Why e-commerce is key to Indonesia’s small businesses

EmailMany emerging market economies are still in the throes of the battle against the COVID-19, despite the advances made with vaccines. Indonesia is no exception. It is more important than ever to prepare Indonesian micro, small, and medium enterprises (MSMEs) to survive and thrive in the context of a disease that may be here to st

Many emerging market economies are still in the throes of the battle against the COVID-19, despite the advances made with vaccines. Indonesia is no exception. It is more important than ever to prepare Indonesian micro, small, and medium enterprises (MSMEs) to survive and thrive in the context of a disease that may be here to stay.

Our research suggests that e-commerce may be one way to help Indonesian entrepreneurs do this. In December 2020, the World Bank – in collaboration with Shopee – surveyed more than 15,000 digital merchants in Indonesia. All had made 30 or more transactions since joining the platform. The vast majority were MSMEs, with annual sales revenues in 2019 of less than IDR 50 billion. The survey asked respondents about the impact of the pandemic on their business operation and performance, how they coped with the pandemic, and government and business support they received and wanted to receive.

Key findings about e-commerce

Authors Maria Monica Wihardja


Source link