Brand Bundle, the tiny thrift shop built on trust

When Mohd Idham Zamzuri started selling preloved goods at age 19, he only had RM300 to work with.

Over a decade later, his latest shop, Brand Bundle Malaysia, is still modest in size – just 3m by 3m. But it runs on an idea he discovered overseas: let customers browse, choose and pay without anyone behind the counter.

“I drew inspiration from the concept of unmanned stores in Japan, and saw that this approach could be implemented on a small scale here,” Idham, now 31, told Bernama.

He opened his self-service used-clothing shop in Kampung Melayu Majidee last May. Customers enter, browse the racks and check the tags themselves before paying via QR code, while three CCTV cameras monitor the premises.

The setup may sound high-tech, but Idham has kept the cost relatively modest. He spent about RM8,000 to get the shop running, including renovation work that he carried out himself.

Without a full-time attendant and with only a small space to maintain, he can keep operating costs down while continuing to sell most of his stock for below RM100.

Some items of clothing are offered in bundles, such as two pieces for RM50 or three for RM100, helping him move stock while keeping prices accessible.

The arrangement also suits his schedule: Idham regularly commutes between Pasir Gudang and Majidee, checking on the shop and replenishing stock about twice a week.

His business journey began in 2013 with that initial RM300 earned through selling second-hand goods. Over time, he moved between physical selling spaces and online platforms before experimenting with this current format.

The concept depends on a fair amount of trust, but also on making sure customers have enough information to shop confidently without assistance. To that end, each item is clearly labelled, while the payment process is kept simple.

If something goes wrong, shoppers can contact Idham directly.

Customer Ghazali Rawi said the absence of a shop attendant did not make the experience difficult, noting that product information was easy to find and payment was straightforward.

For Idham, the small shop is less about removing people from retail than about finding a way to make a small business work with limited space, time and overheads.

“I believe this concept can be extended to other sectors, as it can decrease operating costs without compromising customer comfort,” he added.

Brand Bundle Majidee
146-02 Gerai, Lot 3753,
Jalan Tebrau Lama,
Kampung Melayu Majidee, Johor Bahru

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