While global trade is reeling from high tariffs and the US trade war, other opportunities are opening up. Namely, exporting via digital channels.
The government on Thursday (7/8/2025) called on Indonesian micro, small and medium enterprisesUMKM) to intensify exports to ASEAN using various digital platforms, without having to meet in person.
UMKM can now export without ever meeting the buyer," said Trade Minister Budi Santoso at the Kick Off of ASEAN Online Sale Day (AOSD) 2025 in Jakarta, Thursday (7/8/2025).
This year'sAOSD carries the theme"A Click to Prosperity", which aims to encourage interest in online shopping while promoting UMKM superior products from ASEAN countries.
Budi hopes that UMKM players can be more familiar with the markets of ASEAN countries. He also emphasized the importance of utilizing the momentum of AOSD 2025 to encourage Indonesian UMKM to be better known in the global market.
Budi highlighted the strategic role of e-commerce, such as Shopee, in supporting the export of UMKM products to penetrate markets outside the ASEAN region.
UMKM can export
According to Budi, this kind of synergy is very important to support the Ministry of Trade's program, namely UMKM Can Export.
He said this program has facilitated around 773 UMKM with a transaction value of USD 90 million or around Rp 1.4 trillion.
Budi emphasized that digital exports are different from selling in e-commerce. "This orientation is not just a small transaction, but a large scale. We want UMKM to upgrade," he said.
"The orientation is not just small transactions, but large-scale. We want UMKM to upgrade," Budi said.
The UMKM Bisa Ekspor program, according to Budi, is not just ordinary e-commerce . It targets a larger scale, with a mass export orientation.
This move is not just about technological convenience, but also about removing the psychological barrier: that exports are no longer the domain of large corporations.
"We invite UMKM to be more active in finding opportunities, because the market out there is very broad," he added.
Export without passport
Director General of International Trade (PPI) of the Ministry of Trade Djatmiko Bris said that cross-border electronic trade in the ASEAN region plays an important role in strengthening Indonesian exports, especially for UMKM players.
The government, said Djatmiko, continues to encourage product marketing strategies, education related to logistics, and business capacity building through exports.
This includes the process of curating and qualifying UMKM so that they are ready to enter the export market, as well as utilizing various trade cooperation agreements, both bilateral and regional - such as FTA and SEPA that Indonesia already has.
"We understand that e-commerce platforms are now one of the strategic choices for UMKM to reduce logistics and operational costs, while marketing their products more efficiently," he said.
Through e-commerce, UMKM products can reach a wider market and more diverse consumers.
Shopee also encourages this change. Daniel Minardi, Director of Business Partnership at Shopee Indonesia, said that since 2019, Shopee has exported more than 60 million UMKM products to Southeast Asia, the East, and even Latin America.
"Just send it to our warehouse, we will continue the export process," Daniel explained.
"Collaboration is the key. If we strive together, export is not a dream, but a reality," Daniel continued.
Local hijab to Asian market
One of the business owners who took advantage of this opportunity was February. An engineering graduate who never planned to become a businesswoman, she initially only wanted to sell gamis and hijabs. But the huge market and the unique needs of Muslim women gave birth to Alivia House, a retailer of syar'i swimwear.
"Many Muslim women have difficulty swimming because they don't have the right clothes. The solution: swimwear with spandex, polyester, and nylon materials that are comfortable, polite, and meet the rules of the pool," she told SUAR.
Eager to learn and armed with courage, February entered e-commerce. She does live shopping up to 18 hours per day.
"I was tired at first, but the results were amazing. We can sell tens of thousands of packages per month," he said.
Exporting was originally just a dream. But Shopee's export program paved the way.
"Our products are now shipped to Malaysia, Singapore, Thailand and the Philippines. Export turnover increased by almost 2,000% compared to the previous year," he said.
Today, Alivia House is not just a personal business. She already employs dozens of people, empowering local residents. "We believe, with technology and commitment, we can fly the Indonesian flag internationally," she says.
Honey and vanilla also sell well
Not only fashion, other local products are also starting to show off in the global market. One of them is Erick, a businessman from PT Suntara Perintis Jaya who produces premium vanilla beans.
Although he has only been running for two years, he has already started to explore exports in what he calls a playful way. "Our main market is for export. But we realize that we have to first understand how to play locally before really expanding big," he says.
For Erick, the biggest challenge is the lack of information about exporting. "We are still learning. Even from the ministry, the information available is still not clear enough for UMKM players like us," he said honestly.
He welcomed the existence of Shopee Export 2.0, which gives UMKM the freedom to manage their own storefronts and sales strategies abroad. "In the past, exports had to be in large quantities, but now it can be in small portions. That really helps us," said Erick.
The niche nature of his products, with premium customers such as high-end bakeries, means that Erick has to choose his destination countries carefully. But he believes that digital export can be a shortcut to the right market.
"Now it's just a matter of how we can find the market and consistently maintain it," he added.
"The problem is that if you only play in the local market, the future direction is unclear, especially since purchasing power is now very depressed," he said.
"If you only play in the local market, it's not clear what the future direction will be, especially since purchasing power is now very depressed," said Erick.
Challenges to be faced
But not all export stories end well. Irwandi, a business owner specializing in herbal foods, namely honey and jamu, recounts how their experience trying to sell through global platforms such as Alibaba ended less smoothly.
"When I tried it out, someone asked about the price and specifications, but then it disappeared. There was no more news," he said.
They tried for three months, then gave up. Even so, the effort was worth it. Today, their products have entered 14 countries, including Nigeria, Niger, Togo, Madagascar and Malaysia. But the new challenges come in the form of legality and buyer trust.
"Payments (buyers) are often unclear. Fortunately, we are assisted by ITPC (Indonesia Trade Promotion Center) to check their credibility," he said.
He emphasized the importance of UMKM being active to survive and thrive in foreign markets. "We must diligently participate in training, Ministry of Trade events, ask a lot of questions. The government is actually quite accommodating if we are active," he said.
Products such as Indonesian honey and herbal medicine are considered to have an advantage in Muslim-majority countries - due to strong halal certification.
