Govt Keen To Implement E-Commerce To Boost Traditional Markets

Jakarta, Oct 2 (Antara) - The government plans to implement an e-commerce system to facilitate trading among the people and merchants in the traditional markets, Deputy Minister of Trade Bayu Krisnamukti remarked here on Thursday. "There will be lot of advantages from e-commerce," he emphasized. Bayu explained that the e-commerce system has been implemented by one of the merchants in Tomohon, North Sulawesi. The merchant received the payment from the buyer via BRI (Bank of Republic of Indonesia) e-pay with a maximum payment limit of Rp1 million. "The items are then handed over after the merchant receives a short text message on his mobile phone confirming the money transfer," he noted. According to him, this system will open broader opportunities for the banks to develop a new payment system for the traditional markets. E-commerce can also help the merchants to promote their merchandise outside the traditional markets. "The promotion and e-payment should also be integrated," Bayu pointed out. In order to implement the system, the ministry is exploring the possibility of collaborating with several banks and organizing training sessions for the merchants. "We have imparted training on how to operate e-record trading. This is just a preliminary step," Bayu added.