PROGRES.ID – Minister of Trade Zulkifli Hasan has responded to the requests of traders in Tanah Abang Market who want several e-commerce platforms, aside from TikTok Shop, to be closed. Zulkifli stated that closing these platforms is not a viable solution.
“Well, no, it’s regulated, not closed, right? We can’t do that. It’s the digital era, and you can’t avoid it. If you don’t participate, you might end up like the Komodo dragon in NTT, an endangered species,” said Zulkifli at the Istana Complex in Jakarta on Tuesday (10/10/2023), as quoted from Detikcom.
Zulkifli emphasized the importance of adapting to the times and encouraged Tanah Abang traders to innovate.
“So, you have to keep up with the developments. I told our friends in Tanah Abang Market, even vegetable markets are online now, let alone commercial markets selling clothes and shoes. They should also follow the trend, both offline and online,” he said.
Zulkifli also assured that the government would regulate online sales to encourage more local products to enter the e-commerce market. He invited Tanah Abang traders to join e-commerce platforms.
“But we do need to organize it. I want to thank Shopee. Shopee no longer imports products; they sell local products. It helps SMEs. Now, Tanah Abang, respond to this. Join Shopee quickly. Don’t hesitate. They no longer have foreign goods; it’s all from our SMEs. Join them quickly. We’ll help with packaging, photography, and how to manage it. That’s why we’re arranging it; there will be social media, social commerce, what we call e-commerce,” he said.
Previously, traders in Tanah Abang Market voiced their protests by putting up signs requesting the closure of TikTok Shop and other e-commerce platforms. They have experienced a decline in revenue since e-commerce began operating in the area. Although these signs are no longer visible, the challenges for traders in facing online competition persist.
