Online selling is attracting office workers.

(Baonghean) - More and more female office workers are choosing to do online business to increase their income. For them, this is not just a side job to "make ends meet," but also an incredibly interesting life experience.

With the ability to utilize their free time, convenience, no store rental costs, and minimal capital requirements, online business is a "hot" and attractive profession for office workers. The popular items chosen by women to sell are diverse, ranging from clothing, shoes, children's toys, bedding, imported goods, and organic food.

Ms. Ngo Quynh Van, a lecturer at Vinh Medical University, has a very popular Facebook sales page. Having relatives in Japan and Germany, she has a readily available supply of imported goods and has been running her online business for over a year. Initially, she ordered various types of milk and other items for her children and family.

Finding the product effective, she recommended it to friends and colleagues, who loved it and asked her to order more. Her small-scale sales were quite successful, so she began expanding her online business to increase her family's income. Ms. Vân said: "My husband and I are both civil servants with limited salaries, so we take advantage of opportunities to earn extra income to support our two children's education."

Thanks to the benefits of social media such as image promotion, networking, and dissemination, online business is quite favorable. Although balancing my professional job with this side hustle is quite busy and tiring, it compensates for it with an additional income of 5-6 million VND per month.”

A Facebook page selling products online in Vinh City.

Meanwhile, Ms. Thuy, who works at the Center for Social Sciences and Humanities under the Department of Science and Technology, is also an "online entrepreneur." To fulfill her passion for beauty, she shares her experience by selling cosmetics online and providing beauty advice to other women. Her Facebook page, Xíu Muội, attracts hundreds of likes daily and countless comments seeking advice and placing orders.

Initially, she faced many difficulties, as online customers often lacked trust. She had to spend time advising customers, taking detailed photos of the products for specific presentations, and providing invoices to prove the origin of the goods in order to build trust. Because her online business was successful, she opened a physical cosmetics store on Nguyen Van Cu Street (Vinh City) at the beginning of this year.

Having to balance her professional work, family responsibilities, and a side business keeps her quite busy; she always has to manage her time effectively. Ms. Thuy shared her secret to doing "two things at once": "Every day, I have to make the most of every free moment—early mornings, lunch breaks, or late at night—to take care of my personal Facebook page, advise and share with customers, and 'ship orders'..."

After opening another store, to manage the business, I hired two more employees, installed cameras, and used sales management software.” Although online business involves risks, she finds joy in sharing her passion with others. Not only does it provide a decent additional income, but this “side hustle” also helps her become more dynamic, develop soft skills, expand her network, and positively support her professional work.

Ms. Thuy's shop sells cosmetics and fashion items.

While also doing online business, Thuy Hien, an employee of the Provincial Health Education and Communication Center, chose to sell homemade pastries. Driven by the preference of many housewives for clean, traceable food products, she wanted to share her homemade products with others. “For me, ensuring product quality is the key to attracting and retaining customers. After receiving positive feedback from customers, more and more people will choose my products,” she shared her secret to successful online business.

This part-time job not only helps with family expenses but is also a very enjoyable experience for her: “I often take advantage of my lunch break or weekends to bake cakes according to customer orders. That’s when I can indulge my love for cooking, helping to relieve stress from work and life. This job also brings me small joys, like receiving positive comments, expressions of satisfaction, and compliments on the cakes when they buy them for their children to eat. Some of my regular customers have become friends in my life…”

With the internet and supporting services enabling easy community connection and control over work, online business has become the most popular choice for office workers. Furthermore, to supplement their income during difficult economic times, more and more female office workers are taking on additional jobs such as selling motorcycle insurance, life insurance, and health supplements.

It's clear that having a "side hustle" is a growing trend among female office workers, providing them with a significant source of additional income, enhancing their dynamism, and developing their life skills. However, a "side hustle" is only truly successful when women manage their time effectively and balance their lives so that it doesn't negatively impact their main job and family life. Each side hustle brings joy, exciting experiences, and novelty, motivating them to excel in their professional work and leading a more fulfilling and meaningful life.

In addition, many people are concerned about the quality of goods, their origin, and the legal issues related to taxes of these online stores.

Nguyet Minh