At the convenience store of Ms. Nguyễn Thị Hà’s family in Điện Biên Phủ ward, business is quite bustling. Ms. Hà said: “In recent years, as trade has developed and people’s living standards have improved, shopping demand has increased. Therefore, our family has expanded the store’s area and imported more essential goods to serve the people’s needs. The goods are sourced from reputable, high-quality distributors with quality inspection papers, which has earned the trust of the people.”

To promote the development of trade and services and improve the quality of life for residents, Điện Biên Phủ ward has created favorable conditions for all economic sectors to participate in investment, business, and production in the area. It encourages households to invest in and expand their business and trade with diverse and rich types of services. Currently, the ward is the area with the highest concentration of commercial centers, supermarkets, and convenience store systems in the province.

With rapid economic development, rising living standards, and increased shopping demand, conditions have been created for the development of supermarkets, commercial centers, and self-service stores. Currently, the province has 3 Class III commercial centers, 3 large general business supermarkets that meet Class III standards, 41 markets, and 78 active petrol stations. The system of convenience stores and specialty shops meets the requirements of arranging goods by category and group, and listing prices for customers to choose from, with convenient payment systems.

Notably, a number of retail systems operating as chains, such as Winmart, Thế giới di động, and Điện máy xanh, along with many other general business stores, have met the shopping and consumption needs of the people well. When visiting supermarkets, commercial centers, and convenience stores, people can not only shop but also enjoy entertainment, recreation, and promotional policies. Along with selecting high-quality goods with clear origins, many places have created new and attractive shopping formats, attracting a large number of customers.

Identifying digital transformation as a crucial “link” contributing to the modern development of trade and services, functional sectors and local authorities are focusing on developing e-commerce on a digital platform.

The Department of Industry and Trade has supported businesses, production facilities, and individuals in accessing skills for e-commerce development and connection. It has also assisted businesses and production facilities in introducing and selling products on e-commerce platforms such as Postmart, Shopee, and Sendo. At the same time, it has built and supported businesses in applying technology solutions (QR code barcodes) for product traceability, and in using software for smart customer information and sales management, promoting online purchasing and payment methods. This has gradually changed the shopping habits and consumer behavior of the people towards a more civilized and modern direction.

To date, the entire province has about 500 products listed on e-commerce platforms, over 30% of the population participates in online shopping, 20% of small and medium-sized enterprises have e-commerce accounts, and 50% of agricultural production households have accounts on e-commerce platforms. Thousands of businesses and small traders are applying online sales software and cashless online payment applications.

In the first 9 months of 2025, the total retail sales of goods and consumer service revenue for the entire province is estimated at VND 21,500 billion (an increase of 9.7% over the same period last year, reaching 78% of the annual plan). Of this, retail sales of goods are estimated at over VND 17,600 billion, and accommodation and food services are estimated at over VND 1,100 billion. The circulation of goods and commercial services has grown, meeting the needs of production and consumption for the people. Many cultural and tourism events and activities have been organized, creating conditions to stimulate demand for entertainment, accommodation, and shopping, thereby increasing the total retail sales of goods and consumer service revenue.

To develop trade and service activities, Điện Biên has built and implemented many policies to support, encourage, and create conditions for all economic sectors to develop their operations. It has focused resources on investing in and gradually perfecting the infrastructure network, including markets, supermarkets, commercial centers, stores, and the wholesale and retail network in communes and wards. The province has mobilized resources to invest in building and upgrading the market system, and has provided financial support and promptly resolved difficulties and obstacles in market operations, especially concerning environmental and food safety issues.

Mr. Vũ Hồng Sơn, Director of the Department of Industry and Trade, said: “The Department has proposed to the provincial People’s Committee to petition the Government and central ministries and sectors to invest in building a synchronous infrastructure of markets, border markets, and border gate markets to serve the province’s socio-economic development. Localities should focus on improving the efficiency of trade promotion activities and building product brands. They should also coordinate with functional forces to stabilize and control the market, and combat smuggling and trade fraud to protect consumer rights. We will also promote and attract investment in building modern, multi-sector commercial centers for shopping, entertainment, and recreation. This is aimed at the goal of developing increasingly civilized and modern services and trade, contributing to promoting local socio-economic development.”