The development of e-commerce has shaped consumer behavior, and traders in traditional markets across Da Nang have had to adapt to the general trend.

A livestream sales session held within the framework of the 2025 Spring Fair in Da Nang. Photo: TRAN TRUC

With the desire to approach more customers, Ms. Nguyen Thi Minh Hieu, a trader selling blankets, sheets, pillows, and mattresses in the Dong Da Market, has used Facebook and e-commerce applications to livestream to sell products for nearly 2 years. Thanks to that, her store's sales have been improved and maintained stable operations.

According to Ms. Hieu, sellers must livestream and interact on social networks regularly and actively so that their personal pages and products can go "viral".

However, she believes that when customers come to the counter and see the store owner livestreaming, they will be hesitant to ask to buy. Therefore, she only livestreams when she has free time and mainly sells to direct customers.

“The delivery fee for blankets, sheets, pillows, and mattresses is about VND 90,000 – VND 100,000. Customers often want free shipping, but the store has already sold at competitive prices in the market, and if it continues to offer free shipping, it will lose money, which is also a limitation when selling online” Ms. Hieu shared.

Meanwhile, Ms. Nguyen Thi Phuong, the owner of a souvenir and handicraft stall in the Han Market, said that she and many other stall holders in the market have also sold their products on social networking sites and e-commerce platforms for many years.

According to Ms. Phuong “Many people like to buy online because it is convenient and the prices are preferential. If the store cannot keep up with this shopping trend, it will be difficult for it to survive. Therefore, I and other traders also run ads, film and edit videos to post on many platforms to promote their products to more consumers".

To adapt the online shopping trend, many traditional markets citywide are gradually combining tradition and modernity to meet the increasing needs of consumers in the digital age. However, through research, the level of access and effectiveness will depend on many factors and there are still some difficulties and challenges that traders have to face. For example, currently, most of the businesses in traditional markets are older, with limited use of smartphones. The personal social networking sites of the businesses do not have high number of interactions or followers.

In particular, some traders do not have enough capital to invest in building online sales channels for advertising, delivery or maintaining accounts on e-commerce platforms.

According to market management boards and economic offices of districts, tracing the origin of products to meet the requirements of sales platforms is a challenge that is not easy to solve. Along with that, the small stalls at the market are not convenient for sales and livestreaming.

Recently, the Lien Chieu District Market Management Board has implemented many solutions to support and guide local traders to access information, and update knowledge and skills on e-commerce and livestream sales as well.

Mr. Nguyen Van Ha, Deputy Director of Lien Chieu District Market Management Board, said “We regularly promote the benefits of e-commerce to help traders gradually expand the market, increase revenue, and save costs. The Management Board has equipped QR codes for consumers to make online payments, thereby boosting digital transformation and the application of information technology in business activities, facilitating consumers to experience and access modern payment methods, and stimulating shopping activities. In addition, the market provides technical infrastructure with free Wi-Fi points to access the internet for traders to easily manage orders”.

Over the past time, the Da Nang Department of Industry and Trade has synchronously implemented many tasks to implement the city's e-commerce development plan.

Accordingly, the Da Nang E-commerce Floor at danangtrade.com.vn continues to operate effectively, with the involvement of 1,948 businesses offering 2,738 products/services in total.

In addition, the use of digital methods and the market 4.0 model have been widely replicated in the city. Currently, there are more than 15,000 traders in the markets equipped with QR codes with a total transaction amount of over VND 50 billion, and the payment transactions of customers is over VND 13 billion.

In the coming time, the department will continue to implement programmes and solutions to build online brands for key goods and services of Da Nang such as developing information, images and videos promoting brands for OCOP products, specialties, etc. on platforms.

On the other hand, heed will be on organising training courses on how to introduce products through livestream sales on TikTok or e-commerce platforms and how to apply artificial intelligence (AI) in business activities for enterprises, establishments, and cooperatives. Moreover, training on commercial civilisation, digital transformation apps and livestream sales will be organised for small traders in the time to come.

Reporting by TRAN TRUC, MAI LY - Translating by M.DUNG