A study was conducted by AC Nielsen Research recently indicated that Malaysians were embracing the online marketplace as a platform for entrepreneurship and selling to the world.

The study aims to better understand the demographics and trading patterns of eBay users in South-East Asia, namely in the Singapore, Malaysia and Philippines market.

About 41 percent of all eBay sellers in Malaysia considered themselves serious, either in actively sourcing for products to sell or as a primary source of income in using the online marketplace.

Malaysians are a timid and conservative lot when comes to doing things online. Compared to a couple of years ago, the number of Malaysians selling and buying online has increased considerably. From my observations, it must be due to:

1. More internet success stories than before. Without these real life scenarios, people will find it hard to trust to do something which is deemed not proven.

2. Shorter learning curve. There are a great many information out there from blogs and websites. There’s even eBay Certified Education Specialist near you and a number of experts who claimed they can teach you their secrets.

3. Easier withdrawal alternatives. With Paypal introducing the ability to withdraw from a local debit or credit card, most Malaysians concerns are solved.

4. Cheaper, faster and even free internet connection. You could even enjoy a cup of Starbucks Frappucino while you check your emails or upload your listings.

5. And last but not least, it must be the cheap airline ticket fares from Air Asia. Air tickets don’t costs a bomb anymore. You can easily book a couple of tickets and fly to neighbouring countries where resources are vast and cheap.