Indonesia has tried all kinds of tricks in the book to revive sluggish consumer spending, from tax-free cars to cashbacks, to little result. Now it’s turning up the hype on online shopping.
More than 70 e-commerce platforms, including giants PT Tokopedia, Lazada Group SA and Shopee, are taking part in the “national shopping week” launched Wednesday with President Joko Widodo coming onto a televised programme to promote it, while local celebrities sang a jingle to get people to buy products from batik fabrics to “semprong” biscuits.