A few years ago, super apps, which are basically all-in-one platforms, had been all the rage, though the hype seems to have died down a little now.
However, one app that still seems to be on the up-and-up is the Senheng App, which first launched in 2022.
Now, I know what you might be thinking. Senheng? Isn’t that a consumer electronics brand? What could their app possibly offer to the average Malaysian who isn’t an avid shopper for electronics and home appliances?
Well, the app actually goes beyond electronics. Through teaming up with various partners, it lets you buy movie tickets, shop for groceries, and play a whole range of games on the Senheng App.
Essentially, the app is a digital platform that not only extends the shopping experience of Senheng retail stores online, but one that also expands on the experience overall.
And people seem to be resonating with that. Between Q1 of 2023 to Q1 of 2024, Senheng has seen downloads for the app double. With that, the increase in the Senheng PlusOne Membership registrations has more than tripled.
At a media session with the Senheng App team, I got to witness exactly why this might be the case.
A rewarding experience
One of the key incentives of using the Senheng App is something called S-Coins, which are basically reward points.
But what’s so special about a loyalty programme?
It comes down to how the points can be earned, and how they can be used.
You can earn points, of course, by shopping from Senheng’s vast range of products and services, which includes groceries, fashion, homeware, or even entertainment tickets as well as mobile and game reloads. The app currently has over 30,000 SKUs across 16 categories—and that number will only increase going forward.
On top of that, points can be earned by playing S-Games. Comprising various mini games, the S-Games was honestly quite addictive and engaging when I gave them a go.
There’s also something called S-Livestream, which as its name suggests, facilitates livestreams and community engagement.
The S-Coins can then be redeemed for discounts on a wide range of products and services. 100 S-Coins is equivalent to RM1. The team repeatedly emphasised that this rate is something they are committed to and will do their best not to devalue the coins.
However, in order to actually redeem the S-Coins, you’ll need to become a paid PlusOne member. That means you can continue to earn points as a free member, but in order to make good on those S-Coins, you need to pay a membership fee.
There are a few different tiers of memberships available, starting from a 2+2 year membership at RM24.
The friction right now is that you need to visit a physical Senheng store in order to sign up to be a paying member. However, the Senheng team told Vulcan Post that users should be able to apply online by Q3 this year, making the process more seamless than ever.
Not an ecommerce app, but a lifestyle one
But how does Senheng intend to compete with giants like Shopee and Lazada?
To that end, the team pointed out that they serve different purposes. Where Shopee and Lazada serve as marketplaces, Senheng wants to be more than an ecommerce app, but an all-in-one platform that is supported by its ecosystem of over 100 physical retail outlets.
“We have the synergy between our retail outlets and also online, so we can provide a kind of customer experience that is both online and offline, it’s like a seamless experience rather than just a purely online experience,” YY Lim, the Chief Marketing Officer at Senheng App, said.
And Senheng only aims to continue growing the ecosystem going forward.
Sharing about their plans, Senheng said that they will be adding repair services to the app. That means users can easily hire service providers for various appliances, even if they weren’t purchased from Senheng.
When asked about whether Senheng aims for their app to be deemed as a super app, Lew Wai Hoong, the Chief Technology Officer, said, “Super app is a very bombastic word. For us in Senheng, we focus a lot on serving our PlusOne members, so we treat it like a lifestyle app.”
So, no, perhaps Senheng is not quite a super app, at least in the usual sense of the term. However, with all the benefits that it’s offering, we do hope to see it growing to be a superb app, giving Malaysians more bang for their buck.
Featured Image Credit: Vulcan Post
