From Local Shelves to Global Markets — Carmen Chooi’s Rise with Awen Global

For Carmen Chooi, the Founder and Managing Director of Awen Global Sdn Bhd, the journey into cross-border e-commerce was not planned. It was necessity that propelled her from exhibition floors to the expansive digital marketplace of Alibaba.com. Today, that unplanned leap has become a blueprint for Malaysian sellers navigating the modern trade frontier.

- Carmen Chooi, Founder & Managing Director of Awen Global Sdn Bhd

Carmen operates two Alibaba.com accounts, with one focused on cleaning agents and the other on FMCG products. Awen Global began its international trade journey through participation in traditional trade exhibitions. “We experimented with both B2C and B2B models,” Carmen recalls. “In B2C, our cleaning products, being relatively heavy, faced logistical hurdles. No matter how strong our promotions were, retailers hesitated to stock bulky goods, often opting for food or lighter items instead."

On the B2B side, a four-day offline trade show brought little return. Instead of attracting buyers, the booth drew mostly Malaysian upstream suppliers looking to sell us raw materials. A coincidence led them to explore online B2B platforms through channel promotions. Early trials with various sites proved disappointing in terms of lead quality—until they discovered Alibaba.com.

The decision to join Alibaba.com came at just the right moment. A well-timed promotional discount made the initial investment highly cost-effective. But it wasn’t just the affordability that sealed the deal—it was the results. Securing their first order through the platform became a turning point. “That first order from a Chinese buyer changed everything,” Carmen reflects. “It gave us the confidence to keep going.” The early success validated their shift to digital B2B trade and made it clear: this was a channel worth investing in for the long run.

That confidence grew into capability. Over eight years, she has been managing two Alibaba.com accounts, supporting both her own exports and helping other Malaysian SMEs enter foreign markets. She recognized that many local manufacturers excelled in production but lacked the knowledge or bandwidth for international outreach. With Alibaba.com, she found a bridge between capability and global demand.

Her approach focused on consistency. "Many sellers expect quick results, but e-commerce rewards persistence," she says. That patience paid off. By 2019, Awen Global was seeing regular orders, often from repeat clients who appreciated the firm’s custom OEM and private-label options. In one notable case, a client discovered them via live stream and has since reordered every two months.

Digital tools have played a critical role. Carmen is an avid user of Alibaba.com’s AI-driven Smart Assistant, keyword research, and analytics tool. While she acknowledges the learning curve and occasional technical hiccups, she credits these tools with saving time and scaling operations. "We optimize listings every few months. It’s how we stay relevant."

However, perhaps more impressively, Carmen has evolved into a thought leader. As a certified Alibaba.com lecturer, she has led some training sessions. "Becoming a lecturer helped me grow out of my shell. I used to be an introvert," she admits.

She is candid with trainees: "Alibaba.com isn’t a get-rich-quick scheme. Success demands groundwork." Her lectures blend personal setbacks, practical strategies, and frank assessments of what it takes to survive in a digital-first trade world. As global commerce becomes increasingly digital, Carmen’s advice is simple but firm: "Stay consistent. Track your data. Adapt. And above all, don’t give up in the first year."

Carmen's story, evolving from navigating the challenges of detergent sales to achieving digital triumphs, exemplifies a new wave of exporters. These entrepreneurs are not only expanding their businesses but also reshaping the narrative of Malaysian entrepreneurship on a global stage.