Young people in Bac Ninh enhance their entrepreneurial skills through e-commerce

On October 23, 2025, at the Vietnam-Korea Vocational College of Technology and the Industrial Technical College (Bac Ninh province), the program "Applying E-commerce for Youth Entrepreneurship," organized by the Department of E-commerce and Digital Economy (Ministry of Industry and Trade) in collaboration with the Bac Ninh Department of Industry and Trade, officially commenced.

The event attracted a large number of students, young entrepreneurs, lecturers, and experts in the field of e-commerce, demonstrating the increasingly strong appeal of the digital economy to young people.

The event attracted a large number of students and young entrepreneurs.

Playing a pioneering role in digital transformation, the Ministry of Industry and Trade is actively implementing programs to support young people in innovative entrepreneurship, contributing to building a young workforce with digital skills and the ability to adapt to new economic models. Activities in Bac Ninh are concrete evidence of this effort, aiming to equip young people with in-depth e-commerce knowledge and skills, helping them create sustainable livelihoods and participate more deeply in a transparent, modern, and integrated digital economy.

The program is designed with a practical approach, linking training to the needs of young people. The content focuses on helping students improve their digital skills, apply new technologies, and master e-commerce tools. Besides sharing insights on e-commerce development trends in Vietnam, the program also trains skills in short video production, building sales channels on TikTok Shop, and implementing affiliate marketing models.

In particular, e-commerce experts directly guided, answered questions, and provided career development roadmaps for young entrepreneurs, helping them become more confident in exploiting the potential of digital platforms to develop their businesses.

Digital startup strategy: Building a channel, creating short videos, and a sustainable growth roadmap.

At the program, Mr. Nguyen Phan Huy Khoi, Director of the Vietnam Youth Entrepreneurship Support Center, shared many practical experiences, emphasizing that e-commerce today is no longer a "playground for large businesses" but a real opportunity for every individual who knows how to be creative and dares to challenge themselves. With approximately 76.2 million social media users, Vietnam possesses a huge customer base for short-form content and content commerce. According to Mr. Khoi, with just a phone and a good idea, young people can completely build a "global store," where the initial startup capital is not money, but intelligence and belief.

Mr. Nguyen Phan Huy Khoi, Director of the Vietnam Youth Entrepreneurship Support Center

Mr. Khoi stated that TikTok Shop is becoming an effective "launchpad" for student startups, helping to shorten the journey from content creation to commerce. Videos and livestreams on this platform already integrate a buy-now feature, increasing conversion rates. To operate effectively, entrepreneurs need to prepare a solid foundation – from creating their own account, building a memorable profile and channel name, to optimizing descriptions that clearly show "what to sell and who to sell" along with outstanding value. When registering for TikTok Shop, sellers should start with a few products that are easy to film and have reasonable profit margins.

During the content creation process, Mr. Khoi suggested that students focus on the basic elements that make short videos engaging and effective in conversion, while developing their channels in flexible content directions such as reviews, short tutorials, or entertainment related to products. After the shop is stable, they can expand their sales network through affiliate marketing programs. Regarding the startup roadmap, Mr. Khoi recommended that young people plan sequentially, from creating a channel, completing a profile, producing videos, to opening a shop, posting products, and implementing sales activities, while evaluating results to adjust and optimize efficiency in the early days.

Mr. Khoi emphasized that, in the initial phase, the key indicators are not specific numbers but rather ensuring consistent content production frequency, effective conversion rates, revenue from supporting channels, and smooth operational speed.

He also emphasized that e-commerce startups are not just about selling, but also about building a personal brand, understanding users, and complying with legal regulations in online business. “Doing business online requires the same standards as in real life – transparency, respect for customers, and respect for the law,” he said, adding that the upcoming draft of the revised E-commerce Law will strengthen the management of livestreaming and affiliate marketing activities. Mr. Khoi also praised the Ministry of Industry and Trade's policies supporting young people – especially programs accompanying innovation, digital transformation, and the improvement of the legal framework – helping young people start businesses sustainably, in the right direction, and in compliance with the law.

The potential of e-commerce and clear trends.

From specific guidelines on building TikTok channels, producing short videos, and implementing affiliate marketing, the digital entrepreneurship landscape for young people is clearly revealed. Mr. Nguyen Huu Tuan, Director of the Center for E-commerce and Digital Technology Development (eComDX), Department of E-commerce and Digital Economy (Ministry of Industry and Trade), further broadened the perspective, sharing insights on the development of e-commerce and the opportunities that young people can exploit.

Mr. Nguyen Huu Tuan, Director of the Center for E-commerce and Digital Technology Development (eComDX), Department of E-commerce and Digital Economy (Ministry of Industry and Trade)

According to Mr. Tuan, e-commerce is asserting its position as a pioneering field, playing a driving and pivotal role in the development of the digital economy. The digital economy is an operating model based on technology and digital data as inputs, using the digital space as the main operating environment, aiming to innovate business models and improve labor productivity.

Globally, e-commerce has become a strategic business model in the digital transformation of the retail industry, with online retail sales projected to reach US$6.86 trillion by 2025, growing at approximately 8.3% annually. China currently accounts for 44% of total global online retail sales, while Southeast Asia – particularly Indonesia, Vietnam, and Thailand – is emerging as the fastest-growing hotspots. In Vietnam, the e-commerce market size is projected to reach approximately US$25 billion in 2024, maintaining a growth rate of 25% annually and is expected to reach US$35 billion by 2025, with over 61 million consumers shopping online (equivalent to 55% of the population).

Mr. Tuan stated that this rapidly developing context brings many new opportunities for young people, especially students. Along with traditional models such as e-commerce platforms and online stores, many new business models are booming, including the sharing economy, dropshipping, affiliate marketing, and Direct-to-Consumer (D2C). In particular, the younger generation can start with the "entertainment first – buy later" model (content-driven commerce), which is becoming the dominant trend in modern e-commerce. To effectively capitalize on these opportunities, young people need to be equipped with sufficient knowledge, creative thinking, technological skills, and legal compliance – while also utilizing support policies from the Ministry of Industry and Trade such as GoAI, GoOnline, GoExport, and GoRight.

Regarding technological trends, Mr. Tuan highlighted three major shifts:

Firstly, mobile commerce (M-commerce) and social commerce are gaining dominance, currently accounting for nearly 73% of total global e-commerce transactions. Forms such as livestreaming, shoppable videos, and gamification are helping businesses shorten the journey from content to order.

Secondly, AI generation is reshaping the shopping experience – from personalized product recommendations and optimized inventory management to automated payment support. New technologies like AR Try-On and Just Walk Out payment systems are also ushering in seamless consumer trends.

Thirdly, the Omnichannel and Unified Commerce trends are helping to connect online and offline seamlessly, providing a continuous experience for customers, especially with the "buy online - pick up in store" (BOPIS) model.

Simultaneously, Mr. Tuan affirmed that green and sustainable e-commerce will be the future of the market, with a focus on environmentally friendly packaging, low-carbon logistics, and a circular economy model. Applying green logistics solutions, reusing packaging, and optimizing the supply chain will help Vietnamese e-commerce businesses develop sustainably, harmonizing economic efficiency and social responsibility.

完善 policies, create a favorable environment

Experts provided guidance and answered questions for young people at the event.

To support the sustainable development of youth entrepreneurship, the Ministry of Industry and Trade has been implementing a comprehensive set of policies aimed at perfecting the legal framework and creating a favorable business environment. Recently, the Ministry has issued a series of decisions, such as Decision No. 116/QD-BCT and Decision No. 337/QD-BCT, to improve the investment environment, support innovation, and promote digital transformation among young people.

Currently, the Ministry is finalizing the draft Law on E-commerce (amended), expected to be submitted to the 15th National Assembly at the October 2025 session, aiming to address existing issues in e-commerce management such as controlling counterfeit goods, cross-border taxes, protecting personal data, and creating favorable conditions for startups. In addition, the Ministry also particularly emphasizes ethics and legal compliance in digital business, considering this a fundamental element to ensure sustainable development. Strict implementation of the regulations in Decree No. 85/2021/ND-CP on transaction transparency, consumer protection, and prevention of online commercial fraud is seen as key to helping e-commerce startups enhance their reputation and build trust in the market.