Lazada Invites Brands and Partners to Plug into the Future of ECommerce

By: Darien Tan
Sep 12, 2023

Lazada Invites Brands and Partners to Plug into the Future of ECommerce

Significant growth potential for digital commerce in Southeast Asia and the increasing adoption of emerging technologies by brands to stay competitive were two key topics discussed at the recent LazMall Brands Future Forum (BFF) 2023.

Held at the Marina Bay Sands Expo & Convention Centre in Singapore on August 31, 2023, the fourth edition of Lazada’s annual event was attended by over 900 participants, including industry leaders, brand representatives and sellers from across Southeast Asia. Themed “Plug into the Future of eCommerce, Power Up with the LazMall Network,” the event hosted an insightful fireside chat and lively panel discussions on emerging technologies and innovations as well as various breakout sessions that delved into relevant and trending topics in the industry. Participants were also invited to experience Lazada’s cutting-edge tools through experiential booths that brought to life Lazada Sponsored Solutions, Lazada Logistics and LazMall’s Buyer Tools.

“We believe that digital commerce will continue to be a resilient key growth driver in this region and are confident that Lazada’s investments in technology and our payments and logistics infrastructure for over a decade will continue to help brands tap into future opportunities,” said Lazada Group Chief Executive Officer James Dong in his opening address, which reaffirmed the company’s confidence in Southeast Asia’s digital commerce industry. Dong also outlined Lazada’s commitment to growing a sustainable business and referenced key highlights from the company’s latest ESG Impact Report for the financial year 2023.

Jason Chen, chief business officer of Lazada Group, followed up on this confidence by underscoring the consumer appetite for engagement, innovation and technology in Southeast Asia, spelling out growth opportunities for LazMall brands.

In a fireside chat on emerging technologies and AI applications in the industry with Jeffrey Towson, managing partner of TechMoat Consulting, Lazada Group Chief Technology Officer Howard Wang revealed the launch of Lazada’s Skin Test technology, an AI-powered and augmented reality application that spans the company’s six Southeast Asian markets. With this technology, beauty enthusiasts can use their own smartphone cameras to run a skin diagnosis and receive personalized product recommendations to target their skin concerns.

The event continued with two panel discussions titled “How AI May Change Retail: Outlook to 2030” and “Leveraging the Southeast Asian eCommerce Ecosystem to Win,” where industry experts and business leaders discussed key trends, including resilient consumer behavior and the growth of cross-border commerce. They also shared insights on how brands can adapt to Southeast Asia’s diverse markets and leverage emerging technologies to stay competitive.

This year’s BFF also continued the tradition of unveiling the winners of the annual LazMall Brands Future Forum Awards. The awards recognized and celebrated a total of 24 top-performing and innovative brands, with Nike, Unilever and Samsung snagging the coveted LazMall Brand of the Year award.

Reflecting on the strong partnerships that LazMall has seen in the past year and looking ahead, Chen said: “LazMall has always been focused on enriching online shopping engagement and serving customers’ needs. All that we have achieved is made possible because of our strong collaboration.”