Shopee vs. Lazada: A battle of Titans for e-commerce supremacy in South-East Asia

How did Shopee – a small e-commerce player launched in 2015 – overtake its historic rival Lazada in just a few years to average 281 million visits a month and become the most valuable company in South East Asia in 2021? CEO Forrest Li followed a bold two-sided digital marketing strategy that won over sellers (B2B) and users (B2C). What differentiated Shopee from Lazada was its intensive data-driven approach that powered greater customer intimacy and its local, experience-driven branding efforts. Stepping into Li’s shoes, students learn the essentials of a e-commerce strategy, from platform design to marketing strategy and tactics, operations and organizational choices supporting Shopee’s relationship with its customers.

1)E-commerce strategy: a) How to create a trusted brand in the e-commerce space b) How to formulate a digital marketing strategy that supports the online marketplace c) How to leverage data to acquire/retain customers through personalisation, customer intimacy and superior product relevance d) How to monetize online traffic 2)The importance of local roots in building a brand: a) Can being local be a point of differentiation for an e-commerce player? b) How to mix local and global considerations – from choice of suppliers to ad strategy – to foster trust in the brand and raise conversion rates c) How to leverage social-commerce, community marketing, gamification and word-of-mouth to create local relevance and brand effectiveness 3)Customer centricity a) How platform design choices can trigger customer satisfaction (B2C and B2B) b) The role of social commerce and shoppertainment in driving greater net promoter score (B2C) c) How marketing education can help e-commerce generate trust among sellers (B2B)? d) The kind of organisation (roles, incentives, operations) that best supports an effective e-commerce strategy