Minimum delivery fee could weaken micro businesses, Mamba cautions
The association said such a move could significantly reduce online shopping activity and negatively affect local micro-entrepreneurs and the broader digital economy.
This follows a nationwide survey conducted by Mamba involving 720 online consumers, which revealed that an overwhelming 89.3 per cent of respondents do not support a higher standard minimum delivery fee. The majority of respondents prefer the lowest possible shipping cost regardless of the courier brand.
The survey also found that 93.5 per cent of respondents would likely reduce or stop online shopping if shipping prices were increased. Additionally, 59 per cent said they would buy less if a minimum delivery price was set.
Mamba secretary-general Alvin Low Wei Yan said these findings confirm what small sellers have been saying for months: that any increase in delivery charges risks pulling the brakes on Malaysia's vibrant e-commerce sector.
"We must avoid a situation where a well-meaning policy inadvertently sidelines the very micro-entrepreneurs the government is trying to uplift through the 13th Malaysia Plan (13MP)," he said in a statement.
"When shipping costs go up, the first to be affected are price-sensitive consumers and the small online sellers who rely on them. This directly undermines digital participation and income growth among micro and boutique sellers—the very groups the 13MP aims to support."
The survey also found that about 80.6 per cent of consumers prefer the lowest possible shipping cost, and 82.9 per cent do not have a preferred courier and are only concerned about shipping prices.
About 55.3 per cent of respondents find current shipping prices reasonable, while 92.8 per cent said they would not pay extra for better and faster courier service.
Mamba is calling for engagement with industry stakeholders to ensure any delivery pricing reforms are equitable, data-driven, and do not create unnecessary barriers for small sellers or their customers.
Low said that the conversation around delivery fees must not lose sight of consumer realities and seller sustainability, in line with the nation's push for digital growth and small and medium enterprise development.
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