Southeast Asia’s largest online marketplaces collectively reach over 400 million active internet users. For brand founders, this is not a future opportunity. It is a present one, and the brands moving now are already building the sales history, reviews, and platform ranking that will be very difficult to compete against in two years.

But here is what most guides on this topic do not tell you: getting listed on these platforms is not as simple as creating a seller account. Most brands find out too late that they need a local entity in each country to list directly. By then, months have passed and competitors are already selling.

This guide covers the largest online marketplaces in Southeast Asia with one practical focus: how to actually get your brand onto these platforms without setting up a company in every country.

How to Get Your Brand Listed on Shopee, Lazada, and TikTok Shop

The Two Pathways to Selling on SEA Marketplaces

Before looking at which platforms to target, it helps to understand how marketplace access in Southeast Asia actually works. There are two pathways, and most brands start on the wrong one.

Pathway 1: Invitation from an Existing Country Account

If a brand already sells on Shopee or Lazada in one country, the platform may invite them to activate selling in additional countries using the same account. This is the simplest route. No new entity required, no fresh seller application.

The catch: this invitation is not automatic. Platforms extend it selectively, typically to sellers with strong performance metrics in their home market. Most brands entering SEA from outside the region are not eligible because they do not have an existing account to qualify from.

Pathway 2: Local Entity Required (Where Most Brands Land)

For brands without an existing SEA marketplace account, each country requires a locally registered business entity to open a seller account. This applies to Shopee, Lazada, and TikTok Shop across Indonesia, Malaysia, Thailand, Vietnam, and the Philippines.

Brands in this position have two options: set up their own local entity in each country, which is time-consuming and expensive, or use a Merchant on Record service.

GOL Solution Insight

We see this constantly with brands from Australia, the US, and Europe. They spend weeks researching which marketplace to list on, then discover they cannot open a seller account without a local entity. The Merchant on Record solution exists precisely to solve this, but most brands do not know it is an option until they hit the wall.

What Is a Merchant on Record and How Does It Work?

A Merchant on Record (MOR) is a locally registered company that leases its legal entity to brands that want to sell on SEA marketplaces without setting up their own local structure.

In practice, the MOR opens and manages the seller account on the brand’s behalf, handles the tax obligations and accounting requirements of a local entity, and ensures the brand’s products are listed compliantly on each platform. The brand retains full control over pricing, content, and product decisions. The MOR handles the local regulatory and commercial paperwork.

MOR providers typically charge a percentage of the brand’s gross merchandise value (GMV) as their fee, usually in the range of 3 to 8 percent depending on the platform and country.

GOL Solution operates as a Merchant on Record for brands entering Singapore, Malaysia, Thailand, Vietnam, and Indonesia. We support listing on Shopee, Lazada, and TikTok Shop.

Important: When MOR Does Not Work

The MOR fee is percentage-based on GMV, which makes it expensive for brands with high return volumes or very thin margins. A brand returning 20 percent of orders still pays MOR fees on the full sale value. MOR providers also typically require brands to use their fulfillment solution, so if you already have a logistics arrangement you want to keep, this may create a conflict. Assess your margin structure before committing to a MOR agreement.

The Largest Online Marketplaces in Southeast Asia: Where to List

Shopee

Shopee is the most widely used marketplace across Southeast Asia, with operations in Singapore, Malaysia, Indonesia, Thailand, Vietnam, the Philippines, and Taiwan. It has over 343 million monthly active users and is the first platform most brands target when entering the region.

Shopee’s strength is its mobile-first design, built-in marketing tools including Shopee Ads and Shopee Live, and a strong performance in markets like Indonesia and Vietnam where it consistently ranks as the top shopping app.

For brand founders, Shopee Mall is worth understanding. It is a premium tier for verified brands with stronger visibility and higher consumer trust. Accessing Shopee Mall requires trademark documentation and brand authentication, which GOL assists with as part of the MOR onboarding process.

Lazada

Lazada is Alibaba’s primary SEA marketplace, operating in Indonesia, Malaysia, the Philippines, Singapore, Thailand, and Vietnam. It has over 160 million monthly active users and performs particularly strongly in Singapore and Malaysia, where its consumer base tends to skew slightly older and more brand-aware.

LazMall, Lazada’s verified brand store, is the equivalent of Shopee Mall. Brands listed on LazMall see meaningfully higher conversion rates because consumers associate the LazMall badge with product authenticity. For health supplements and cosmetics, LazMall listings also face less compliance scrutiny post-launch because the authentication process front-loads the review.

Lazada also supports cross-border selling from Singapore to other SEA markets, which makes it a good fit for brands using the Singapore hub model.

TikTok Shop

TikTok Shop is the fastest-growing platform in the region. It operates in Indonesia, Thailand, Malaysia, Vietnam, the Philippines, and Singapore, and processed over 4.4 billion USD in GMV across SEA in 2023. Projections for 2025 put that figure above 20 billion.

The platform is built around content-driven commerce: products are placed inside short videos and live streams, and creators earn commission through an affiliate programme that effectively gives brands access to a distribution network of thousands of local sellers. For brands with good product visuals or a compelling story, TikTok Shop can drive volume faster than traditional marketplace listings.

TikTok Shop’s compliance review for health and wellness products is strict and varies by country. Claim language that passes review in Singapore may be flagged in Thailand or Indonesia. GOL reviews product claims per country before submission to avoid post-listing takedowns that hurt the seller account rating.

Tokopedia: Indonesia’s Digital Marketplace Giant

Focusing primarily on Indonesia, Southeast Asia’s largest economy with over 270 million people, Tokopedia has built a formidable position in this crucial market. Following its merger with Gojek to form GoTo Group, Tokopedia has strengthened its ecosystem of services.

The platform connects over 11 million merchants with more than 100 million monthly active users, facilitating transactions across 98% of Indonesia’s districts. Tokopedia’s success stems from its deep understanding of Indonesian consumer behavior and its integration of financial services, including digital payments and credit solutions.

Top Ecommerce Platforms in SEA Comparison at a Glance

The Most Common Mistake Brands Make with Largest Ecommerce Marketplaces in Southeast Asia

They wait.

Brands assume that expanding to a new country on Shopee or Lazada requires a platform invitation, so they submit a request and sit on the waitlist. Some wait six months. Some wait longer. Meanwhile, a competitor using a Merchant on Record is already live, collecting reviews, and optimising their listings.

The invitation model is real but limited. Platforms extend it to high-performing existing sellers. For most brands new to SEA, especially those entering from outside the region, the invitation will not come on its own.

The MOR solution puts this in the brand’s hands. You do not need to wait for the platform to choose you. You engage a Merchant on Record, complete the onboarding process, and go live on your own timeline.

GOL Solution Insight

We worked with a brand that spent four months waiting for a Shopee cross-border invitation before a partner flagged the MOR option. They were live on Shopee Malaysia and Lazada Malaysia within five weeks of starting the MOR process. Those four months of delay were entirely avoidable.

Emerging Trends Reshaping Largest Ecommerce Marketplaces in Southeast Asia

Social Commerce Integration

The line between social media and eCommerce continues to blur in Southeast Asia. Platforms like TikTok Shop, Instagram Shopping, and Facebook Marketplace are gaining significant traction, with social commerce sales expected to reach $50 billion by 2025 in the region.

These platforms leverage user-generated content, influencer marketing, and seamless shopping experiences to drive conversions. The social aspect of these marketplaces resonates strongly with Southeast Asian consumers, who often seek peer recommendations before making purchasing decisions.

Rise of Specialized Vertical Marketplaces

While horizontal marketplaces offering multiple product categories remain dominant, vertical-focused platforms are carving out significant niches. Examples include:

– Zalora: Focused exclusively on fashion and lifestyle products
– Qoo10: Strong in beauty, fashion, and electronics
– Carousell: Specializing in consumer-to-consumer transactions
– BliBli: Emphasizing authentic products and official warranties

These specialized platforms attract consumers seeking curated selections and expertise in specific categories, often delivering superior shopping experiences in their chosen verticals.

Super App Ecosystems

The integration of marketplaces within super app ecosystems represents another significant trend. Companies like Grab and GoTo are combining ride-hailing, food delivery, financial services, and shopping into unified platforms. This approach increases customer retention and lifetime value while providing merchants with access to larger user bases.

Getting Your Products Approved on Largest Ecommerce Marketplaces in SEA

Listing approval is separate from seller account approval. Even with an active seller account, platforms review each product before it goes live. For supplements, cosmetics, food, and medical devices, this review checks whether the product is registered with the local regulatory agency and whether the listing claims comply with local advertising standards.

GOL conducts product classification before any marketplace submission. This means we review the ingredient list and claim language against each country’s regulatory framework before the product reaches the platform’s compliance team. In practice, this means our clients have not had products rejected or taken down post-listing, because the problems are identified and resolved before submission rather than after.

Typically, brands who use MOR services will also engage in Importer On Record (IOR) service where a local entity will represent their products for local product registration. GOL Solution provide the end-to-end solution for this.

This matters more than most brands realise. A post-listing takedown does not just remove the product. It affects the seller account’s trust rating, which can reduce visibility across all listings on that account.

Frequently Asked Questions

Do I need a local company in each SEA country to sell on Shopee and Lazada and other Largest Ecommerce Markets in SEA?

For most brands, yes, a local entity is required to open a seller account directly. The exception is if you already have an account in one SEA country and receive a platform invitation to expand. For brands without an existing SEA account, a Merchant on Record service removes the need to set up your own local company in each country.

What is the difference between Shopee Mall and a standard Shopee seller account?

A standard Shopee seller account gives you access to the main marketplace. Shopee Mall is a verified tier for brands that have completed authentication, typically requiring trademark certificates and brand documentation. Mall listings carry a badge that signals authenticity to buyers and generally convert at a higher rate, particularly for health and wellness products where consumers are more cautious about counterfeits.

How long does it take to go live on Shopee or Lazada through GOL’s MOR service?

From engagement to live listing, the typical timeline is four to six weeks. This includes MOR entity setup, product classification, listing preparation, and seller account approval. For brands with straightforward product categories and clean documentation, it can be faster. Regulated categories like supplements and cosmetics may take longer if claims need adjustment before submission.

Can GOL Solution help with TikTok Shop in multiple SEA countries?

Yes. GOL Solution supports TikTok Shop listing in Singapore, Malaysia, Thailand, Vietnam, and Indonesia. Given TikTok Shop’s stricter approach to health and wellness product claims, we recommend running a claim compliance check per country before submission to avoid account-level penalties from a rejected listing.

When does the MOR model not make sense?

Two situations: high return rates and thin margins. MOR fees are calculated as a percentage of GMV, so a brand with a 20 percent return rate is still paying the full fee on gross sales. Similarly, brands operating on very tight margins, typically below 30 percent on a landed cost basis, may find the MOR fee structure unsustainable. In those cases, the better path is usually direct local entity registration, which has higher setup cost but lower ongoing cost. We assess this with every brand before recommending the MOR route.

Ready to Get Your Brand Listed on Largest Online Marketplaces in SEA?

The platforms are accessible. The buyers are there. The question is whether your brand is set up with the right entity structure and compliant product listings to get approved and stay live.

GOL Solution ‘s MOR service covers Shopee, Lazada, and TikTok Shop across Singapore, Malaysia, Thailand, Vietnam, and Indonesia. We handle entity setup, product classification, claim compliance per country, and seller account onboarding so your brand goes live without the delays most brands run into trying to do this on their own.

Speak with the GOL team to map out your SEA marketplace entry.