Southeast Asia’s e-commerce landscape is expanding at an unprecedented pace, driven by a growing digital economy, increased internet penetration, and a shift in consumer behaviour. Online retail sales in the region have more than doubled from US$54.2 billion in 2020 to US$114.6 billion in 2023. Significantly, today’s consumers no longer rely on a single platform. Instead, they move seamlessly between marketplaces like Shopee, direct brand websites, and even social commerce platforms. This omnichannel behaviour means that businesses that limit themselves to one sales channel risk falling behind.

Among these platforms, Shopee remains the dominant player in Southeast Asia. Shopee Singapore held a 28% market share in 2022, outpacing competitors like Lazada and Amazon. Shopee Malaysia continues to lead as the preferred marketplace for online shoppers. The platform’s stronghold, coupled with its 48% market share across the region, demonstrates its role as a key driver of e-commerce growth.

This presents both opportunities and challenges for sellers—while Shopee offers access to millions of potential customers, managing sales across multiple platforms introduces operational complexities. Keeping inventory in sync, processing orders efficiently, and managing shipping logistics across various channels can quickly become overwhelming, making it crucial for businesses to find smarter solutions.

The biggest eCommerce challenge: Managing multiple platforms

Selling on multiple platforms may seem like a great way to reach more customers. However, for many businesses, it quickly becomes a logistical nightmare. For example, imagine a beauty brand that sells skincare products through Shopee Seller Centre, its own e-commerce website, and a brick-and-mortar store. If a best-selling moisturiser runs out in the physical store, but the inventory system hasn’t been updated, customers might still be able to place an order online—only for the business to later realise they can’t fulfil it. This kind of stock mismatch leads to cancelled orders and negative reviews that could harm the brand’s reputation.

Live selling—where sellers showcase products in real-time through Shopee Live or other social media platforms—adds another layer of complexity. Many sellers have gone viral overnight, with thousands of customers placing orders within minutes. While this is great for sales, it becomes a huge problem if inventory isn’t updated instantly across all platforms. Managing all of this manually is time-consuming and prone to errors. This is why businesses need smarter solutions to streamline their operations and ensure they can scale without these growing pains.

How smart sellers are using Odoo’s Shopee API to simplify growth

Odoo’s Shopee API eliminates the biggest challenges of multi-channel selling by seamlessly integrating Shopee with Odoo, enabling businesses to manage inventory, process orders, and handle shipping from a single platform. Without this integration, sellers often struggle with manual inventory updates, leading to stock mismatches and overselling. With real-time synchronisation, the Shopee API ensures that when an item sells on one platform, stock levels update automatically everywhere, preventing costly errors and streamlining operations.

Order processing and shipping are also simplified, saving sellers valuable time.Shopee app  orders flow directly into Odoo without manual data entry, reducing mistakes and speeding up fulfilment. As a result, even a home-based entrepreneur selling handmade candles can rely on automation instead of juggling spreadsheets. Shopee tracking and shipping is equally effortless—rather than logging into Shopee separately, businesses can generate shipping labels within Odoo in one click. For high-volume sellers like electronics retailers, this means fewer steps, fewer errors, and a much faster shipping process. By eliminating tedious tasks, Shopee API allows businesses to scale efficiently and focus on sales and customer engagement.

Scaling sustainably—one app at a time

Growing an e-commerce business isn’t just about increasing sales—it requires a system that scales efficiently without adding complexity. Existing Shopee app sellers can streamline operations with Odoo’s suite of tools, from inventory management that prevents stock discrepancies to CRM features that enhance customer engagement. Likewise, for businesses already using Odoo, expanding to Shopee is seamless, with instant connection with the Shopee Seller Centre. This allows them to reach millions of shoppers without disrupting existing workflows. With Odoo, sellers can effortlessly add Shopee as a revenue stream while maintaining centralised control over sales and inventory.

For those who already use both Odoo and Shopee, the Shopee API offers a seamless and cost-free transition. They can quickly consolidate their sales, inventory, and Shopee tracking and shipping processes. As a result, sellers can track stock levels in real time, automate order processing, and generate shipping labels effortlessly. By managing everything from a single Odoo dashboard, businesses can make multi-channel selling more manageable and cost-effective.

The bottom line: Can retailers afford not to go omnichannel?

With Southeast Asia’s e-commerce sector growing rapidly, Shopee Singapore and Shopee Malaysia remain dominant players, making it essential for sellers to adopt an omnichannel approach. Consumers today expect a seamless shopping experience across multiple platforms. Centralising sales, inventory, and fulfilment isn’t just a convenience—it’s a competitive necessity. The Shopee API offers a straightforward solution by automating key processes, reducing manual workload, and ensuring businesses can scale efficiently without operational bottlenecks.

For existing Shopee and Odoo users, the real question is no longer whether they should optimise their multi-channel strategy, but whether they can afford not to. As e-commerce continues to evolve, agility is crucial. Sellers who streamline their operations now will be better positioned to capture new opportunities and respond to market demands. Those who delay adaptation risk falling behind as more efficient competitors take the lead. By leveraging the Shopee API, businesses can future-proof their operations and thrive in Southeast Asia’s fast-paced digital marketplace.

Want to make multi-channel selling effortless? Learn how businesses in Singapore and Malaysia are using Odoo’s Shopee API  to simplify operations and scale seamlessly. Learn how here.

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This article is produced by the e27 team, sponsored by Odoo

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Featured Image Credit: Odoo

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