E-commerce opens export doors in untapped markets

Vietnamese exporters should join a programme that aims to promote trade between Viet Nam, the Middle East, APEC and Africa through e-commerce, experts said at a seminar held in HCM City yesterday.

The programme is being carried out under National Project 191 by the Viet Nam Chamber of Commerce and Industry (VCCI) in collaboration with Alibaba.com and Ha Noi-based OSB (Opportunities Solutions Business) Joint Stock Co.

Allan Yau, in charge of marketing at Alibaba.com, a leading e-commerce company, said it has chosen 100 local businesses to receive assistance under the “Gold Supplier” service package on Alibaba.com to advertise their products and seek new partners.

The online company will also organise e-commerce training courses for these enterprises to help them improve customer service, Yau said.

This will open up opportunities for Vietnamese exporters to tap the Middle East, APEC and African markets because they can find abundant data on buyers in each category or each region, particularly in these three markets, on Alibaba.com.

“E-commerce is a good way for companies to expand their customer and international supplier network,” he said.

A survey by the Ministry of Industry and Trade last year found 60 per cent of enterprises believed that e-commerce would increase their business growth rate, as against 37 per cent in 2005.

“Currently, the Middle East and African markets are interested in Vietnamese products including agricultural products, foodstuff, beverage, seafood, furniture and handicrafts,” Yau said.

The number of Vietnamese firms registering on his company’s website rose by 38 per cent over the last year to 120,000, he noted. The number of global members registered with Alibaba.com reached 12.5 million this March.

Vo Tan Thanh, director of the HCM City branch of VCCI said “apart from strengthening trade promotion programmes, the application of information technology, especially e-commerce, is one of the effective tools that can promote business activities and increase their competitiveness.”

Exporters need to get updated market information and use e-commerce to fully exploit these potential markets, he said.

Ly Quoc Hung, head of the Ministry of Industry and Trade’s Africa – West Asia – East Asia Department, noted that products exported the Middle Eastern and African markets should be of clear origin and contain information in Arabic.

Last year, the two-way trade between Viet Nam and the Middle East reached US$2.16 billion. The export of Vietnamese goods, mostly textile, leather shoes, seafood, rice, coffee, pepper, rubber and wood products, accounted for $1.13 billion, while plastic materials, oil, chemical and steel worth $1.03 billion were imported. — VNS

Tags: Vietnam ecommerce, Vietnam infotech