E-commerce: Don't let "gold and copper mix"

E-commerce opens up opportunities for agricultural products and OCOP products of people and businesses to reach out to large markets. However, if this field is not well controlled, it can easily become a "gray area" in the digital business environment.

Director of Nam Duoc Cooperative Hoang Luong organizes livestream sales on e-commerce platforms.

Golden opportunity for agricultural products, OCOP products

E-commerce in Thai Binh is undergoing a strong transformation. The whole province currently has about 1,000 enterprises, cooperatives, and business households participating in e-commerce platforms, of which nearly 100 OCOP products have been put on platforms such as Postmart, Voso, Shopee, etc. Some product lines that have recorded strong growth are agricultural products, food, handicrafts, and health care products. The Department of Industry and Trade has organized many training courses, providing digital skills and online sales guidance to thousands of people and businesses. In 2024, payment transactions for goods on e-commerce platforms in the province will reach about 3,000 billion VND.

It is not difficult to find cooperative and enterprise models in the province that have successfully applied e-commerce for development. Typical examples are Hoang Luong Nam Duoc Cooperative (Tien Hai), Vu Toan Lotus Garden Company Limited (Vu Thu), Moc An Nhien Agricultural Pharmaceutical Cooperative (Hung Ha)... All have one thing in common: starting from a small production facility but have proactively applied technology, built brands and distributed products through e-commerce channels. Ms. Vu Thi Trang, Head of Moc An Nhien Agricultural Pharmaceutical Cooperative, said: Since selling online, the cooperative's products have widely reached consumers nationwide. At times, revenue from online channels accounted for up to 80% of total revenue. Expanding the market through e-commerce not only increases product value but also contributes to job creation, expanding raw material areas, gradually forming a sustainable value chain, helping the cooperative develop strongly in recent times.

Loopholes leading to the risk of "mixing good and bad"

In addition to positive results, e-commerce is also revealing many shortcomings. Notably, there is the situation of trading in counterfeit goods, goods of unknown origin, taking advantage of e-commerce platforms to profit or evade taxes. As a leading agency in the fight against smuggling, trade fraud and counterfeit goods, in 2024 and the first 4 months of 2025, the Provincial Market Management Department inspected, detected and handled 33 cases of violations of the law on business activities on e-commerce platforms. In addition to administrative fines and paying the state budget nearly 500 million VND, the authorities also confiscated many goods of unknown origin, poor quality, and signs of counterfeiting with a total value of nearly 300 million VND.

Mr. Nguyen Thai Hung, Deputy Head of the Provincial Market Management Department, said: In addition to violations related to trading in goods of unknown origin, origin, and product quality, recently we have inspected and discovered many businesses that have not registered or reported their e-commerce websites to the authorities. The rapid development of e-commerce brings business and shopping opportunities to people and businesses, contributing to economic growth, but also poses many challenges in management, especially in controlling the quality of goods and violations of the law. In the coming time, we will strengthen coordination with functional sectors, apply technology to monitor transactions on e-commerce floors and platforms, strictly handle fraudulent acts, protect consumer rights, and create a healthy business environment.

E-commerce helps Lotekfarm Vietnam Co., Ltd. develop the market quickly, create jobs and stable income for workers.  

For e-commerce to develop healthily

Currently, there are laws and a number of decrees regulating the management of e-commerce activities. The Ministry of Industry and Trade has Circular No. 47/2014/TT-BCT and Circular No. 59/2015/TT-BCT regulating the management of e-commerce websites and e-commerce activities via applications on mobile devices to ensure consumer rights and information security in e-commerce transactions. However, economic experts believe that there is a "gap" between the law and reality that needs to be overcome soon. Mr. Do Van Ve, Chairman of the Provincial Business Association, said: Perfecting mechanisms and policies, especially regulations on trading floor management, goods control, taxes and consumer protection is very necessary. A complete and strict legal system facilitates the authorities to inspect, check and strictly handle fraudulent acts and violations of e-commerce regulations, contributing to creating a fair competitive business environment.

Reality shows that many enterprises, cooperatives, and business households in the province still lack skills in online sales management, brand promotion, and customer care in the digital environment. To help people and businesses effectively promote e-commerce and avoid violations, improving digital capacity and transforming awareness for these subjects is very important. Specifically, it is necessary to strengthen training programs, digital skills training, and at the same time raise awareness of the benefits and responsibilities when participating in e-commerce, especially in rural areas. Authorities at all levels need to issue plans to develop e-commerce associated with digital transformation, support businesses in accessing preferential capital, legal advice, and connecting with reputable e-commerce platforms. At the same time, it is necessary to form a local e-commerce ecosystem, closely linking farmers - cooperatives - enterprises - e-commerce platforms to ensure quality and sustainable brands. Ms. To Thi Huong Lan, Deputy Director of the Department of Industry and Trade, said: E-commerce is one of the important solutions to promote the consumption of goods, especially agricultural products and OCOP products of people and businesses. The Department of Industry and Trade will continue to accompany businesses through trade promotion support programs, digital skills training, connecting with major e-commerce platforms, contributing to bringing Thai Binh products further into the domestic and foreign markets.

E-commerce is forecasted to continue to boom in the coming time, opening up great opportunities for the province to promote digital transformation, enhance the value of local products, and deeply integrate into the national and international economy. However, for e-commerce to develop sustainably, it requires the support of the State, businesses and people in building a transparent, modern digital business environment, trust and quality are the factors that must be put first.

Khac Duan

Source: https://baothaibinh.com.vn/tin-tuc/222180/thuong-mai-dien-tu-dung-de-vang-thau-lan-lon