Shaping pottery on the wheel in Phù Lãng Commune. — VNA/VNS Photo

BẮC NINH — A smartphone, an internet connection and a livestream have become new trade promotion tools for Minh Tâm Pottery Cooperative in Phù Lãng Commune, Bắc Ninh Province, helping its traditional products reach consumers beyond the craft village.

Instead of waiting for customers to visit Phù Lãng or relying mainly on traditional distribution channels, the cooperative now introduces its handmade pottery directly on social media platforms. Its TikTok livestreams attract thousands of viewers, with orders placed during the broadcasts.

According to Minh Tâm Pottery Cooperative Director Đặng Thị Tâm, the livestreams are not just a way to sell pottery — they also provide an opportunity to introduce Phù Lãng’s traditional pottery-making heritage, the cultural values reflected in each product and the stories of local artisans.

The connection with customers often continues after the livestream ends. Many people who first discover Minh Tâm pottery on TikTok subsequently contact the cooperative via Zalo, follow new products and return to make further purchases.

Tâm said customers who place orders during livestreams are potential long-term buyers. After receiving their products, many ask about new designs, select additional items and place subsequent orders.

The experience illustrates how digital transformation can help traditional craft products find new markets without losing their identity. Through digital platforms, the story of the product, its place of origin and the artisan behind it can reach consumers in different localities.

Minh Tâm’s experience is part of a wider shift, as businesses increasingly use e-commerce for promotion and sales. Websites, applications, sales management software, electronic payments, QR codes for product traceability and online marketplaces are becoming more common tools for connecting Vietnamese products with consumers.

Trần Thị Vượng, general director of Thạch An Food Processing JSC, said e-commerce was effective in promoting businesses and product brands. In her view, wherever customers are, businesses can sell there, with the smartphone in people’s hands becoming a new place for shopping.

The development is also in line with Politburo’s Resolution 57-NQ/TW, which identifies science and technology, innovation and national digital transformation as key drivers of socio-economic development.

For Minh Tâm, digital transformation is not about replacing a traditional craft, but giving its products and stories a new route to consumers. — VNS