Head of the Riau Islands Trade and Industry Office Aries Fhariandi noted here on Thursday that digital literacy can help merchants in traditional markets to use modern methods in marketing their goods.
"Digital market and digital store are unavoidable due to the passing of times. What needs to be done is adaptation to the time," he remarked.
"Our job is to provide an understanding to merchants to not only rely on conventional methods while selling their goods but also utilize internet and social media in trade," he noted.
The Riau Islands provincial government had, on several occasions, invited representatives from Tokopedia and Shopee as speakers in digital literacy, specifically in electronic-based trade.
Some 200 merchants in Tanjungpinang, who were earlier technologically illiterate, have finally started using the internet and social media to sell their goods.
"Knowledge encourages them to become confident after they understand how to use features available in social media," he remarked.
"They can also use interesting sentences on the picture of the goods that they sell that attract customers' attention," he remarked.
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Fhariandi, also often called as Ujeng, stated that electronic-based trade through the use of the internet and facilities in social media is a business strategy that can easily be accessed with broad marketing.
Electronic-based trade has slowly made its presence felt in the lives of people within the last few years due to public acceptance.
The people have developed a proclivity to electronic-based trade, as it is more efficient and effective. When people are looking to trade, they do not have to rent spaces, such as stalls.
Several residents have been successful in embarking on culinary businesses, business involving daily necessities and goods delivery service digitally. They utilize facilities on social media platforms, such as Instagram and Facebook, to market their products.
For instance, D'Sayur Tanjungpinang managed to run its business that sells vegetables, fish, chicken meat, and fruits online. D'Sayur also provides goods delivery service at a relatively affordable price to customers.
"From trading in the online world, D'Sayur now sells their goods in stores. However, electronic-based trading still continues," he remarked.
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Translator: Nikolas Panama, Fadhli Ruhman
Editor: Yuni Arisandy Sinaga
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