QUEZON CITY (PIA) -- ASEAN will launch the third ASEAN Online Sale Day (AOSD). AOSD 2022 is a three-day online shopping event, from 8 to 10 August 2022 that will be conducted collectively on a regional scale.

It brings together the best of ASEAN businesses, goods and services across the region on a single platform. It will also commemorate ASEAN Day on 8 August.

ASEAN’s e-commerce sector is expected to triple in size from US$100 billion to US$300 billion by 2025. The COVID-19 pandemic has further boosted this trend of e-commerce adoption, providing a bright spot of growth.

In Southeast Asia, 40 million people came online for the first time in 2021 alone, bringing the internet penetration in Southeast Asia to 75%. Consumption of digital services had remained strong more than a year into the pandemic – a trend that will likely continue. The total number of Internet users had grown to 440 million, up from 250 million in 2015.

This year, AOSD hopes to further accelerate these trends and encourage consumers and businesses to engage in e-commerce across the region. The initiative also serves to reinforce and position the role of e-commerce and digital integration as a key driver of ASEAN’s economic growth. It complements ongoing ASEAN member states’ efforts to encourage digitalization among businesses and support post-pandemic recovery plans.

The AOSD will be held annually to encourage regional digital trade and enhance stronger collaboration between stakeholders, including relevant governmental agencies, the private sector, business associations and consumers, to explore new policy initiatives and to advance innovative technologies in our promotion of cross-border e-commerce activities in ASEAN.

In 2020, more than 200 e-commerce businesses in ASEAN participated in AOSD and offered a large range of goods and services at promotional or discounted rates through their e-commerce platforms. The event continued to grow in 2021, with more than 350 businesses participating across ASEAN. It is expected that interests among businesses and consumers will continue to be strong at AOSD this year.

For more information, visit http://www.onlineasean.com/ or follow ASEAN social media. (ASEAN / PIA-NCR)