As we expected last month, Lazada’s June rebound did not hold. Its website traffic dropped again in July, while Shopee started to pick back up.
The curve is now looking quite similar to last year.
Last year, the market recovered around August, one month earlier than the usual September pickup. Looking at what we are seeing so far this month, I am not confident that we will get the same early recovery this year.
Hopefully, 9.9 will be the burst month everyone is waiting for.
At the same time, seller costs are moving again.
Shopee is reducing the commission-fee discount for sellers in the Cashback Programme from 5% to 3%, effective 14 August. In simple terms, sellers joining Cashback will receive less commission relief than before, although the final rate still depends on the product category.
Lazada is also adjusting its Marketplace and LazMall commission rates from 14 August. Lazada positions the new commission as an all-in-one structure that includes benefits such as campaign vouchers, Basic LazCoins and free shipping.
From a seller’s point of view, the timing is difficult to understand.
Our tracker is showing weaker Lazada web traffic, yet the cost of selling on the platform is increasing. Of course, website traffic is not the full picture—most customers shop through the apps, and traffic alone does not tell us the platform’s GMV or profitability.
Still, it is a useful market signal.
During a slow season, sellers need to be even more careful with their numbers. More sales do not necessarily mean more profit, especially after commission, SST, Cashback participation, vouchers, advertising, fulfilment and returns.
Do not simply wait for September and assume the campaign season will rescue the business.
This is the time to review every SKU, cut unprofitable promotions, control ad spend and protect cash flow.
Hopefully, September brings the burst.
But until it comes, margin matters more than vanity GMV.
This report is powered by website traffic analytics. Always remember that there may be slight variations from real-time statistics.
