In recent years, the increase in digital consumption and online shopping activities has created conditions, as well as created requirements forcing businesses to promote digital transformation strategies to access new shopping trends. 

The online shopping trend of consumers requires businesses to change their approach and invest in digital technology. Photo: CHIEN THANG

The Selly platform is a highly effective intermediary channel and solution to help businesses solve problems with advertising, sales, delivery, customer care, complaint of products raised from distributors.

Launched in July 2021, Selly app, developed by the Selly Co., Ltd., in Da Nang’s Hai Chau District, is a platform dedicated to those who want to run an online business with the criterion of ‘3 Nos’: no capital, no inventory and no worries about operation.

Mr. Nguyen Nam Hai, the Operations Director of Selly Co., Ltd. said that after two years of operating the platform, there are nearly 70,000 sales collaborators, providing 17 product lines, focusing on fashion, beauty care, consumer goods and household products. Sales in 2022 reached more than VND160 billion, with more than 1.7 million products sold.

Selly is an online sales platform but has many differences from other platforms as sellers are connected directly to distributors to get the original selling price. Businesses only need to create a store on Selly, and everything else such as product delivery, product promotion and information feedback will be handled by the platform.

In addition, to keep up with digital consumption trends, many businesses have early invested in integrated digital technology to provide optimal customer experience, creating a basis to dominate the e-commerce market.

As reported by Mr. Nguyen Manh Cuong, the Director of STC Electronic Electrical Equipment Manufacturing JSC in An Khe Ward, Thanh Khe District, since the beginning of 2022 until now, more than 70% of the total investment of the enterprise has been spent for employees and means for digital transformation.

The reason why the proportion of investment in technology accounts for more than 2/3 of the total investment fund is due to the raising awareness of the role and trends of consumers that are gradually changing to shopping on digital platforms. Thanks to reasonable investment, his business has had stable business growth.

“Enterprises' investment in technology equipment accounts for 40%, digital applications and programmes, accounting for 30%; digital human resources, making up for 30%. As a small, newly established business and receiving abundant investment capital, it did not take my business too long to transform digitally.”, Mr. Cuong said.

The trend of cross-border trade is helping e-commerce explode, accordingly, consumer behaviour in accessing new products has changed. This forces businesses to be proactive in determining goals and strategies to meet market requirements.

However, small and medium-sized businesses (SMEs) are facing many difficulties in investing in human resources and technology to meet the goals and requirements of digital transformation.

Mr. Do Quy Su, CEO of FiveSS Technology Joint Stock Company in Hoa Xuan Ward, Cam Le District) acknowledged that the biggest barrier in his business's digital transformation process is investment costs, and focusing on relying on digital technology solutions or current deployment and maintenance costs is very high.

Although he has begun to focus strongly on technology solutions, his business has only met 20-30% of expectations.

According to Mr. Su, investment needs to follow the process, giving top priority to the level of digital human resources before investing in infrastructure to avoid wasting resources. Human investment focuses on expertise in finding markets and improving product service quality.

In an effort to effectively transform digitally, leaders from senior executives to department heads must have make effective coordination to avoid ineffective decisions.

Mr. Tran Ngoc Thach, the Deputy Director of the Da Nang Department of Information and Communications, said that, to determine strategic goals and appropriate vision in digital transformation, businesses need to consider input factors such as readiness level, digital transformation and general strategies in the short and long term.

Also, they should continuously update information and market trends because the nature of digital transformation is to bring platforms to digital instead of traditional manual methods.

Besides, it is necessary to pay attention to trends, market impacts as well as changes in shopping behaviour. This will develop the business's flexibility to quickly respond to market fluctuations, thereby improving the efficiency of the business's apparatus to create competitive advantage, effectively reach customers, optimize costs and profits, and improve security to ensure stable operation.

Reporting by CHIEN THANG - Translating by A.THU