In China, e-commerce is not exclusively enjoyed by the urban community. Villagers have also been involved in this online sale. Since 2012, the technology giant Alibaba Group has taken advantage of Taobao’s e-commerce platform that enters the villages by training SMEs. Concepts like this are also brought to Indonesia and a number of countries through the program Alibaba Global Course.
In Indonesia, the program began with a seminar attended by about 1,000 small and medium enterprises (SMEs) that took place at the Ritz Carlton Ballroom, Jakarta (5/12/2017). The Alibaba Global Course aims to improve the ability of SMEs in understanding the e-commerce industry that presents speakers who are part of Alibaba groups such as Taobao University, Tokopedia, Lazada Indonesia, UCWeb, and Alibaba.com.
Brian Wong, Vice President of Alibaba Group said the Alibaba Global Course seminar is in line with the mission to assist Indonesian entrepreneurs in the digital economy. “We hope that this seminar will be able to help them succeed in the e-commerce world, whether in the field of consumer analysis, best industry practice and marketing capability.In the end, we hope they can contribute to Indonesia’s success in the digital economy and create innovative career opportunities, “said Brian Wong.
He explained that the organizer of the Alibaba Global Course course is Taobao University, Alibaba Group education and training platform that offers learning opportunities to e-commerce practitioners. Over the past few years, Taobao University has hosted over 30 training courses in six countries including the Southeast Asian region and beyond, which was attended by more than 2,600 participants – including more than 2,500 SMEs and entrepreneurs.
The rural economic activity that was dependent on the role of distributor and limited in terms of marketing becomes easier and faster through the Taobao Marketplace feature. In this platform, farmers and owners of small and medium enterprises (SMEs) can directly establish an online store and sell their products such as agricultural products, handicrafts, accessories to the city community. For this ambition, Alibaba does not play games. “Alibaba has committed to invest 10 billion yuan to develop e-commerce in 1000 small towns and 100,000 villages,” Brian Wong, vice president of Alibaba Group told Tirto, Wednesday (6/10).
In China alone, Alibaba through Taobao relies on two strategies to expand the adaptation of digital trading technology in the economic activities of rural communities. The first strategy is Rural Taobao which focuses on establishing service centers (including Internet infrastructure) and identifying young urban entrepreneurs who can return to the village to start an e-commerce business.
While the second strategy is Taobao Village which is an independent village community initiative to use Taobao e-commerce platform in selling or buying various products. The rural economic activity that once depended on the role of distributors with limited marketing transformed itself more easily and quickly through the Taobao Marketplace feature. In this platform, farmers and owners of small and medium enterprises (SMEs) can directly establish an online store and sell their products such as agricultural products, handicrafts, accessories to the city community.
While in Indonesia whose territory is an archipelago, according to him becomes a challenge in itself. For that reason, in Alibaba Global Course program Alibaba works with local e-commerce players – who have also become part of Alibaba-such as Tokopedia and Bukalapak who better understand the culture in Indonesia.
At Alibaba Global Course, Tokopedia Leontinus Alpha Edison Co-Founder, who shares insights on how SMEs can improve their consumer shopping experience through digital technology and grow their business. While Chief Marketing Officer Lazada Indonesia Achmad Alkatiri convey the secrets of the seller’s success that has been able to utilize the Lazada platform to improve their business.
Meanwhile, other speakers from UCWeb, Alibaba.com and Taobao University presented various topics, ranging from the latest trends to introduce brand and marketing content, create product lines and pricing strategies, to build trust tips with Business to Business (B2B) buyers, from all over the world.
