KUALA LUMPUR, May 28 -- A couple pulled into a moderately busy tyre workshop in Seksyen 15, Shah Alam just after 11am, greeted by the low whir of air compressors and the rhythmic clanking of wrenches on alloy rims.

There were no queues, no awkward negotiations, and no uncertainty about the bill.

The new Kumho-brand tyre for their latest-generation Perodua Myvi had been purchased online days earlier - with discount vouchers and a pre-booked installation slot.

This, increasingly, is how Malaysians are buying tyres: the same way they shop for power banks or pet food - online, often via platforms like Shopee.

"The cheaper price is the main thing for me," said 31-year-old Imran Anuar, who had left Puchong with his wife that morning.

"Walk...