Many traders join the Shopee Enables SMEs programme to improve their skills in doing e-commerce. — Photo Courtesy Shopee Vietnam

HCM CITY — E-commerce company Shopee has launched a corporate social responsibility initiative called "Shopee Enables SMEs" to support micro, small, and medium-sized enterprises (MSMEs) in Việt Nam. 

The programme, carried out in collaboration with the Việt Nam E-commerce Association (VECOM), aims to engage 100,000 MSMEs by enhancing their e-commerce capabilities and implementing e-commerce applications. 

It seeks to improve livelihoods through targeted e-commerce skills training and leveraging technology.

The company said "Shopee Enables SMEs" is not a one-time effort but a long-term commitment to advancing Việt Nam’s digital economy and helping businesses grow and contribute to the economy. 

It foresees the programme as a significant step towards achieving Việt Nam’s digital economy objectives and fostering digital cooperation between Việt Nam and Singapore.

Jason Bay, the SEA Limited country head, said: "Instead of charging high fees for third-party training, Shopee and its partners are offering these training sessions for free as we are devoted to serving the underserved and utilising technology to enhance everyone's lives."

The first "Shopee Enables SMEs" training course has commenced with the assistance of the Hà Nội Department of Industry and Trade and involved over 200 businesses and 100 students in the city.

Shopee also collaborates with the Government to provide e-commerce training to SMEs, having assisted nearly 10,000 sellers last year through national and provincial workshops. 

Over 90 per cent of products sold on Shopee in Việt Nam originate locally.

More than 350,000 Vietnamese SMEs and 1,000 local brands have received support from the company for expanding into ASEAN markets leveraging its international platform.

In recent years e-commerce has witnessed rapid growth, attracting numerous small enterprises and individual entrepreneurs.

Shopee's market studies reveal that individual entrepreneurs and MSMEs in Việt Nam encounter various hurdles in navigating and understanding e-commerce, and so training and assistance play a pivotal role in supporting them.

With "Shopee Enables SMEs," 100,000 businesses across all 63 provinces and cities will acquire fundamental skills and insights to comprehend consumer shopping patterns to help expand. — VNS