The ASEAN Online Sale Day (AOSD) is held every August 8 to showcase the potentials of online sales, cross-border trade and digital entrepreneurship within ASEAN member states (AMS).
The ASEAN Secretariat said AOSD leverages technology and highlights the importance of digital transformation for businesses and demonstrates the benefits of using e-commerce platforms and encourages small and medium enterprises (SMEs) embrace digital technologies to enhance their competitiveness and growth.
Participating businesses get the chance to showcase the diversity and richness of the ASEAN market to a larger customer base. It provides them with an opportunity to expand their cross-border sales.
AOSD is not only a platform for business transactions but also a catalyst for knowledge sharing and networking. The event promotes cross-border trade facilitation and addresses challenges related to logistics, payment systems, customs procedures and regulatory harmonisation. The event fosters regional connectivity, creates a level playing field for businesses and facilitates economic cooperation within the ASEAN region.
Indonesia, as this year’s ASEAN Chair, proposed to extend AOSD to two weeks – from August 8 to 21 – from the usual three-day affair.
In 2022, AOSD gathered 342 businesses from all member states. The offers were divided into several categories, including e-commerce, handicrafts, electronics, home appliances, furniture, fashion, services, tourism, and food and beverages.
By bringing together businesses and consumers from different ASEAN member countries, AOSD strengthens the ASEAN identity, fosters regional branding and contributes to the development of a vibrant and interconnected digital economy in Southeast Asia. – Azlan Othman
