Speaking at a meeting held to introduce the city’s key activities on May 3, Nguyễn Minh Hùng, deputy head of the department’s commercial management division, said selling goods on commercial platforms and through live streams is becoming increasingly popular and lucrative.

For instance, vendors at Bến Thành Market selling Cần Giờ specialties achieved good revenue through live selling, he said.

The department would work with other competent agencies and businesses to gradually develop specific plans to train small traders in online sales and pilot an online sales model at one traditional market before expanding it to the rest, he said.

He said e-commerce is an inevitable trend but traders at many traditional markets have not kept up with it.

"We will organise training in digital skills at markets to help traders make creative content on social networking platforms and set up online stores.”

The department also reported at the meeting that the city’s total retail sales of goods and consumer services topped VNĐ366.94 trillion (US$14.44 billion) in the first four months of 2024, up 12 per cent year-on-year.

The growth was driven by over VNĐ177 trillion coming from retail sales alone, a 10.5 per cent increase year-on-year.

Demand surged for several products, including by 8.6 per cent for food and groceries, 20.5 per cent for household appliances and equipment, 29.9 per cent for wood and construction materials, and 3.4 per cent for apparel.

In the first four months the city’s industrial production increased by 5.4 per cent year-on-year, and exports by 18.1 per cent to $15.05 billion.

Nguyễn Nguyên Phương, the department’s deputy director, said to further stimulate consumer demand and maintain growth momentum the department would implement various trade promotion programmes this year to help local firms connect with domestic and foreign buyers.

They include the HCM City Export Fair, Sourcing Fair of Supporting Industries, Consumption Promotion Fair, and Gift Show, he added. — VNS