Selling Handmade Products on Shopee Malaysia in 2026 — Step-by-Step Guide

Bottom line: Handmade products on Shopee are one of the most realistic zero-stock side hustles in Malaysia — your craft is the product, and startup cost is just materials (RM0–RM200). The winners are the sellers who list 5–10 items with strong photos, answer chat the same day, and treat reviews like the growth channel they are.

Why handmade sells in Malaysia

1. Year-round gift demand. Malay weddings, birthdays, festivals (Hari Raya, Chinese New Year, Deepavali) and corporate gifting all create repeat demand for handmade items.
2. Cheap, available materials. Candle, soap, yarn and craft supplies are sold in stationery stores, hobby shops and online at low cost — you can test a product with under RM100 of materials.
3. Discovery tools that ignore your follower count. Shopee’s search and recommendations surface listings to buyers who will never find your Instagram, so a good photo and honest listing can bring first sales without an audience.

Before choosing a product, read our Shopee vs Lazada guide. Most beginners should start on Shopee.

What to make: 5 product types that work

1. Scented candles

Soy wax candles, jar candles or slimmies in 3–4 seasonal scents (sandalwood for Hari Raya, florals for Christmas). Cost per unit: RM4–8 of materials (wax, fragrance, wick, jar). Sell price: RM25–60. Best for: gift buyers and home decor shoppers; a 2–3 candle bundle lifts average order value. Case: A candle maker in Kuala Lumpur listed 8 scents in the first month. After a small Shopee coin discount and photos taken in morning light, she made her first 15 sales in weeks 3–6 and was earning around RM300–RM600/month by month 3 with about 4 hours a week.

2. Natural soaps

Shea butter, coconut oil and handmade soaps in 2–3 scents. Low cost, quick production, and they gift well in sets. Cost per unit: RM2–5. Sell price: RM10–25. Best for: beginners who want a low-risk entry with many small listings. Case: A stay-at-home parent in Selangor sells 4 scents and a 6-piece gift set. The set outperforms singles — bundling is her whole growth strategy.

3. Crochet and knit

Amigurumi, coasters, beanies and phone pouches. Handmade knit is the strongest-margin category on this list because the only material cost is yarn. Cost per unit: RM5–15. Sell price: RM30–150 (amigurumi and beanies sit at the top). Best for: sellers who enjoy repetitive work and can post production videos — video listings perform especially well. Case: A crochet hobbyist in Penang sells beanies, amigurumi and coasters. After 30 listings, one item hit repeat orders from the same buyer — a small café gift shop.

4. Macramé and wall decor

Wall hangings, plant hangers and key rings. These are the “bigger” products, so a single sale can hit RM100+, but production is slower and shipping must be stronger. Cost per unit: RM5–15. Sell price: RM40–250. Best for: sellers who can tolerate slower production for a higher income per order. Case: A macramé maker in Johor lists 12 wall hangings. Her average order sits around RM80–RM120, and 4–5 sales a month covers transport and materials with profit left over.

5. Custom gifts

Monogrammed or personalised items (mugs, phone cases, key chains, hand-painted pieces). Custom work means fewer returns and stronger reviews. Cost per unit: RM3–12 plus tools. Sell price: RM30–200. Best for: sellers who want to build a small brand people return to. Case: A seller in Kuala Lumpur who specialises in personalised birthday and graduation gifts gets her first 100 sales mostly from word of mouth — the buyer receives the gift directly and shares the photo.

Comparison of handmade product types

Material prices typical of Shopee/Lazada listings; basic tools are usually under RM50.

Fees, pricing and shipping

Shopee fees. Category commission (roughly 1–6%) plus 2% payment. Listing is free. Your real costs are materials, packaging and shipping — set your price to cover all three before you list.

Pricing rule of thumb. Materials × 2–3 + your time + fees + shipping. If your price feels “cheap”, it probably is — handmade buyers expect a craft premium over factory goods.

Packaging. Rigid box, bubble wrap, fill the empty space, and include a thank-you note. For fragile items, mark “handle with care” on all sides. Good packaging earns reviews; good reviews earn traffic.

Shipping. Use Shopee’s standard postage (Shopee pickup or your courier of choice). State production + delivery time clearly in your listing so slow-but-honest items do not earn a “late delivery” penalty.

How to photograph handmade products with a phone

• Natural light. Shoot near a window in morning or afternoon light, never under warm bulb light (colours shift).
• Neutral background. A white tablecloth, a plain wall, or a simple wooden board.
• Size reference. Hand next to the product, a coin, or a ruler — buyers cannot judge size from a photo.
• Process shot. One photo or a 15-second making video boosts trust and converts buyers.
• 10 photos per listing. Finished item (2–3), texture close-up, size reference, in-use shot, materials, and 2–3 extra angles.

Common mistakes

1. Listing only 1–2 items. Shopee rewards depth — 5–10 listings is the floor.
2. Underpricing. You are not competing with factories; you are competing with quality and story.
3. Weak packaging. Damaged goods = bad reviews = no traffic.
4. Ignoring chat. Shopee favours shops that reply fast. Same-day replies are enough.
5. Buying wholesale stock. Buy materials in small batches, sell what you made, and scale only when the numbers say so.

Your first 30 days

Next steps: want a zero-stock product line alongside your handmade range? See our guide to selling digital templates on Lazada. And once the income becomes regular, read our guide to declaring and paying tax on side income with LHDN so a tax notice never becomes a surprise.

Frequently asked questions

Do I need to tell my employer?

Only if your contract has a non-compete or moonlighting clause. Use your own time and equipment.

How much tax do I pay on handmade income?

See our LHDN guide. In short: you file once the income becomes regular, and most low-income sellers end up owing little or nothing — but the filing record is what makes the hustle real to clients, banks and LHDN.

What if a buyer claims the item arrived damaged?

Reply in chat the same day. For genuine faults, refund or replace from stock (it is cheap insurance). For “not as expected” claims, your honest description and clear photos are the defence — which is exactly why they are not optional.

Should I also sell on Instagram or Facebook Marketplace?

Yes, if you want to — treat those as discovery channels and Shopee as the store. Never take buyers off-platform to “pay via bank transfer”.

How do I handle wholesale or bulk orders?

Agree quantity and price before shipping. For repeat bulk buyers, offer a small discount and ask for a deposit.