In 2014, the e-commerce revenue on mobile platforms (B2C) was estimated to reach US$2.97 billion, up 35 percent over 2013, and accounted for 2.12 percent of total retail revenue in the country. The Internet has not only developed in its infrastructure, but also in forms of access, frequency of use and e-commerce transactions.
E-commerce on mobile platforms
At the seminar on e-commerce development on mobile platforms on March 18, Deputy Minister of Industry and Trade Tran Tuan Anh said, e-commerce in Vietnam has grown strongly in recent years. The development and application of e-commerce solutions on mobile platforms to support business operations is becoming a new e-commerce trend in Vietnam and the world.
The e-commerce development trend on mobile platforms is also affirmed by Tran Huu Linh, Director of E-commerce and Information Technology Department under the Ministry of Industry and Trade. According to a report, a third of internet access is via mobile devices. 58 percent of internet users are active from 6pm to 11pm. Banking - payment services, interactive services, content services, applications, games, advertising and shopping via mobile devices have become a trend because of flexibility, convenience and connectivity.
With positioning feature on mobile phones, such services as taxi, freight transportation, travel guide and ticketing are budding. Therefore, the change in the form of commercial transactions entails the need for proper management and appropriate policies for e-commerce in general and mobile-based e-commerce in particular.
Apart from accessing the Internet via laptop, more and more Vietnamese people are gradually using mobile devices to access the Internet. In 2010, only 27 percent of users accessed the internet via mobile phones, but the figure jumped to 38 percent in 2013 and 65 percent in 2014. E-commerce is a general trend, engaged in by all walks of life. E-commerce on mobile platforms will surely play a vital role in e-commerce in particular and on trade and service development in general. In 2018, e-commerce on mobile devices will account for a nearly half of global e-commerce value.
Investment for future
Vietnam has introduced many policies on e-commerce development as well as infrastructure for e-commerce development. However, e-commerce in general and e-commerce on mobile devices alike are posing challenges to State authorities with respect to fast-changing technology as well as changes in thinking, viewpoints and management and organisation models relating to e-commerce. Therefore, e-commerce development indeed requires policy solutions and legal frameworks to enable consumers to interact with e-commerce platforms in general and mobile-based media in particular.
Nguyen Phuong Hoang, Deputy Director of Sen Do Technology Joint Stock Company, said that operating and marketing issues on mobile devices require creativity. Currently, the big challenge to the development of e-commerce is the lack of experienced human resources.
Moreover, a lot of application segments are left open, including health, education and kids programs.
A representative from Grabtaxi said that e-commerce is extremely beneficial. The most important factor on this platform is quality. There is no monopoly because consumers have the right to choose. They will oft for the best, safest but cheapest services and localities.
The General Department of Taxation said it is building a system to inspect and review e-commerce companies. Some new companies are raking in trillions of Vietnamese dong of revenue a year. The department will analyse risks and place companies with big revenue but high risks on the list for annual inspection.
Huong Giang
Vietnamese
