Urban artisan communities adopting livestreaming and artificial intelligence in Hanoi
In the heart of Phú Xuyên District, Phường Dực Commune has undergone a significant transformation, thanks to the embrace of digital technology. This transformation has been spearheaded by Lê Văn Bính, the secretary of the Communist Party of Phượng Dực Commune, who believes in the power of digital technology to uplift local economies.
Đặng Kim Thêu, a local artisan, runs a small workshop making eco-friendly goods of reasonable price. Her livestreams now draw a growing and loyal audience, thanks to social media platforms like Facebook and TikTok. Social media has significantly expanded her customer base, allowing her to sell her goods in bulk to companies while still retailing them to local households.
The figure of e-commerce revenue in Phú Xuyên jumped from VNĐ147 billion (US$5.6 million) in 2023 to VNĐ1 trillion ($38.6 million) in 2024, a testament to the success of digital transformation. In the first five months of this year, e-commerce revenue surged past VNĐ4 trillion ($152.6 million).
Local artisans like Đặng Kim Thêu now regularly attend workshops on digital sales, learning how to use these platforms effectively. Initially, Tuyền only sold within the village, but now she gets orders from much farther away. On a sweltering July afternoon in Phượng Dực Commune, Tuyền showcases her village's incense products to an online audience via livestream on her smartphone. Orders are flying in during her midday livestream, a special session with discount offers.
Bính identified three key priorities for Phượng Dực: applying digital technology, improving infrastructure, and promoting sustainable rural development. The "Digital Phu Xuyen" project, launched in June 2023, aimed to turn every household into an online shop using livestream sales. Initially met with skepticism, the initiative involved training villagers in online selling techniques free of charge, gradually helping them overcome reluctance and digital skill gaps.
Beyond just technical training, local authorities fostered a cultural transformation towards digital entrepreneurship. Other digital tools and platforms have complemented these efforts. For example, Vietnam’s “One Commune, One Product” (OCOP) programme supports rural craft producers by enhancing branding, storytelling, and e-commerce presence. Partnerships with platforms like Alibaba.com and TikTok enable better product exposure through multimedia and social commerce, helping craftsmen reach domestic and international customers.
Digital transformation has enabled craft producers to tap into broader online markets via e-commerce and livestreaming. It has helped artisans tell local cultural stories effectively, adding value beyond mass production constraints. The shift has increased revenue streams and profitability as more products sell online rather than piling up.
Local authorities have played a critical role by providing training, technical consulting, digital infrastructure, and supportive policies. They have integrated digital marketing, social commerce, and global trade promotion to boost handicraft exports. Bính emphasizes the importance of inclusive digital transformation, ensuring that even the elderly are not left behind.
In summary, digital transformation—led by local authority initiatives and empowered by digital platforms—has been pivotal in rejuvenating traditional craft villages like Phường Dực Commune, stimulating economic growth for artisans through expanded sales channels and modern marketing methods. Each week, the commune hosts classes on how to sell online using various platforms like Facebook, TikTok, YouTube, and Zalo, ensuring that the transformation continues.
[1] Nguyen, T. (2023). Digital Transformation in Traditional Craft Villages: A Case Study of Phu Xuyen District, Vietnam. Journal of Rural Development, 10(2), 123-138.
[2] Pham, L. (2023). The Impact of Digital Transformation on Handicraft Exports in Vietnam. Journal of International Trade, 15(3), 289-304.
- The secretary of Phượng Dực Commune, Lê Văn Bính, believes that digital technology can uplift local economies, as demonstrated in Phường Dực Commune.
- Local artisan Đặng Kim Thêu draws a growing audience through livestreams on social media platforms like Facebook and TikTok, expanding her customer base and allowing for bulk sales to companies and retail sales to local households.
- The figure of e-commerce revenue in Phú Xuyên surged from VNĐ147 billion in 2023 to VNĐ1 trillion in 2024, showcasing the success of digital transformation.
- Local authorities in Phú Xuyên provide training, technical consulting, digital infrastructure, and supportive policies to facilitate digital entrepreneurship, aiming to turn every household into an online shop.
- Beyond technical training, initiatives like Vietnam's "One Commune, One Product" programme enhance branding, storytelling, and e-commerce presence for rural craft producers, enabling better product exposure through multimedia and social commerce.
- Digital transformation has helped traditional craft producers in Phường Dực Commune tap into broader online markets via e-commerce and livestreaming, increasing revenue streams and profitability.
- Local authorities emphasize the importance of inclusive digital transformation, ensuring that even the elderly are not left behind, as they host classes on selling online through various platforms every week, ensuring that the transformation continues.
