Calling all ecommerce entrepreneurs, the Top E-Commerce Merchant (ECM) Awards is now welcoming entries for the 2024 edition of its programme.
Now entering its ninth year, the Top ECM Awards is presented by the Selangor Information Technology and Digital Economy Corporation (Sidec) with the objective to celebrate those demonstrating excellence and innovation in the digital commerce space.
This year, the award is offering a prize pool of RM100,00 in value, including cash prizes, e-trade incentives, and comprehensive ecommerce training.
In addition to cash prizes, the Top ECM Awards provides the opportunity to gain exposure, network with industry leaders, and receive feedback from a panel of ecommerce experts.
These experts include Sidec CEO Yong Kai Ping, Nor Hidayaty Mohd Nor (SME Corp. Malaysia’s Deputy Director), Mansor Shah Wahid (Deputy CEO at MATRADE), and Zed Li (Lazada Malaysia’s COO).
Not forgetting the representatives from established brands, names like Siti Khadijah, Russell Taylors, Pop Meals, Fipper, and Applecrumby & Fish will be there too.
A comprehensive judging process
This year, the Top ECM Awards’ judging rubric will comprise of four main pillars—the online sales contest, livestream contest, business potential, and ecommerce training.
Half of the final score will come from the online sales contest.
This contest is to test merchants’ sales and marketing skills and how they may be able to creatively generate the highest sales and orders during a 60-day period of sales campaign. This year, this sales period will be conducted between March 11, 2024, to May 10, 2024.
In 2023, the award reportedly achieved sales of RM77,587,794.21 million.
Meanwhile, 15% of the score will come from the livestream contest, whereby merchants are evaluated based on the effectiveness of their livestreams in terms of marketing and promotions.
25% will come from business potential. Here,a panel of judges from the ecommerce industries will assess merchants on product innovation, platform optimisation, and strategic promotions.
In particular, they will look into five core areas—products, platforms, visibility, promotions, and business potential, which involves creativity, attractiveness, and branding.
The remaining 10% comes from the mandatory training sessions. There are three sessions in total—one for live streaming techniques, one on AI-generated content, and one for marketing campaign strategies.
How to enter
Applications for the Top ECM Awards are open from February 1, 2024, to February 29, 2024, through this link. Sidec is welcoming all entrepreneurs and business owners who have been operating online businesses from before December 2023.
Aside from basic information such as company name and contact details, applicants must also upload their SSM certificate, as well as an image of their bank statement or their total sales in an ecommerce platform dashboard.
According to the website, all shortlisted merchants will be required to make a one-time financial commitment fee of RM500. The fee will be used for administration, networking events, specialised training programs, and unique industrial visits.
If your application doesn’t make the cut, you’ll receive a full refund.
There’ll be a main briefing session held on March 1. For all the relevant dates, you can refer to this table:
| Pre-registration | January 10 – January 23, 2024 |
| Entry submission | January 24 – February 29, 2024 |
| Top ECM 2024 main briefing | March 1, 2024 (11AM to 12PM) |
| Online sales contest preparation | March 1 – March 10, 2024 |
| Panel judging period | March 18 – March 31, 2024 |
| Online sales & livestream contest, ecommerce training & industry visit | March 11 – May 10, 2024 |
| Finalising the winners | May 13 – May 17, 2024 |
| Awards Ceremony Day | May 25, 2024 (venue TBC) |
Companies that have been recognised by the Top ECM Awards in the past include Caring Pharmacy, Bayu Somerset, Ana Tomy, Shapee, and more.
Not only does Sidec’s Top ECM Award offer recognition, but its whole programme is designed to encourage growth and upskilling. That means it’s not just the winners who benefit, but all participants.
For whoever is joining, we wish you all the best!
Featured Image Credit: Sidec