Deputy Prime Minister Vuong Dinh Hue, and Minister of Industry and Trade, Tran Tuan Anh, attended the opening ceremony.
Addressing the ceremony, Minister Tran Tuan Anh said that Online Friday has been held for the fifth consecutive year and is an important event for the business community to develop solutions towards consumers and build trust in online trade transactions in the context of increasing digital trends.
He noted that, over the past five years, the online shopping festival has seen expansion in the number of participating companies, products, services, and retail sales. The total retail sales during the festival increased from VND160 billion in 2014 to VND1,223 billion in 2017.
The Online Friday event has also contributed to promoting the development of electronic commerce and the digital economy in Vietnam, Anh added.
During the festival from November 30 to December 9, carriers such as VNPost, Nijavan, Lalamove, Snailship and others will coordinate with retailers to offer free or discounted delivery costs.
Moreover, 20 commercial banks will accompany consumers during the event to support them with cashless payments and other card services.
