A workshop was organized in Hanoi on March 18th to look at prospects of mobile e-commerce in 2015.

The event, co-hosted by the Vietnam e-Commerce and Information Technology Agency under the Ministry of Industry and Trade and the Vietnam e-Commerce Association, was also designed to connect ministries and sectors in management of activities in the field.

Deputy Minister of Industry and Trade Tran Tuan Anh highlighted the potential for developing mobile e-commerce in the domestic market, saying Vietnam’s rate of smart phone and internet users is still below the average Asian rate, leaving much room for the service to expand.

More people making orders via cellphones. Photo: Vietnam+

Mobile e-commerce plays a significant part in e-commerce, as seen in the Republic of Korea and Japan where it constitutes nearly 50 percent of the total e-commerce revenue. China reported a 91 percent growth in mobile e-commerce last year, according to the Deputy Minister.

Mobile e-commerce has grown quickly in Vietnam with outstanding and highly applicable software for transportation and online shopping and paying, among others.

According to the e-commerce agency's report, revenue from business-to-customer e-commerce in Vietnam was estimated at USD 2.97 billion last year, up 35 percent year on year and accounting for 2.12 percent of the country's gross sales of retail goods.

Source: VNA