KUALA LUMPUR: Chinese prayer item shops are adapting to consumer demands by selling budget-friendly packages starting at RM10 for Hungry Ghost Festival in a bid to counter overseas e-commerce app.

Styled around the concept of “simple yet respectful,” these sets allow budget-conscious shoppers to perform essential prayer rituals without compromising on tradition.

As consumers can order almost anything online with a quick tap of their fingers, traditional prayer supplies are no exception: from joss sticks, candles, and gold/silver paper to hell bank notes, paper ingots, paper lotuses, ancestral robes, and elaborate paper effigies, the online choices are practically endless.

The rapid influx of cross-border e-commerce platforms has put immense pressure on local retailers.

Burdened by high operational costs and unable to match online prices, many traditional shopkeepers report that business is getting harder by the day.

To counter the online surge, local merchants are carving out alternative paths. Beyond offering flexible pricing, they are doubling down on service, quality, and personalised connection—hoping to leverage unique in-person advantages that e-commerce cannot easily replicate to retain loyal customers and attract new ones.

During visits to prayer supply stores around the Pudu area, owners interviewed by Sin Chew Daily noted that while modern consumers value quality and want their prayer rituals to remain dignified and complete, the overall trend is shifting toward streamlined processes and simplified offerings.

In response, shopkeepers across Kuala Lumpur have introduced prayer packages at various price tiers:

Basic packages: Priced around RM13.80, RM28.80, and RM38.80, adjusted based on paper quality, quantity, and product variety.

Ultra-budget option: Entry-level packages available at just RM10.

Core-included items: Joss paper, 50-million and 5-million denomination hell bank notes, afterlife clothing, seven-colour cloth, joss sticks and candles.

Merchants note these pre-packaged sets allow customers to buy according to their budget while suiting the modern preference for a “simple yet proper” ritual—they can simply grab a bundle and go.

While e-commerce low prices have hit physical stores hard, several shopkeepers pointed out that online quality—particularly for joss sticks and paper products—remains a major concern.

One owner revealed that some online sellers offer joss sticks for as low as RM3 to RM6 per kilogramme, which is below the average wholesale cost of around RM10 per kilogramme.

With online retail prices dropping below brick-and-mortar wholesale costs, the stark price gap inevitably raises questions about product quality.

Regular customers have shared feedback that cheap online incense burns with faint fragrance and produces excessive ash. Similarly, some net-purchased hell bank notes suffer from blurry printing and thin, low-grade paper—likely the result of aggressive cost-cutting during production.

While e-commerce wins on price and convenience, traditional prayer item shops believe superior product quality and customer trust remain their ultimate advantages against online competition.