E-commerce takes advantage of the Covid-19 epidemic

	Products to join forces with large retailers, e-commerce platforms
	Vietnam’s e-commerce market to surpass US$17 bln in 2023
	Remove 8,900 stores increasing the price of products for prevention of Covid-9

Illustration. Internet source

Opportunity for promotion

At a recent meeting between the Prime Minister and private economic groups, Mr. Nguyen Dang Quang, Chairman of Masan Group, said the disease is also a very good opportunity to promote e-commerce. The group is planning to make more and more people choose to buy products online, sitting at home and still being served without going to the supermarket.

In fact, many businesses have also realized this opportunity to develop e-commerce, offering many utilities in shopping and consumption.

According to Mr. Nguyen Binh Minh, Member of the Executive Board of the Vietnam E-Commerce Association (VECOM), the Covid-19 epidemic is seriously affecting many economic sectors, including the traditional retail sector, but thereis a short-term opportunity for e-commerce. Because of the reluctance to go to the market or to buy goods for fear of infection, many people have chosen to buy essential products and medical items online, so e-commerce activities have been quite exciting.

It is in this context that many e-commerce businesses take advantage of opportunities, offer solutions to shorten delivery time, apply technology to optimize the convenience and safety of the recipient. Stand out as an automatic pick-up service through Lazada Vietnam's smart locker. This can be considered as a "contactless delivery" solution that minimizes the risk of virus infection. In addition, the exchange accelerates delivery through new initiatives, such as a two-hour P2P (Point-to-Point) delivery service with select partners in Ho Chi Minh City and Hanoi. Along with that is a four-hour delivery service, applicable to products less than 15kg, which means buying bulky products that are still received during the day.

Remove difficulties

Mr. Nguyen Binh Minh said that the scale of Vietnam's e-commerce floors is increasing; the value of many exchanges is highly appreciated. If there is some consolidation of some exchanges, it will be possible to form the E-commerce businesses worth more than USD 1 billion. However, in the short term, Vietnamese e-commerce businesses are still developing on social networking platforms and available e-commerce platforms currently popular with online sales forms of individuals, individual business households and small businesses.

Moreover, although it is said that e-commerce in Vietnam is popular, there is a lack of participation of small and medium-sized enterprises, especially in cross-border e-commerce. Across the world, cross-border e-commerce has created trillions of dollars for economic activities in recent years and is continuing to accelerate. But in Vietnam, according to the Vietnam E-Commerce Index, only32 percent of small and medium-sized enterprises in Vietnam have established business relations with foreign partners through online channels.

Talking about the difficulties of enterprises, Ms. Nguyen Thi My Hanh, Chairman of the Board of Directors, General Director of Hai Anh International Fashion Joint Stock Company said that enterprises operating in the field of manufacturing and trading of fashion products should understand the advantages of applying e-commerce in promoting products and brands. But because of insufficient human resources and inexperience in e-commerce, enterprises have only implemented in some domestic e-commerce websites, and are still in the process of learning to operate at commercial websites of international e-commerce.

The above problem shows there are still difficulties, so they must quickly take measures to solve them. Because according to experts, in the context of limited global trade due to the disease, e-commerce can be effective, this is one of the fastest ways for businessestobuild theirown brand, thereby bringing exports to global markets, especially for small and medium enterprises, expanding business but not losing much investment costs. Therefore, if businesses and management agencies change the methods and perceptions to create close cooperation, in order to break down barriers, e-commerce will develop as expected.