Matrade and Amazon sign Memorandum of Understanding to empower Malaysia SMEs to go global

• MoU will enhance, expand both parties’ collaboration which began in 2021
• SMEs will gain the support needed to seize cross-border opportunities as Amazon sellers

The Malaysia External Trade Development Corporation (Matrade) and Amazon have announced a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) to bolster the export capabilities of small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) in Malaysia.

Under the agreement, both parties will launch the “Go Global with Amazon and Matrade” initiative, helping Malaysian brand owners and sellers seize cross-border business opportunities with Amazon Global Selling. This program helps businesses launch globally, build international brands, and reach Amazon’s hundreds of millions of active customer accounts worldwide.

Amazon Global Selling helps businesses from anywhere in the world to launch a global business, build international brands and reach Amazon’s hundreds of millions of worldwide active customer accounts.

Matrade and Amazon will collaborate to raise awareness and provide essential knowledge about cross-border e-commerce to Malaysian brand owners and sellers. Amazon Global Selling will share insights and expertise, facilitate training workshops, and guide businesses through the Amazon seller journey, including account registration, product preparation, listing, shipping, advertising, and more.

They will also showcase success stories of Malaysian sellers in U.S. and EU stores to inspire other local businesses. Additionally, Matrade will promote Amazon Global Selling's training activities to relevant local entities, including businesses, authorities, and business associations, to foster greater participation.

According to the parties, the MoU will strengthen and open new opportunities for Matrade and Amazon’s collaboration which first started in 2021. The latest joint initiative took place in April 2024 in Kuala Lumpur and consisted of an in-person seller workshop which saw strong participation from Malaysia sellers.

"We are thrilled to partner with Amazon in our efforts to empower Malaysian SMEs in international markets," said Reezal Merican Naina Merican, Matrade chairman. He added that this MoU highlights the agency’s commitment to helping businesses leverage e-commerce in expanding their global footprint. 

“Together with Amazon, we aim to provide Malaysian SMEs with the essential tools, knowledge, and support to succeed in today's competitive global marketplace," Reezal said.

Meanwhile, Anand Palit, head of Amazon Global Selling in Southeast Asia, said, "We are strengthening our collaboration with Matrade to empower Malaysian SMEs to leverage Amazon's global reach. We are observing a growing interest from Malaysian sellers to sell overseas with Amazon. In fact, the number of new Malaysia sellers selling their products overseas through Amazon Global Selling nearly doubled in the January-April 2024 period compared to the same period the year before.” 

He added that the MoU with Matrade will provide Malaysia brand owners with the knowledge, resources, and support they need to seize cross-border business opportunities as Amazon sellers.

Amazon continues to invest in logistics, tools, services, programmes, and people to foster the growth of sellers’ businesses worldwide. The firm claims that more than 60% of sales in its store come from independent sellers, most of which are small and medium-sized businesses. 

To date, the company has 23 stores globally and can ship products to customers in over 200 countries and territories.