Kuala Lumpur, 11 Sept 2025 – Live selling has become one of Malaysia’s most vibrant digital phenomena, with sellers going live on Facebook every night to connect with thousands of viewers. While to customers it may look seamless, fast deals, charismatic hosts, and products flying off the shelves behind the screen, many entrepreneurs have endured years of trial and error, personal sacrifice, and unrelenting perseverance before finding their footing.
Take Gary Yap, a well-known entertainer who transitioned from television to live selling. He faced the chaos of managing customer comments, payments, and inventory. Despite the overwhelming start, Gary persisted, motivated by the satisfaction of directly connecting with customers and creating trust. For him, live selling became not just a business, but a way to build genuine communities.
For sisters Joey and June of Unicorn Online Wholesale, the journey began with a modest RM5,000 investment. What started as helping a cousin eventually became a family business. Despite the challenges of overselling, hiring and training staff, and managing manual processes, the sisters’ persistence paid off. Their live sessions became gathering spots, where loyal customers returned not just for discounts but for the connection they had built.
Entrepreneurs Sunday and Mario of Hoyiyo Shop faced even higher stakes after transitioning from their original business model, which relied heavily on exhibitions. However, when they pivoted to live selling on Facebook, they found a safer, more scalable model. Live selling allowed them to demonstrate products in real-time, interact directly with customers, and reduce their financial risks. What had once been a business of uncertainty became one of consistency and growth.
These success stories shed light on a larger truth: behind the energy of live selling lies enormous pressure. Orders often come in faster than sellers can process. Payments are prone to errors when handled manually. Stock sells out without warning, frustrating customers and denting trust. For every successful live seller, there are countless others who give up because they cannot overcome these hidden challenges.
This is where technology has stepped in as an invisible partner. Platforms like ULive.me, founded in Petaling Jaya, have been quietly transforming the way sellers operate. With AI-powered order capture, real-time inventory management, and streamlined payments on Facebook and Instagram, ULive allows sellers to reduce errors by more than 99 percent and grow sales by up to 2.8 times. Sellers describe it not as a replacement, but as a co-pilot, a system that frees them from chaos and lets them focus on engaging audiences.
“Live selling is growing into one of Malaysia’s most exciting digital economies, but it isn’t easy for the people driving it,” said Bryant Khor, Co-Founder and CEO of ULive.me. “Our goal is to take away the operational headaches, so sellers can do what they do best — connect, inspire, and build lasting businesses.”
The numbers speak volumes. ULive has processed over USD 150 million in annual GMV, supporting sellers from celebrities to first-time entrepreneurs. Yet its role remains understated, powering the movement quietly from the background, ensuring that ordinary Malaysians can turn live selling from a side hustle into a career.
What began as small experiments on Facebook Live is now shaping Malaysia’s digital economy. Celebrities are reinventing themselves, families are building businesses together, and once-risky ventures are becoming sustainable enterprises. At the heart of it all lies the grit of entrepreneurs and the quiet technology that helps them succeed.
For every Gary, Joey, June, Mario, and Sunday, there are many more untold stories of Malaysians rewriting what it means to run a business in the digital age. Live selling is no longer just about buying and selling, it is about community, empowerment, and resilience. And with the right tools, it is becoming a lasting engine of growth for the country.