Challenges Facing the Digital Economy
- The period since June of the previous year has been characterized by significant hardships, including a 12-day war, power outages, internet disruptions, and market contractions 0s.
- Ongoing conflicts, including the Ramadan war and current hostilities affecting citizens in the southern part of the country, have created a climate of uncertainty regarding when these difficulties will end 15s.
- While these challenges have been difficult for everyone, they have been particularly severe for internet-based businesses, with smaller enterprises experiencing lower resilience and higher risk compared to larger, more established companies 28s.
The Role of Small Businesses in the Digital Economy
- Over the past 17 to 18 years, there has been extensive engagement with thousands of businesses to analyze their challenges and provide assistance 42s.
- Although the term "digital economy" is often associated with artificial intelligence, startups, and major platforms like Digikala, Snapp, or Amazon, the current perspective is that small businesses are driving and leading the digital economy alongside larger corporations 55s.
- The digital economy is exemplified by everyday scenarios, such as individuals, students, or couples using laptops at home to manage orders and communicate with customers to sustain their livelihoods and grow their businesses 1m15s.
Impact of Internet Disruptions on Small Enterprises
- Small businesses have faced numerous unfortunate events over the past year, leading to a high volume of distress calls and messages 1m35s.
- During the early stages of the Ramadan war, specifically around the 9th or 10th of Esfand, there were over 180 calls in a single night, primarily from small business owners seeking guidance due to the lack of internet access 1m45s.
Human Significance of Small Online Orders
- Small online businesses often rely on individual orders to cover essential living expenses, such as rent or medical costs for family members 0s.
- Receiving a notification for a new order can provide significant emotional relief and hope to individuals operating small online shops 15s.
- While a single order may seem insignificant to large corporations, it holds substantial importance for the livelihood and stability of small-scale entrepreneurs 30s.
Human Connection as the Foundation of Digital Commerce
- The digital economy is fundamentally defined by the people who work within it, including millions of sellers on platforms like Digikala and hundreds of thousands operating on Instagram, rather than just the underlying technology, servers, or applications 1m5s.
- Human connection and the efforts of these individuals are the primary components that build and sustain the digital economy 1m25s.
Resilience and Recovery in Digital Businesses
- Resilience, previously viewed simply as the act of resisting or enduring, is now defined as the ability to return to life and work 1m35s.
- The digital economy possesses unique characteristics that allow individuals to recover and restart their businesses much faster than those in traditional industries 1m50s.
- Traditional sectors, such as the steel industry, may require years to recover from major disruptions, whereas digital businesses can be established or restored with greater speed 2m0s.
Digital Economy as a Tool for Social Connection
- During a period of conflict, the streets near Jomhouri Street, typically a bustling area near the Champs-Élysées passage, became completely deserted, leaving a lasting impression of emptiness 0s.
- Despite the physical isolation caused by the conflict, the digital economy remained active and functional 0s.
- Individuals used digital services, such as ride-hailing apps, not only for transportation but as a way to verify that other people were still present and active in the city during times of crisis 25s.
- The digital economy serves as a vital tool for maintaining human connection and resilience within the country 45s.
Statistical Growth and Scale of E-commerce
- In the year 1403, the total number of e-commerce orders reached 1 billion, 357 million 1m0s.
- Each of these 1.357 billion orders represents a unique human story and a collective effort by the people 1m15s.
- The e-commerce turnover for the year 1403 reached 5.5 quadrillion tomans, reflecting millions of hours of work and the involvement of thousands of small businesses and families 1m25s.
- To date, 306,000 businesses have obtained an electronic trust symbol to officially launch and operate their ventures 1m40s.
Youth Entrepreneurship and Future Outlook
- A significant number of individuals envision their future within the digital economy, which serves as a source of optimism 0s.
- Research indicates that those launching online businesses are typically between 18 and 25 years old, consisting of students and graduates who have the potential to shape the country's future 7s.
- There is a hope that the country will move in a direction that prevents these young entrepreneurs from becoming discouraged 20s.
Advocacy and Public Support for Small Businesses
- Trade associations have a responsibility to advocate for the rights and interests of businesses, despite the challenges posed by existing internet restrictions and limitations 35s.
- While large businesses remain visible and active, small businesses often see their sales drop to near zero when internet restrictions are implemented, an issue that has not received sufficient attention over the past year 48s.
- The public has a role in supporting small businesses, such as purchasing from local vendors on platforms like Digikala or buying rural products through platforms like Basalam 1m5s.
- Small business owners rely heavily on these consumer purchases to sustain their livelihoods 1m25s.
Economic Empowerment of Rural and Local Producers
- An example of the impact of digital platforms is a personal experience from two years ago, where a homeowner renting out her property via an online platform expressed that such income was vital, as her primary revenue often came from government subsidies 1m35s.
- Digital platforms provide significant financial support to rural women, as evidenced by a woman who earns 2 million tomans per night from renting a room in her residence, which helps address her personal life challenges 0s.
- Digital economy plays a vital role across various guilds and businesses, and consumers are encouraged to consider the impact of their booking choices on these individuals 18s.
Regional Impact and Community Support
- During periods of conflict, restaurant owners have expressed distress over empty seats and the negative impact of restricted access to platforms like Instagram on their ability to conduct business 32s.
- The digital economy serves as an irreplaceable tool for producers, artists, and female heads of households throughout the country, extending its reach far beyond Tehran 48s.
- Local and indigenous businesses across Iran rely on digital platforms to sell their products, with many families depending on these sales for their livelihoods 1m2s.
- In cities and villages, individuals like a man named Hassan Agha are organizing local producers to sell goods, such as walnuts, through online channels 1m15s.
- Local producers and business owners in remote areas express a strong desire for increased public trust and consumer engagement with their online offerings 1m25s.
- Intentional consumer behavior, such as specifically seeking out sellers and businesses located in remote or provincial areas, can directly support the economic stability of those communities 1m35s.
Strategies for Digital Growth and Sustainability
- The digital economy possesses the capacity to help society return to normalcy and fosters the creation of hope, which is a critical need for the community 1m48s.
- Businesses currently operating exclusively offline are strongly encouraged to transition toward digitalization in light of past and future circumstances. 0s
- Building mutual trust between businesses and the public is essential for the success of digital commerce. 5s
- Consumers should be encouraged to trust online vendors, acknowledging that while occasional issues like non-delivery of orders may occur, most online sellers are genuinely seeking to earn a livelihood. 8s
- Diversifying sales channels is a recommended strategy for business owners to ensure continuity. 18s
- Maintaining a presence across multiple platforms, including Instagram, Digikala, Basalam, and various messaging applications, helps protect businesses from losing their operations during unforeseen disruptions. 21s
- The memory of the students from the school in Minab who lost their lives is honored, with an expression of regret that they were not afforded the opportunity to continue their lives. 31s
