AGRI ECOMMERCE

The implementation of the “Agri E-commerce” project, supported by the Swiss Program for Increasing Market Employability (IME), is underway, where 15 domestic agro-producers were selected within the framework of the Public Call for support for Macedonian agro-producers in order to market their products for online sales.

Through educational activities to increase digital skills, connect and facilitate collaboration between e-commerce platforms and agro-producers (farmers) the initiative aims to respond to the needs coming from e-commerce web platforms for selling locally grown agro products (fresh or processed) on the one hand, and on the other hand to help local agro producers to sell their products online.

The project started in August 2021 and consists of three phases:

1. Selection of agricultural producers through an open public call

Through a public call, 15 Macedonian agricultural producers got the opportunity to improve their digital skills for free, but also to learn how to properly market their products on domestic web platforms for e-commerce. The public call was open to all agricultural producers who want to market their products on the most famous web platforms for e-commerce in our country, are registered according to the laws in RSM and fulfill the conditions announced in the public call. After applying for the public call, the evaluation of the applications followed by a committee composed of experts in the field.

2. Four trainings for the development and improvement of digital skills related to e-commerce and digital marketing

Within the framework of the “Agri e-commerce” project, four online trainings were held to develop the digital skills of agro-producers on the following topics:

The first training included an explanation of the basic terms, the actual state of e-commerce in the country, a comparison of possibilities when placing products on an e-commerce web platform or an online market versus opening your own e-store, regulation in e-commerce (procedures, required permissions, resources) etc. The second training included practical examples and tips related to social media marketing. The third training was on the topic of the power of storytelling and digital marketing tools for e-commerce – social media, web portals, email marketing campaigns, public relations texts, etc., and the fourth training for agricultural producers, part of the most popular Macedonian e-merchants presented their terms of cooperation (margin, commission, membership fee, advertising, payment terms, logistics, delivery, packaging methods, required information for each e-store, product details, procedures, required resources, etc.)

3. Presenting the products of agro-producers to e-traders, connecting with them and marketing the agro-products on the most famous web platforms for e-commerce in our country

In December 2021, the agro-producers who were selected as part of the Public Call, presented their products to representatives of the largest e-commerce platforms in our country. Representatives from the largest web platforms for e-sales in the country that sell agro-products are part of the following companies: paket.mk, shop.dobrazemja.mk, mitra.mk, domato.mk, grouper.mk, klinjikadi.mk, urma. mk, bavca.mk, domasno.mk, marketonline.mk, ramstore.com.mk, granapdoma.mk. After completing this phase, AETM connects the agro-producers with the e-tailers and helps in marketing the products of the agro-producers on these web-based e-commerce platforms.