More exporters stick to e-commerce

A report by the Ministry of Industry and Trade’s E-commerce Department following a survey on e-commerce said 12% of responding companies had dabbled in e-commerce through websites such as www.Alibaba.com, with 80% liking the outcome. 

Than Van Hung, general director of Visimex Joint Stock Company, told Thoi Bao Kinh Te Vietnam (Vietnam Economic Times) that his company had few customers before signing up with www.Alibaba.com.

After that they began to get four or five e-mail inquiries every day about their products, and the number surged to 25-30 after becoming a “Gold Supplier” on the site, he said. 

Half of them were serious customers, with 10-15% already signing deals with the company. 

Another survey by OSB Investment and Technology Joint Stock Company and quoted by the Vietnam Economic Times, found that firms were five times more likely to succeed by using e-commerce. 

Besides, 65% of such enterprises were confident of overcoming the economic slump compared to only 10% of those not using e-commerce. 

Even large companies have begun to use B2B websites thanks to the low cost and convenience. 

But analysts said companies should also retain their traditional business methods. 

They still have to take part in exhibitions within and outside the country and trade promotion programmes, they said. 

Since B2B websites offer the same ease of doing business to rival firms too, competition is intense and companies have to work hard, the analysts said. 

Online demand for Vietnamese products will increase in future, so domestic companies have to prepare carefully to achieve success, they said.