“This is the first event of its kind in Vietnam,which focuses on online export trends, the benefits of online exchanges andinternational retail trends,” said Nguyen Ky Minh, Deputy Director of theE-commerce Development Centre under the Ministry of Industry and Trade (MoIT)at the conference.
Multiple Vietnamese businesses are applyinge-commerce technology in export, according to Tran Thanh Hai, Deputy Directorof the MoIT’s Import-Export Department. In fact, the number of Vietnameseenterprises participating in online export programs and training in online exportskills in 2016 showed a 34 percent increase from 2015, as reported by the VECOMin its 2017 e-Business Index.
Hai also confirmed that in addition to accessingonline public service such as e-customs, online certificates of origin andother export-related services, businesses in Vietnam have been using theinternet to look for foreign trade partners and sign contracts online.
E-commerce is considered an effective way to helpbusiness enhance efficiency in dealing with market research, contract signing,payment, customs regulations and bureaucratic legislations.
E-commerce is also believed to be a cost-cuttingand time-saving solution to "unofficial fees" in the export process,according to VECOM’s Chairman Nguyen Thanh Hung.
Meanwhile, the number of consumers buying directlyfrom international retailers is rising rapidly, which further emphasises thepotential of e-commerce as a means to manage complicated import and exportactivities.
The conference is not only a chance for businessesto learn about e-trade exchange and the trend of online retail to foreigncustomers, but also for them to propose that the State provide online publicservices for import and export, said Hung.
The 2017 VETC was divided into three sessions focusingon the three main pillars of online export and import activities: online publicservices between government and business; export opportunities based on onlineexchange and the business to business model (B2B); B2B development trends aimeddirectly towards end consumers.
This year’s conference also marked VESA’sintroduction as a unit jointly created by OSB Investment and Technology Jsc,the Vietnam Prosperity Joint Stock Bank, the Telecommunication Joint Stock Insurance Corporation and the T&M Forwarding Ltd.Business members of VESA are entitled to better support from this e-commerce,logistics and insurance trio. - VNA