Small businesses close stalls en masse due to the "fear of making mistakes" effect

The reason is not only because of weak purchasing power, but also because of a campaign to crack down on counterfeit goods, fake goods, goods without invoices, and tighten tax collection using electronic invoices generated from cash registers.

This is a step in the right direction - because no one can deny that smuggling, trade fraud, and tax evasion have eroded market confidence and stifled fair competition. However, is this approach placing the burden of reform on a group that is inherently vulnerable, has little access to information, and does not have enough resources to transform itself?

Small traders are confused in converting and adapting.

A series of stalls at Tan Binh and An Dong markets (HCMC), even northern hubs such as Ninh Hiep and Rong markets... closed because they did not know how to issue electronic invoices, did not have valid inputs, and did not know how to comply properly.

"Not against the policy, just don't know how to do it right" - that simple sharing is enough to sketch the whole picture: people are not against the reform but are confused about the transformation and adaptation.

The paradox is that most of the goods sold at the market come from small garment factories, without invoices, tax codes, or machinery. When the input is invalid, how can the output be legal? Electronic invoice software only serves those who already have a foundation, while stalls that sign notebooks are "frozen".

In addition, for older traders who are used to traditional trading methods, keeping up with technology - such as creating invoices from cash registers, connecting with tax authorities - is a real challenge. Some supporting software is not yet user-friendly, not to mention the cost of purchasing equipment, training, updating... becomes a burden in the context of weak purchasing power and declining consumer market.

Fighting against counterfeit goods, fake goods, and tax evasion is right. But if implemented without guidance and a mechanism to support people in converting, it is likely to create the effect of "fearing mistakes more than doing wrong". Reality shows that this is true: many people choose to "close their doors and wait for the situation to develop" instead of risking opening their stores amid the risks of inspection and punishment.

Are traditional markets really outdated?

When e-commerce platforms take the throne, TikTok Shop, Shopee, Lazada... cover the market, traditional markets not only lag behind in technology but also lack the tools to compete: no invoices, no bills of lading, no promotions, no advertising.

However, unlike commercial floors, traditional markets are where millions of people make a living - from wholesalers to retailers, from importers to delivery people.

Therefore, "cleaning up" the market cannot be like closing an app. It is restructuring an entire business culture and this requires a roadmap, accompanied by specific support policies: from digital skills training, to creating a simple, easy-to-use invoice system, suitable for the characteristics of small businesses.

Management policies also need to be sophisticated enough to distinguish between traditional traders and smugglers, between small sellers and professional tax evaders, so as not to result in the closure of stalls and the decline of an entire traditional distribution industry - which used to be the "backbone" of the urban economy .

Timely policy adjustments are urgently needed if we do not want to suddenly look back and realize that the market is no longer a place to make a living but only a memory.

Source: https://phunuvietnam.vn/tieu-thuong-dong-loat-dong-quay-vi-hieu-ung-so-sai-20250613112648475.htm