Premia TNC Singapore Team
Author
On March 24, 2025, the Shopee Brands Summit 2025, a major e-commerce event that will provide insight into the future of Southeast Asia’s e-commerce market, was successfully held in Singapore.
Hosted by Shopee headquarters, this event was attended by over 1,600 brand executives, marketers, and platform experts from six Southeast Asian countries and around the world. They shared strategies, innovative technologies, and brand operation insights for the era of smart consumers. Beyond simply announcing platform updates, the summit provided practical insights for sellers working across borders, encompassing rapidly changing consumer behavior, AI-based data marketing, and the future direction of cross-border selling strategies.
In particular, the importance of a Southeast Asian hub strategy centered around Singapore was emphasized in many sessions, providing significant implications for sellers seeking to enter major ASEAN markets such as Malaysia and Indonesia.
Shopee’s Strategy for Leading the Smart Shopping Era
Shopee, Southeast Asia’s e-commerce leader, through this summit presented three core strategies to address rapidly evolving consumer trends and technological advancements. These strategies are considered a practical guide for cross-border sellers, offering them a clear path to survival and growth in the Southeast Asian market.
1. Refining Consumer Targeting via Data
Shopee is strengthening its ultra-personalization recommendation algorithm based on consumer data from each Southeast Asian country. This goes beyond simply displaying products and analyzes the entire consumer purchasing journey, directly contributing to improving conversion rates.
For instance, based on data showing that women in their 20s in the Philippines have a high click-through rate for fashion products and a high mobile app access rate on weekend evenings. This translates to sellers being able to dynamically configure promotions and optimize ad targets based on that timing.
This precision targeting capability is the platform’s competitive edge and a key foundation for sellers to accelerate growth.
2. Evolution of AI-Based Marketing Automation Tools
Shopee is advancing various AI-based marketing tools to maximize marketing efficiency while reducing the operational burden on sellers. This pertains to:
- Shopee Ads: Automated ad budget allocation, efficient keyword recommendations, and campaign performance analysis.
- CRM Solution: Enhanced features to encourage repeat visits, including sending post-purchase messages, retargeting abandoned cart customers, and providing customized coupons.
- AI Review Management: Analyze customer feedback to improve products and automate responses.
This allows sellers to dedicate more strategic time by automating marketing, customer service, and operations, making it a core toolset for operational efficiency. This would be particularly valuable for cross-border sellers with small teams of just 1 to 3 employees.
3. Comprehensive Strengthening of Localization Strategies
At this summit, the importance of a “local optimization strategy” tailored to each country’s consumer culture and market expectations was reemphasized, along with the declaration that “the era of targeting the entire ASEAN with a single message is over.” Some of these strategies would include:
- Language and Expression Optimization: Content that reflects cultural resonance, not simple translation, is needed.
- Pricing Policy Localization: Dynamic pricing strategies that take into account purchasing power and discount expectations in each country.
- Differentiating Logistics and Delivery Options: For example, Malaysia prefers COD (cash on delivery), while Singapore prefers fast delivery.
- Promotional Customization: Plans optimized for national holidays/shopping seasons (Ramadan, Single’s Day, etc.).
In other words, a shift in perception is needed to recognize that “ASEAN is not one market, but six or more different markets,” and that only sellers capable of this multi-layered approach can secure a true competitive advantage.
These three strategies go beyond the direction of the Shopee platform and are essential for cross-border sellers to achieve sustainable growth in Southeast Asia.
Why This Year’s Shopee Summit Matters for Cross-Border Sellers
Beyond simply introducing platform changes, Shopee Summit 2025 reaffirmed Singapore’s importance as a strategic base for conquering the ASEAN market. For cross-border sellers, Singapore is more than just a place to register a business. Here are some key points to take into consideration.
1. Singapore is a Practical and Efficient Hub for Entering ASEAN
Singapore, a region where the core infrastructure of Southeast Asia’s e-commerce is concentrated, possesses an integrated infrastructure that can support the entire e-commerce process, including logistics, customs clearance, taxation, and electronic payments, and functions as a key operational hub for major platform seller centers such as Shopee, Lazada, TikTok Shop, and Amazon.sg.
A “One Hub, Multi-Market” strategy is feasible by establishing a single legal entity in Singapore, which allows for integrated management of seller registration and product operations in key ASEAN countries, including Malaysia, Indonesia, and the Philippines. This provides significant cost-efficiency and risk diversification benefits, especially for small and medium-sized sellers in the early expansion stages.
Cross-border logistics optimization Singapore-based sellers have priority access to cross-border logistics services provided by Shopee and major platforms, such as Fulfillment by Shopee (FBS) and Fulfilled by Lazada (FBL), which helps them achieve faster delivery and secure local consumer trust.
2. Trust and Connectivity with a Singapore Corporation
Country credibility is a powerful weapon in platform screening and store entry competitiveness. When dealing with global platforms or B2B buyers, a corporate name from Hong Kong, Singapore, or Japan symbolizes quality, stability, and trust. Singapore, in particular, is positively evaluated for its transparent legal system, tax stability, and financial reliability, contributing to building brand trust.
At this summit, Shopee emphasized building brand trust and operating based on ESG (Environmental, Social, and Governance) principles to address shifting consumer behavior. This demonstrates that these are not short-term trends but rather core criteria for evaluating store openings and brand partnerships.
A prerequisite for expanding B2B and wholesale partnerships is whether working with a global distribution network or wholesale distributors, determining where your headquarters is located is the first step to unlocking partnerships. A Singaporean subsidiary is a crucial asset for cross-border sellers expanding beyond simple retail into wholesale and B2B transactions.
Key Points Cross-Border Sellers Should Strategically Utilize
Strategy Points | Opportunity for Sellers |
Data-driven consumer analytics | Leverage Shopee’s sophisticated consumer data to design targeted marketing campaigns. |
Cross-border operations through a Singapore corporation | Covering the entire ASEAN region under one entity. Integrated management of logistics, taxation, advertising, and seller registration. |
Emphasize brand image and sustainability | Increase brand trust through eco-friendly packaging that meets ESG requirements and regionally tailored marketing strategies. |
Rapid response to platform policy changes | Register as a Singapore Seller to gain priority access to new features and promotions, and proactively respond to platform policy changes. |
Deciding on the Operational Base Strategy
This year’s Shopee Brands Summit 2025 delivered more than just a rundown of trends, as it sent a clear signal about the future direction of the e-commerce ecosystem. The focus is shifting from asking, “Where should I sell to succeed?” to the more strategic question, “Where should I establish my global operational base?”
Sellers now need to prioritize where they anchor their operations to drive sustainable growth and long-term competitiveness.
Establishing a Singapore corporation is not just about having an address but about having a strategic base for Southeast Asian expansion. Singapore offers brand trust, efficient distribution, and legal stability, making it the hub where cross-border sellers build lasting growth.
Premia TNC Singapore Team
Author
Premia TNC Singapore is a dynamic team of experts dedicated to supporting businesses and entrepreneurs as they establish, manage, and grow their presence in Singapore and across the region. Premia TNC Singapore specializes in providing tailored corporate services, from company incorporation and compliance to tax planning and accounting. With our extensive experience and deep understanding of the local regulatory environment, we are here to make business operations smoother and more efficient.
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