It started with a lipstick.
My niece stumbled across a TikTok showing a color-changing lip tint. No celebrity. No ad agency polish. Just a girl with a bare face and a natural demo. In 15 seconds, the product had her attention. By the end of the day, she’d clicked “buy.”
That small moment reflects a much larger shift: TikTok is no longer just a platform for entertainment. It’s a shopping engine, where discovery, validation, and conversion happen in a single scroll.
To better understand this phenomenon, we surveyed 423 Malaysians in our latest Vase.ai study. What we found is a wake-up call for marketers targeting digital-first audiences: Malaysians aren't just watching, they're buying.
👉 Explore the full survey dashboard here to dive deeper into the data behind these insights.
Questions we asked in this survey:
- Which of the following social media platforms do you currently use?
- How often do you use each of the following social media platforms?
- In the past 3 months, have you purchased any products after seeing them on TikTok (including ads, influencer posts, or user content)?
- What product(s) did you purchase after seeing it on TikTok?
- What influenced you to purchase the product(s) you saw on TikTok?
- What were the reasons you chose not to make a purchase after seeing a product on TikTok?
- Where did you purchase the product(s) you saw on TikTok?
- What would make you feel more confident when deciding to purchase a product you see on TikTok?
Here's What We'll Cover:
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1. TikTok Is Driving Real Purchases in Malaysia
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2. TikTok Shop Is Dominating the Checkout Experience
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3. What Malaysians Are Buying and Why Visual Products Win
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4. Price and Promotions Are the Biggest Conversion Triggers
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5. Why Some Users Don’t Buy (And How to Win Them Over)
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6. Trust Signals and Reviews Make or Break the Sale
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Your Next Steps: The Marketer’s Checklist
1. TikTok Is Driving Real Purchases in Malaysia
Key Stat:
87% of TikTok users purchased a product after seeing it on the app in the past 3 months.
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68% purchased multiple products
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19% purchased one product
🗣️ What Malaysians Said:
“Host live pengaruh untuk beli”
Female, 22, Malay, Perak
“Affordable price & user friendly”
Male, 27, Indian, Negeri Sembilan
“Nampak menarik dan memang tengah mencari”
Female, 24, Malay, Kuala Lumpur
“Most viral product”
Female, 25, Chinese, Sarawak
🧠 Why It Matters:
TikTok has collapsed the marketing funnel. For many Malaysians, the entire purchase journey from discovery to checkout happens in a single swipe.
⚡Action Steps:
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Allocate performance-driven ad budgets to TikTok.
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Use TikTok Shop or direct links for seamless purchases.
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Track ROI using conversion metrics, not just impressions.
2. TikTok Shop Is Dominating the Checkout Experience
Key Stat:
89% of TikTok-driven purchases happen through TikTok Shop.
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40% via Shopee or Lazada
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25% on brand websites
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12% in physical stores
🗣️ What Malaysians Said:
“An influencer I know is promoting that products and most people have a positive review on it”
Female, 21, Malay, Selangor
“Cheaper during live and you can find out about the products on the spot”
Male, 24, Malay, Kuala Lumpur
“Some product introduce by famous influencer”
Female, 25, Chinese, Penang
“The high demand purchase and the influencer explained very detail about the product”
Female, 23, Malay, Johor
🧠 Why It Matters:
TikTok isn’t just creating demand; it’s capturing transactions inside its ecosystem, reducing friction and increasing impulse buys.
⚡Action Steps:
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Set up and optimize your TikTok Shop listings with clear visuals, pricing, and reviews.
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Test Live Shopping sessions for urgency-driven conversions.
3. What’s in Their Cart? Top TikTok Buys Malaysians Can’t Resist
Key Stat:
Top TikTok purchase categories:
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Clothing: 33%
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Skincare & Beauty: 21%
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Food & Beverages: 21%
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Household Items: 14%
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Electronics & Gadgets: 14%
🗣️ What Malaysians Said:
“Skin care Makeup Hijab shawl Kitchen and home accessories Food/Beverage Sports accessories”
Female, 21, Malay, Selangor
“I have purchased racket, watch, clothes”
Male, 24, Malay, Kuala Lumpur
“Household, perfume, Pampers, clothes, foods, many more”
Female, 25, Chinese, Penang
“I purchase sports shoes and other sporting equipments to go for gym or other outdoor activities”
Female, 23, Malay, Johor
🧠 Why It Matters:
Fashion and beauty dominate TikTok because they’re highly visual and easy to demonstrate in short videos. But here’s the surprise: household products and gadgets are rising fast, signaling growing consumer trust in TikTok for higher-value purchases. This means marketers in FMCG, electronics, and lifestyle categories now have a huge window of opportunity.
⚡Action Steps:
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Produce authentic product demos, unboxing videos, and trend-driven hauls.
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Collaborate with creators who reflect your audience’s lifestyle for credibility.
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Showcase texture, durability, and ease-of-use in content to boost trust and conversions.
4. Price and Promotions Are the Biggest Conversion Triggers
Key Stat:
40% of TikTok shoppers bought because of low prices.
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15% cited reviews
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12% credited ads or videos
🗣️ What Malaysians Said:
“Cheaper during live n u can find out about d products on d spot”
Male, 35, Indian, Selangor
“Harga mampu milik dari tempat lain”
Female, 28, Malay, Kuala Lumpur
“Because theres no thing i want to purchase on tiktok”
Male, 25, Sabah
“Low prices, good rating and review, many voucher and promotions”
Female, 27, Selangor
🧠 Why It Matters:
Affordability is the strongest purchase driver but price alone isn’t enough. Consumers look for context, social proof, or a trusted source to justify even a small spend.
⚡Action Steps:
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Make price visible using captions, overlays, or pinned comments.
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Pair offers with authentic product demos or testimonials.
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Use keywords like “under RM30,” “budget-friendly,” “viral deal.”
5. Why Some Users Don’t Buy on TikTok (And How to Win Them Over)
Key Stat:
Top reasons Malaysians didn’t purchase:
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21% said they didn’t need the product
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19% preferred other platforms
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14% had concerns about product quality
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Only 10% cited lack of trust
🗣️ What Malaysians Said:
“Saya lebih suka beli di shopee. Walaupun melihat nya di tiktok. Tapi untuk buku saya prefer TikTok”
Female, 22, Malay, Selangor
“Looked good on TikTok, but I wasn’t sure about the quality and ended up forgetting about it.”
Male, 27, Indian, Kuala Lumpur
“Have friends who had bad experiences of such purchases - sub-standard goods, not meeting advertised specifications”
Female, 24, Chinese, Kuala Lumpur
“Because there's no thing I want to purchase on tiktok”
Male, 27, Chinese, Sabah
🧠 Why It Matters:
Disinterest and quality concerns, not distrust are the main blockers. Some users still lean on platforms like Shopee or Lazada for perceived reliability.
⚡Action Steps:
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Frame products around needs or common pain points.
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Offer TikTok-exclusive deals to capture interest early.
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Showcase quality checks or live product tests.
6. Trust Signals and Reviews Make or Break the Sale
Key Stat:
42% of TikTok users want reviews before making a purchase.
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12% want price transparency
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12% seek security measures
🗣️ What Malaysians Said:
“Credibility of the seller, if they are verified like Shopee Mall or LazMall”
Female, 28, Chinese, Selangor
“By reading user comments who have purchased and use it before me.”
Female, 27, Indian, Kuala Lumpur
“Verified by users and have true real reviews”
Female, 24, Chinese, Penang
“Keselamatan terhadap pulangan kembali wang”
Male, 27, Malay, Selangor
🧠 Why It Matters:
Even on an impulse-driven platform, authenticity and credibility are deal-breakers. Reviews outperform flashy ads when it comes to building confidence.
⚡Action Steps:
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Leverage UGC campaigns featuring real customers.
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Partner with trusted micro-influencers for genuine product demos.
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Clearly display return policies and verified seller badges.
