Kuala Lumpur, 30 Sept 2025 – Malaysian retailers are no longer just talking about being “customer-first”, they’re moving fast to make it real. At the recent Retail Summit Asia 2025, 44% of small and medium enterprise (SME) attendees committed to launching concrete, customer-focused initiatives within 30 days; a sign that loyalty, brand connection, and long-term growth are becoming top priorities.
For years, tools like unified commerce and advanced customer engagement platforms were seen as nice-to-have or future plans. That future has arrived and for many SMEs, these tools are now essentials for staying competitive.
The summit organised by EasyStore, which concluded on 25 September, brought together over 600 industry leaders, founders, and marketers to explore practical strategies for turning Unified Customer Experience (UCX) into real business growth. With AI-driven tools, connected commerce systems, and hands-on demos, the event gave SMEs tangible ways to scale now.
EasyStore General Manager Melissa Poh opened the summit by highlighting a shift away from short-term promotions toward building long-term relationships. “Growth is driven not just by sales, but by creating customers who choose you every time,” she said.
Malaysia’s retail evolution mirrors a broader Southeast Asian trend- SMEs are adopting tech-enabled strategies to create personalized, resilient, and sustainable business models. By focusing on long-term customer value, local brands are strengthening their competitiveness in an increasingly global market.
Attendees explored practical strategies to build stronger loyalty programs, unify online and offline shopping experiences, and become brands that resonate more deeply with today’s consumers. A key focus was understanding why modern shoppers expect seamless, personalized journeys, both in-store and online, and how EasyStore enables this through a single unified system.
Through product showcases and expert-led sessions, participants discovered how to transform marketing into loyalty-building using tools such as Broadcast Center and RFM segmentation. They al;so explored a full-ecosystem of solutions; from payments and logistics to cloud systems, training, and community support; to strengthen every stage of the customer journey and scale their businesses confidently.
Meanwhile, the panel discussions tackled how SMEs can empower customers as co-creators, amplify their voices through retail-ready technology, and drive omnichannel engagement with AI. Fireside chats further emphasized the role of emotional loyalty in turning everyday transactions into long-term advocacy, while main-stage demos offered actionable steps that retailers could apply immediately.
The summit was supported by Fiuu as Marquee Partner, alongside Omada by TP-Link, Ninja Van Malaysia, Alliance Bank, and SUNMI Global as Strategic Partners, providing payments, network infrastructure, logistics, and hardware solutions to help SMEs grow smarter heading into 2026. Participants left with actionable playbooks for unifying commerce, enhancing customer engagement, and applying strategies to close Q4 strong and step into 2026 fully prepared.