5 Malaysian Businesses That Spent RM80K on Apps Nobody Uses (And What They Should Have Built Instead)
"We need an app."
I hear this every week from Malaysian SME owners. Usually followed by: "Our competitor has one" or "Customers expect it" or "We need to be digital."
Three months and RM60K-RM120K later, they have an app.
It has 53 downloads. Most from employees. Nobody uses it.
Here's the uncomfortable truth: Most Malaysian SMEs don't need apps. They need solutions to actual problems. And apps are rarely the answer.
Case #1: The Restaurant That Built a Food Ordering App (That Nobody Opens)
What they built: Custom iOS + Android app for food ordering. RM95,000 investment. Beautiful UI. Loyalty points. Order tracking. The works.
The result: - 180 downloads in 6 months
- •23 active monthly users
- •RM780 in orders (from the app)
- •Meanwhile: RM45,000/month from Instagram DMs and WhatsApp orders
Why it would work: - Customers already message them on WhatsApp
- •No new app to download
- •No new behavior to learn
- •Cost: RM3,500 setup + RM600/month
- •ROI: Immediate (since customers ALREADY use WhatsApp)
Case #2: The Gym That Built a Membership App (Members Hate)
What they built: Member management app. Check-in via QR code. Class bookings. Payment reminders. Progress tracking.
Cost: RM65,000.
The result: - 60% of members never downloaded it
- •Those who did complained about login issues
- •Still doing paper sign-ins because half the members "forgot their phone"
- •Abandoned after 8 months
Why it would work: - Free
- •Everyone already has Telegram
- •Announce classes, post workouts, share progress photos
- •Use Google Forms for booking (also free)
- •Members actually engage (unlike the app)
Case #3: The Retail Store That Built an E-Commerce App (While Their Website Barely Works)
What they built: Custom shopping app with product catalog, cart, checkout, delivery tracking.
Cost: RM88,000.
The result: - 94 downloads
- •3 actual orders in first month
- •None in month 2-6
- •App store reviews: "Why not just use Shopee?"
- •Breaks on mobile
- •Checkout form doesn't work on iPhone
- •Gets 2,000+ visits monthly (but nobody buys)
Why it would work: - Website already has traffic
- •Shopee/Lazada have built-in customer base
- •Zero app development cost
- •Focus on product photography and descriptions instead
Case #4: The B2B Supplier That Built a Quoting App (Clients Still Email)
What they built: Portal app for clients to request quotes, track orders, view invoices.
Cost: RM78,000.
The result: - 14 client companies installed it
- •They still email for quotes
- •They still call to check order status
- •They still use WhatsApp for urgent requests
- •App abandoned after 1 year
Seriously.
Why it would work: - Share a Google Sheet link (no installation)
- •Clients fill in quote request form
- •Automation sends confirmation email
- •Updates flow to their existing CRM
- •Cost: RM0 (or RM5,000 for professional automation setup)
Case #5: The Service Business That Built a Booking App (For 6 Appointments Weekly)
What they built: Appointment booking app. Calendar integration. Payment processing. Reminder notifications.
Cost: RM72,000.
The result: - They get 6-8 appointments per week
- •90% still book via WhatsApp or phone
- •App has 31 downloads
- •8 active users (probably staff testing)
Why it would work: - Calendly: RM60/month
- •Customers click link, pick time
- •Auto-syncs to calendar
- •Sends reminders via email/SMS
- •WhatsApp bot confirms booking
- •Total cost: RM60-RM200/month vs RM72,000 one-time
So When SHOULD Malaysian SMEs Build Apps?
Here's my honest answer: Almost never.
But if you insist, here's the checklist:
✅ Build an app if: - You have 10,000+ monthly active users on your website
- •Customers explicitly ask for it (not just "it would be nice")
- •You need features phones/websites can't provide (like offline access, GPS, camera)
- •You have budget for ongoing maintenance (RM3K-RM8K monthly)
- •You're prepared to market it aggressively (nobody discovers apps organically anymore)
- •Your competitor has one (maybe theirs also failed)
- •Someone told you "every business needs an app"
- •Your website doesn't work properly yet
- •You can't articulate specific problems the app solves
What Malaysian SMEs Actually Need in 2025
Based on working with 100+ Malaysian SMEs, here's what drives actual results:
1. WhatsApp Business Automation
Cost: RM2K-RM8K
Impact: High
Why: Customers already use it. Automate responses, ordering, updates.
2. Fast, Mobile-Optimized Website
Cost: RM3K-RM15K
Impact: Very High
Why: This is where customers research before buying. Make it work.
3. Simple Booking/Ordering System
Cost: RM0-RM5K (using existing tools)
Impact: High
Why: Remove friction. Make buying easy.
4. Email Marketing Automation
Cost: RM200-RM800/month
Impact: Medium to High
Why: Stay top-of-mind. Nurture leads. Recover abandoned carts.
5. Basic Analytics Setup
Cost: RM0-RM3K
Impact: High
Why: Stop guessing. Start measuring what actually works.
Notice what's NOT on the list? Custom apps.
The Real Digital Transformation Question
It's not "Should we build an app?"
It's: "What's stopping our customers from buying more easily?"
Maybe it's:
- •Slow website
- •Confusing product descriptions
- •Difficult payment process
- •Poor communication after purchase
- •Can't find you on Google
THEN ask if an app solves any remaining problems.
(Spoiler: It usually doesn't.)
The RM80K Test
Before spending RM80K on app development, ask:
"What if I spent RM80K on:"
- •Facebook/Instagram ads?
- •Google Ads?
- •Better product photography?
- •Hiring a full-time sales person?
- •Improving existing website?
- •Expanding to Shopee/Lazada/TikTok Shop?
Probably not the app.
What To Do Instead (This Week)
- 1.List your actual business problems
- But "customers abandon cart because payment is confusing"
- 2.Find the simplest solution
- Check if your e-commerce platform already has solutions
- Look for plugins/integrations before custom development
- 3.Test cheap first
- Validate it works
- Then scale if needed
- 4.Track results
- How much time saved?
- Actual ROI?
- 5.Repeat
- Keep solutions simple
- Measure everything
The Bottom Line
Apps aren't bad. They're just almost never the answer for Malaysian SMEs.
Your business doesn't need the next Grab or Shopee.
It needs:
- •Clear communication
- •Easy transactions
- •Happy customers
- •Consistent revenue
Stop chasing digital transformation. Start solving actual problems.
Need help figuring out what your Malaysian business actually needs (beyond apps)? From website optimization to automation workflows to e-commerce strategy, we help SMEs find solutions that work—not solutions that sound impressive. Sometimes it's an app. Usually it's not. Let's find out together.
