KUALA LUMPUR, Aug. 25 -- Inside the sprawling digital storefront of Chinese e-commerce titan Pinduoduo, Shaun Kong routinely finds exactly what he didn't know he was looking for.

A few taps on his smartphone screen surface tailors recommendations for sports gear, from Formula 1 apparel to football jerseys.

For Shaun, who first encountered the platform while in China, its recent expansion into Malaysia was a welcome arrival. He uses it to purchase routine lifestyle items-clothing, accessories, and unbranded goods.

"To be honest, price is the biggest factor, and they do have quite a lot of variety," he said, noting that the platform's algorithm is surprisingly adept at serving hyper-specific consumer interests.

"Even the first time I we...