Though logistics and e-commerce in Viet Nam is booming, the two sectors have been hamstrung by a lack of linkages between them, according to Tran Thanh Hai, deputy director of the Import-Export Department under the Ministry of Industry and Trade.

Hai said that the development of e-commerce must be accompanied with quality logistics services as logistics are crucial for online sales.

According to the ministry, since 2015, though logistics and delivery services have grown rapidly, they have not met the needs of e-commerce.

High logistics and delivery costs in online sales has led to online purchase prices not being much lower than for traditional purchases, Hai said, adding that the quality of delivery services is low.

In Viet Nam, logistics enterprises and e-commerce firms are mainly small and medium sized, their scale of operation is not large, they lack professionalism, and they lack close links to serve customers.

This is one of the reasons that online purchasing is unattractive to consumers and why logistics for e-commerce has not developed. Therefore, improving the efficiency of logistics services to support e-commerce is urgent.

To tackle the problem, the Department of Import-Export and the Department of E-Commerce and Digital Economy will hold a workshop themed ‘Logistics and E-Commerce: Companion for Development’ on April 10.

The workshop aims to find causes for the weak links and propose practical solutions.

The seminar will feature State management agencies in logistics and e-commerce, associations, enterprises, as well as research and training organisations in logistics and e-commerce.— VNS