The biggest e-commerce in Asia in 2025 is powered by Shopee and Lazada, Tik Tok Shop, and Tokopedia, and the country peculiarities force companies on where the brand has to focus. Shopee dominates the region based on the traffic and GMV because of aggressive marketing, integrated logistics and good presence in Indonesia, Vietnam, Thailand, Malaysia, Singapore and Philippines.
Lazada has a strong number-two position in general. Its advantages are Alibaba-supported cross-border supply, performance ads, and LEX logistics- good in official shops and brand management. LazMall is also operated by many mid to large brands to strike a balance between reach and presentation in cooperation with Shopee.
Tik Tok shop has soared through shoppertainment- short video discovery, live selling and in-app checkout. It dominates in terms of beauty and fashion, impulse and compresses the gap between the attention to purchase. Influencers, and members, are at their core, and therefore the quality of content rhythm and live format are as significant as the cost. As the platform evolves, brands and creators are also exploring AI Courses for Retail & E-Commerce in 2025 to better understand consumer behavior, optimize content strategies, and enhance live-selling experiences.
Indonesia is the key outlier. Tokopedia is also highly embedded and on incorporation of Tik Tok, it incorporates content and checkout to reach domestic areas with a lot of power. A functional Indonesia stack combines Tokopedia with Shopee, followed by the addition of Tik Tok Shop to create demand.
The Shopee is the first, followed by Lazada, and Tik Tok Shop is quickly increasing in popularity among younger customers in Thailand. The same hierarchy is followed by Malaysia, Vietnam, and the Philippines, where Shopee is followed by Lazada, and Tik Tok Shop operates at a faster pace via creators and frequent live campaigns. Singapore is more divided: Shopee is leading in mass categories, Lazada is competing in branded retail, Amazon has a niche fund with Prime convenience.
Execution tips
- Scale Go multi-platform Shopee: the first, Lazada: the second, Tik Tok Shop: quick experiments and exploration.
- Market-specific: Launch Tokopedia in Indonesia; retain Thailand and Vietnam creator pipelines.
- Inventory ahead of mega-events (9.912.12): organise paid, vouchers, free shipping, and bundles around platform logistics.
- Maximize profit and not only GMV: Monitor take-rates, returns, blend CAC, repeat rate and contribution margin across platforms.
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