Ho Chi Minh City authorities will invite some 70 TikTokers to review products at the iconic Ben Thanh Market between Monday and Saturday next week, making it the first traditional market in Vietnam to trial the promotion and trade of commodities through live streams on the short video-sharing platform.

During the Ho Chi Minh City Shoppertainment 2023 - Ben Thanh Heritage Market program, key opinion leaders (KOLs) and TikTokers will introduce dishes, specialties, fabrics, and ao dai (Vietnam's traditional long gown) which are put on sale at Ben Thanh Market.

Organizers expect the program to draw more visitors to the market, thus improving the traders’ sales and promoting the city’s tourism.

The program was initiated by the Ho Chi Minh City Institute for Development Studies, the municipal Department of Information and Communications, and the administration in District 1, where the market is located.

The event will prove the city’s impact on the e-commerce sector, feature innovative models in tourism, and develop e-commerce on social media.

The southern metropolis currently accounts for 47.7 percent of e-commerce platforms’ total sales nationwide.

Earlier, a five-hour live stream to introduce OCOP (One Commune One Product) items in Ho Chi Minh City’s outlying Can Gio District fetched revenue which was 10 times higher than expected.

Over the past few months, many traditional wet markets have experienced a downbeat picture of sales despite the peak shopping season.

The situation was attributed to the ongoing economic downturn, a surge in online shopping, and traders’ disdain for online sales.

Many consumers said they have few reasons to visit traditional wet markets.

They want to come to trade centers with more services, developed infrastructure, diverse products, and clearly-displayed prices.

Traditional wet markets are more appropriate for tourists, local consumers added.

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