Luong Thi Hao livestreams on digital platforms to promote and sell local products.

As part of its strategy to develop the digital economy and advance comprehensive digital transformation, Son La has identified e-commerce as a key solution for expanding market access for local products. Smartphones, QR codes, and e-commerce platforms are becoming increasingly familiar to local residents, helping enhance product value and broaden consumer markets.

Luong Thi Hao, from Chieng Te hamlet in Muong La commune, runs a business specialising in traditional Thai ethnic products such as hand-pounded dried fish, 'ca giang', and 'thua o'. Over the past two years, recognising changing consumer trends, she has proactively embraced online sales channels, particularly livestreaming on social media platforms to promote and market her products. After overcoming initial challenges, she has gradually adapted to the digital business environment, bringing traditional Thai ethnic products to more customers both at home and abroad.

Beyond digital-based business activities, the application of e-commerce is also gradually opening up new consumption channels for many of the province’s key agricultural products. Farmers across Son La have proactively promoted and sold their produce on digital platforms, particularly during the fruit harvest season. Son La plum, currently in peak harvest season with a cultivation area of 14,550 hectares and an estimated output of around 100,000 tonnes, is becoming increasingly well known among consumers thanks to farmers’ efforts to promote the fruit through digital platforms.

In Phieng Khoai commune, which is home to more than 2,500 hectares of plum orchards, the adoption of e-commerce is helping farmers take a more proactive approach to marketing and selling their produce. The volume of plums sold through online channels has helped ease market pressure during the harvest season. Many farming households and cooperatives are effectively making the most of digital platforms to enhance the value of their agricultural products.

Le Thi Thu Thao livestreams from her plum orchard.

To help residents and cooperatives proactively engage in e-commerce, since 2021 the provincial Department of Industry and Trade has coordinated the organisation of 19 training courses for nearly 1,500 participants. It has also developed the Son La E-commerce Platform, integrated into Sanviet.vn under the Ministry of Industry and Trade, and facilitated the listing of more than 210 products on the platform. Localities across the province have also organised numerous livestream sales events, helping sell dozens of tonnes of local agricultural products.

Ha Nhu Hue, Director of the provincial Department of Industry and Trade, said that the department is stepping up e-commerce promotion activities to showcase local agricultural products, particularly OCOP (One Commune One Product) products and those protected by intellectual property rights. Future promotional activities will be conducted on a larger scale and with greater professionalism to further enhance the value of local agricultural products.

Alongside the growth of e-commerce, cashless payment is gradually becoming part of daily life for local residents. The use of QR codes, e-wallets, and digital banking services is becoming increasingly widespread in shopping and service payments thanks to their convenience, speed, and security. Since the beginning of the year, the province has recorded more than 43.5 million cashless payment transactions, with a total value exceeding 140 trillion VND (5.3 billion USD).

Residents use digital banking services at the Son La branch of Agribank.

From raising public awareness to improving digital infrastructure, Son La is steadily laying the groundwork for the digital economy to become a new engine of growth, creating broader development opportunities across various sectors. In 2026, the province aims for the digital economy to account for approximately 9% of its Gross Regional Domestic Product (GRDP).

To achieve this target, Son La is focusing on developing digital platforms and online systems that connect supply and demand; supporting cooperatives and farmers in applying digital technologies to production and product marketing; implementing traceability and quality management systems for key agricultural products; developing smart tourism platforms and AI-powered digital museums; and promoting cashless payments, e-invoicing, and electronic tax filing.

Officials of Long Phieng commune and members of Khanh Duong Cooperative in Yen Thi hamlet livestream to promote the sale of plums on digital platforms.

The digital economy is opening up new avenues for growth in Son La, helping enhance the value of agricultural products, transform production and business practices, and promote modern consumption patterns. The expansion of e-commerce, the adoption of digital platforms, and the growing use of cashless payment methods are enabling the province to better harness its potential, strengthen its competitiveness, and move toward sustainable development in the new era.