Argentina expects to draw on Chinese experience to develop its e-commerce, according to Maria Cecilia Peralta, co-founder of the Asia Viewers consultancy in Argentina.
“Argentine President Mauricio Macri has met with chairman of Alibaba Group Jack Ma for several times. During the Singles’ Day shopping bonanza in 2017, the Argentine ambassador to China has even acted as a courier to send Argentine red shrimp to the buyer,” said Peralta.
In recent years, “Free Market,” known as the “Taobao in Argentina,” has grown rapidly in South America.
Experts explained that in Argentina, many traditional shops are closed on weekends or holidays due to high labor costs and labor protection policies, which is inconvenient for people's lives. However, online stores are free from the restraint. Moreover, Argentina boasts lots of small- and micro- enterprises. Hence, online stores have become an important channel for enterprises to do sales.
The rise of “Free Market” has exerted great influence on traditional business in Argentina. In recent years, Argentina has witnessed serious inflation. Many enterprises are forced to constantly adjust prices due to inflation expectations. The birth of the online stores has made goods prices more transparent, which has, to some extent, eased vicious price hikes in Argentina, according to experts.
The “Free Market" has strongly promoted cashless payment in Argentina, but there still exist some problems, including tax evasion and impeded logistics, which needs to be improved.
“Argentina hopes to improve domestic infrastructure and logistics through the development of e-commerce. The move will make their products more competitive in the international market. China has set a good example in this regard. Argentina hopes to learn from Chinese experience to achieve success,” said Peralta.
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