Chapter 3

E-Commerce in Entrepreneurship
Introduction
 The eUsahawan Program aims to apply digital entrepreneurship values and
knowledge to micro, rural and youth entrepreneurs for income generation,
marketing of products and increasing sales.
 The initiative was implemented by embedding/applying the digital
entrepreneurship curriculum into the learning and training at Technical
Vocational Education Training (TVET) and Higher Education Institutes (HEIs)
and short courses conducted in specific areas nationwide.
 The e-Usahawan Program is a hands-on course using the syllabus developed
by MDEC and industry players and is recognised by the accredition body,
Ofqual United Kingdom.
Background
 In addition, e-Usahawan is available as an interactive online learning program
in providing an alternative for participants who have no access, time or
finances to attend the courses.
 The role of the Digital Economy as a driver of national development is
growing due to the speed of globalisation driven by the increasing use of new
technologies.
 As an agency under the Ministry of Communications and Multimedia,Malaysia,
Malaysia Digital Economy Corporation (MDEC) has been mandated to
spearhead the nation’s digital economy.
 The field of Micro entrepreneurship is one of the drivers of national economy,
contributing 37% to the nation’s GDP.
 To accelerate the activities of micro, small and medium entrepreneurs, digital
entrepreneurship development is needed as a catalyst to increase marketing and
sales.
 As the driver of the nation’s digital economy, MDEC initiated the
entrepreneurship Digital Program e-Usahawan, under the 11th Malaysian Plan
(RMK-11), to be implemented nationwide involving youths, micro entrepreneurs
and the B40 groups.
Objective
 eUsahawan is a joint initiative between MDEC and the government to assist
Malaysian youths and micro entrepreneurs by exposing them to digital
entrepreneurship.
 The objective of this program is to create awareness of the effectiveness of
digital entrepreneurship training programs in developing micro entrepreneurs and
small and medium enterprises as indicated by the increase in sales in the online
sales report.
Integrating eUsahawan Curriculum into Higher Education Institutes and
Vocational Schools:
 Program eUsahawan has been streamlined to become part of the entrepreneurship
curriculum in more than 24 higher learning institutions (TVET and HEIs), which
involves Training of Trainers (TOT) and development of resource persons (CPD)
programs, practical training in digital entrepreneurhip and monitoring students’
performance plus Accelerated courses for students with potential. Generally
speaking, the implementation of e-Entrepreneurship programs in HEIs and TVET
throughout 2015 – 2018 has recorded the following achievements:
 131,561 students have been trained
 56,269 students reported increased online sales
 RM 47.67 milllion additional online sales was reported
 To ensure entrepreneurs are always ready to face challenges posed by the digital
economy and assist them in meeting their business demands , MDEC has provided
an online platform with tools such as online profiling, entrepreneur learning,
managed services recommendations and business networking opportunities.

 There are altogether 58 readily available entrepreneur digital buildings providing

unlimited access. Future plans involve integration of this platform with other
agencies such as SIRIM, SSM and MATRADE to further add value to the online e-
business platform.
The usage of social media in e-commerce

1. Facebook (creating a business page)

 Use a general name, company name or brand.
 Advertisement is a MUST! It will ensures your products are known by the prospect
buyers/consumers in the country.
 To increase the marketing strategies, business owner could implemented Paid
advertisement, to ensures that the post will be seen by the targeted audience that
has been preset/customized.
 Entrepreneurs need to set aside a certain amount of budget.
 Advertisement can be include as:
i. Multi-products Ads (Carousel).
ii. Offer Ads (exm: Sephora-discount code/barcode).
iii. Videos Ads (Mc Donald’s video of Ayam Goreng McD).
2. Instagram
 Creating Instagram Business Account
 Objectives
i. Showcase your product and services
ii. Build your community
iii. Increase awareness for your brand
iv. Showcase your company’s culture and values
v. Advertise to potential customers
vi. Increase brand loyalty
vii. Share news and updates
Types of Instagram Posts
i. Photo
ii. Instagram Stories (Temporary/ 24 hours)
iii. Video (until 60 seconds)
iv. Video-IGTV (until 60 minutes)
How to gain more followers on Instagram?
 Run a contest to increase awareness.
 Repost customer’s post especially if it is related to your product.
 Schedule posting so that followers can anticipate the next post and look forward
to it.
 Follow competitors’ accounts and study their followers.
 Use the Tags function to find related and trendy topics that you can use
(hashtags).
 Work with influencers and come out with a collaborative post to get attention
from more followers.
3. Website
Types of website content:
 A website can be a useful tool for business, but how can you determine the
type of website that is suitable and relevant for your business?
 There are several categories of website contents:
i. Static (Non Editable)
 A basic and one-off website that is non-editable. It cannot be updated once it is
uploaded.
 Internet users can access the information but the business transaction happens
offline or through social media.
 The content may include Homepage, About Us, Product, Service, Gallery,
Location and Contact Information.
 The focus of static website is to promote the company, brand, product or
service. In essence, it serves as a business card.
Advantage of Static Website
 Cheaper.
 Loads faster.
 More Secure.

Disadvantage of Static Website

 Difficult to update if changes occur
 Limited technical functions: examples number of user comments, shopping
carts, and payment gateway.
ii. Dynamic and Interactive (Editable)
 Edited and updated in real time by the administrator using Content Management
System (CMS).
 The focuses are:
i. Company Brand, Product, Service, Promotions.
ii. Reporting the Lates Progress.
iii. Content Updates.
 Examples: Fashion valet, Lazada, Shopee.

Advantages of Dynamic and Interactive Editable:

 More advance functions and plugins.
 Updates are easy.
 New content will make your website interesting and attract more readers.
Disadvantages of Dynamic and Interactive Website
 More costly.
 Longer loading time.
 Web security issues.
Advantages of Using a Website for Business
i. Increase Credibility
Prospects use search engine to surf the internet and the search result will connect
them to your website. Possessing a website increases the business credibility in a
professional manner.
ii. Cost Effective
Website can reduce the marketing cost and reach a wider audience.
iii. Updated information
Product and service information can be updated within a short time, systematically
organized and assist users to find the information they need.
iv. 24/7 Operation
Website serves as a 24/7 online store which enables your customers to
search and purchase things online, anytime, anywhere.

v. Global Market
Your business will become global. Allows you to focus on catering to different
business criteria and customer needs. Shipping should also be quick.

vi. Ease of Communication

Entrepreneurs can gather database of prospects and customers that register
on their website. Some websites also provide comments, chat and FAQ
sections for easy communication.