Livestreaming Boosts San Thang Market's Reach

Thanks to training courses in digital business skills, branding and promoting local products, ethnic communities in Lai Chau Province are now leveraging livestreaming to sell their agricultural products at San Thang Market. This modern approach is transforming how the region's unique goods reach a broader market.

San Thang Market has maintained its distinct character as a highland market, deeply reflecting the cultural identity of the Tay, Hmong, Dao, Giay, and Lu ethnic groups. With its vibrant atmosphere and characteristic produce, the market remains a popular attraction for tourists visiting Lai Chau.

Traditionally, the market operates only on Thursdays and Sundays, primarily serving the local community's needs for bartering and trading goods and produce. While specialty agricultural products were once sold exclusively in person, they now enjoy a much wider reach with the advent of livestreamers. Thanks to these livestreams, customers no longer have to be physically present at the market. From afar, they can easily acquire desired ginseng roots, tam that (pseudo ginseng), black ginger, or jars of wild honey.

From just a few pioneers, the number of livestreamers at San Thang Market has increased significantly, predominantly women.

Usually, a morning market session might have plenty of goods, but by midday, everything is sold out. I am delighted to help local people sell their produce while also earning an income for myself".

 With two to three years of experience livestreaming from local markets, Mai Thi Duyen and Hang Thi Sua have become well-known "livestreamers" for bringing highland specialties to customers across the country. Whenever they spot unique or rare agricultural products like ginseng, duong quy (Angelica sinensis), or wild bananas, they quickly set up to promote and sell them live online. 

Livestreamers at San Thang Market help local residents sell agricultural specialties to customers across the country.

What began with a few pioneers has now grown into a sizable team of agricultural livestreamers at San Thang Market, predominantly women. On busy market days, a single livestreamer can earn several million dong, a testament to the appeal and effectiveness of this innovative business model. Through their efforts, valuable local products are introduced to customers nationwide, expanding market reach and increasing the value of highland agricultural goods.

Selling via livestream at San Thang Market is genuinely effective.

Powered by technology, these “4.0-era online traders” have become highly effective at connecting markets.

Beyond livestreaming ginseng, Giang Thi Mai and her husband also seek out rare and unique agricultural products popular in the market, promoting them widely across social media platforms. To build trust and secure remote orders, all products livestreamed by Mai must meet strict criteria for quality, cleanliness, and safety. Notably, customers in other provinces can have their orders shipped directly, inspect the quality upon delivery, and only then proceed with payment.

For farmers like Tan U May, the emergence of livestreamers has significantly boosted their on-site sales. "Before, the goods we brought to the market couldn't reach customers in the lowlands. Even though they were specialties, they were hard to sell. Now, thanks to online sellers, products are much easier to move. Some days, I even sell 5 to 7 million dong worth of ginseng," May enthusiastically shared.

Mai Thi Duyen and Hang Thi Sua, from Lai Chau Province, are livestreamers at San Thang Market.

After a successful livestream, dozens of packages of farm produce are being prepared for packing and shipping.

The adoption of livestreaming for selling agricultural products at local markets, particularly at San Thang Market, is a clear testament to the powerful transformation occurring in Lai Chau's highlands. Armed with just smartphones, local ethnic communities are forging deep connections with the national market, thereby increasing their incomes and gradually escaping poverty right on their homeland, thanks to their unique local produce. 

Story: Viet Cuong    Photos: Thong Thien & Viet Cuong/VNP    Translated by Nguyen Tuoi