explanation”
Female, 30, Malay, Kuala Lumpur

“Adanya promoter yang melayan untuk mendapatkan tentang kebaikan produk dan cara menggunakannya”
Female, 28, Malay, Pahang

🧠 Why It Matters:

Shoppers still crave tactile experiences such as touching, trying, or testing products before buying. Good service supports the decision, but product interaction is what draws people to the store first.

👉 Great service and hands-on product interaction are advantages e-commerce cannot replicate.

⚡Action Steps:

  • Create engaging try-before-you-buy displays and demo stations.

  • Train staff to enhance these interactions with useful guidance.

  • Use in-store events to showcase products that benefit from hands-on experience.



Your Next Steps: The Marketer’s Checklist

✅ Be present across both online and offline (40% shop equally across channels)

✅ Keep campaigns active and refreshed year-round.

✅ Tailor strategy to category (fashion online, groceries offline)

✅ Play to each channel’s strength (price vs experience)

✅ Ensure your store is discoverable online

✅ Optimize Shopee, TikTok Shop, and Lazada presence

✅ Leverage social media for impulse buys

✅ Train staff to deliver service as a differentiator



Ready to turn these insights into action?

Apply these findings to your next retail sales campaign and see how a data-driven, audience-first approach can elevate results. Whether you’re planning promotions, designing in-store experiences, or refining e-commerce messaging, Vase.ai helps you test and validate your strategy with real-time feedback before launch.

 The dashboard is only accessible via laptop or desktop.



 Malaysian Shopping Habits: Your Key Questions Answered
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