KUALA LUMPUR – TikTok Shop Malaysia’s #JomLokal campaign has driven a 140 per cent year-on-year sales growth for local micro, small, and medium enterprises (MSMEs) during this year’s 9.9 campaign, performing more than 3.5 times faster than the platform average.
This surge aligns with a broader shift in consumer behaviour, as approximately 58 per cent of TikTok users in Malaysia indicate a preference for supporting local businesses as discovery commerce continues to empower local sellers by connecting them with nationwide shoppers through engaging videos and live streams rather than traditional searches.
TikTok Shop Malaysia Strategic Partnerships Senior Director Nur Azre Abdul Aziz highlighted the ongoing commitment to support local entrepreneurs the event brought together digital creators to explore emerging trends and consumer insights surrounding the "buy local" sentiment in Malaysia.
“ #JomLokal was built to help MSMEs turn that support into sustainable growth, featuring tailored seller education and tools that make selling easier at every stage of business,” said Azre.
Through discovery commerce, a small business can now reach shoppers nationwide and the focus remains on lowering barriers so more local entrepreneurs can build lasting businesses online.
Not only that, the live feature has increasingly transformed into a digital shopfront where merchants can interact with consumers in real time.
Nearly 60 per cent of TikTok Shop users in Malaysia now designate live as their preferred method of shopping because it allows them to watch demonstrations and ask questions immediately.
Azre noted that Malaysians love live features because they can make decisions in real time, watching products being demonstrated and asking sellers questions directly.
“Shoppers are not just buying an item, but are getting to know the business behind it,” explained Azre.
Creator partnerships are playing a pivotal role in driving revenue, with creator-driven sales on the platform nearly doubling year on year.
“For local sellers, this offers something a product listing cannot provide, which is the chance to show who they are,” explained Azre.
Highlighting real-world success, Azre shared four seller personas who illustrate how rural entrepreneurs are scaling through structured digital support.
The first persona is Rizal Abdullah of Sanggar Collection in Pahang, who transformed his traditional batik business after joining the Programme Promising Online incubation programme, multiplying his sales 30 times within three months by discovering interactive storytelling.
The second persona is a fruit farmer from Batu Pahat, Johor, who scaled her orchard business by interacting in real time via live streams, answering customer questions about fruit ripeness to grow her sales 5-fold and boost orders from 600 to 3,200.
The third persona is Emaliana Ramli of Adhwa Baby Food in Besut, Terengganu, who expanded her organic baby food business during a 3-month incubation with Yayasan Pembangunan Usahawan Terengganu (YPU), increasing her short-video and live stream output to double her sales to over RM115,235 and grow orders from around 6,000 to more than 13,000.
The fourth persona is Siti Sya’erah, who launched hijab brand Qaysaa from her home in Mentakab, Pahang, and successfully expanded into a physical boutique after leveraging local creator partnerships, which now drive 89 per cent of her sales growth on the platform.
Azre emphasised that when content, trust, and conversion happen in the same place, first-time buyers become loyal customers, making live features powerful for micro, small, and medium enterprise growth.
Strategic partnerships with government ministries and agencies, including the Domestic Trade and Cost of Living Ministry (KPDN), Entrepreneur and Cooperatives Development Ministry (Kuskop), National Information Dissemination Centre (Nadi), Terengganu Entrepreneur Development Foundation (YPU) and the National Entrepreneurs Group Economic Fund (Tekun Nasional) have facilitated incubation and training programmes for over 154,000 sellers and creators across Malaysia in 2026.
TikTok Shop has also committed up to RM250 million this year to support 400,000 local sellers and creators through shipping rebates, vouchers, and visibility initiatives.
Collaborative cost-of-living initiatives such as Ihsan Rahmah have also helped families save significantly on everyday essentials while boosting orders for local merchants.
Looking ahead, the upcoming year-end shopping seasons of 11.11 and 12.12 are expected to generate even greater sales momentum for local enterprises.
“The platform's role is to ensure they head into it with the tools and support to make the most of it, keeping growth directed back into the sellers and shoppers who make it possible,” said Azre.
Concluding on the upcoming seasonal outlook, Azre noted that the year-end season is when many local businesses make their most important sales of the year.
The details were shared during Jom Borak by TikTok Shop, an exclusive sharing held at KL Eco City today.