In recent years, craft villages nationwide have introduced their products on online platforms, enhancing the efficiency of their trade and adding value to their brands. Previously, they had to depend on trade fairs and other trade promotion programs to market their products.

Ha Thi Hoa, Director of the Global Investment and Digital Technology Development Co., Ltd, said the Dong Ky Wood Association (in Dong Ky wood craft village, Bac Ninh Province) has established sales groups on social networks such as Zalo and Facebook, and linked more than 179 households to the groups. These groups help members look for production materials, introduce their products, and find buyers and suppliers.

Producers and other businesses in the renowned Bat Trang Commune of Hanoi’s Gia Lam District are also quickly seizing online business opportunities to gain orders and expand markets. Wholesalers in other provinces know about Bat Trang's new products through websites and social networks. E-commerce by commune producers and traders is growing rapidly and has increased exports to foreign markets, including Japan, the US, and the EU.

However, capital and staff shortages still make it hard for some rural craft businesses to apply digital technology and conduct e-commerce transactions.

Vietnam has some 400 traditional craft villages which employ some two million people and create millions of seasonal jobs for farmers. The export of handicraft items earns almost US$2.5 billion. In addition to their economic benefits, they also preserve Vietnam’s cultural and historical heritage.

Each craft village has its own specialty passed down from generation to generation. The range of their products is varied, including lacquer wares, pottery, blacksmithing, embroidery, bamboo, rattan, basket-weaving, folk painting, wooden and stone sculptures, food and more. Many have become popular tourist destinations.

Luu Duy Dan, Chair of Vietnam Association of Craft Villages (VICRAFTS): Apart from promoting offline and online sales, craft village businesses are boosting online interaction, making it possible for customers to access product design and development.

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