Da Nang is seeing an increasing number of local businesses which have enhanced e-commerce applications in their production and business activities to ensure their efficient operations.

According to last year’s survey of 200 businesses by the city’s Department of Industry and Trade, they all attached importance to improving the information technology (IT) infrastructure, operating their own websites, and accessing the Internet.  In addition, 100% of the surveyed businesses had computers and Internet access compared with 91.4% in 2012.  Last year also saw a higher number of businesses using IT software in their production activities than the previous year.  About 80% of the surveyed businesses used e-mail to conduct trading transactions with their suppliers and customers.  Meanwhile, most of them exchanged digital messages to make commercial contracts, promote their images, and advertise their products. 

Employees at a local company using computers in their daily work

In addition, 58% of the surveyed businesses had their own websites, and 27.5% received orders via websites.  Special attention was also paid to fostering their website promotion activities as well as using their web search engines, online social networking services and electronic newspapers, and enjoying other social media technologies.

However, the Deputy Director of the Department, Mr Le Viet Tuoi, said that e-commerce and IT applications have not been enhanced at many small-sized enterprises locally due to a shortage of capital and staff members who are involved in this aspect.  He added that many businesses have released only basic information about their products and services on their websites.  Meanwhile, online sales and payment methods have not been implemented via websites.

Since 2011, many meaningful programmes for supporting local businesses have been organised by the Department.  In detail, 37 local businesses have enjoyed free website setups, and 7 have enjoyed benefits from the central government’s industrial promotion policies.  In addition, the Department has supported 15 businesses to optimise their websites, and assisted 25 others with advertising their brand names and products on the Viet Nam E-commerce portal.  Furthermore, the Department has been actively involved in displaying information relating to the city’s export potentials and local export enterprises on the Viet Nam Export portal.  Measures have been taken to seek more business opportunities in foreign markets for local businesses via international portals.