The ASEAN Online Sale Day (AOSD) has evolved into a major annual event, marking a significant step in promoting cross-border e-commerce and strengthening digital economic ties among member nations. What began as a modest initiative has grown into the region's largest shopping festival, actively contributing to the overall development of the ASEAN community. This year's event, AOSD 2025, is currently underway, running from August 8 to August 10, 2025.
Inception and Early Years (2020-2022)
AOSD was first held in 2020, a pivotal moment when the COVID-19 pandemic was profoundly impacting the global economy. In that context, digital transformation and e-commerce development became strategic priorities. The event was created to help implement the ASEAN Agreement on Electronic Commerce and to establish a safe and reliable online shopping environment for consumers. It also sent a strong message of ASEAN unity during a difficult period, affirming that the region was "open for business".
In its inaugural year, AOSD attracted over 200 e-commerce businesses offering a wide range of products and services with attractive promotions. The program was coordinated by the ASEAN Coordinating Committee on Electronic Commerce (ACCEC) and hosted on a common platform at onlineasean.com.
The scale of AOSD expanded steadily in the following years:
· 2021: The number of participating businesses doubled to over 300 from all 10 ASEAN countries. The event's official website recorded 9,300 users and 35,000 visits, a more than 400% increase from 2020, demonstrating its growing appeal and effectiveness. The food and beverage, furniture, and fashion sectors saw the highest participation from businesses.
· 2022: The program coincided with the 55th anniversary of ASEAN's founding. Co-chaired by Cambodia, Singapore, and Vietnam, AOSD 2022 continued to attract over 300 businesses. A new feature this year allowed businesses to register directly on the program's website, simplifying the process and improving accessibility.
Growth and Expansion (2023-2024)
Building on its success, AOSD continued to be refined and expanded.
· 2023: The event was extended to two weeks (from August 8 to 22), providing more opportunities for both businesses and consumers. For the first time, a physical event was held in Indonesia alongside the ASEAN Economic Ministers' (AEM) Meeting, attracting entrepreneurs from across the region. This provided a valuable platform for businesses, especially small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs), to market their products to the broader ASEAN market.
· 2024: AOSD returned to its three-day format from August 8 to 10 on the onlineasean.com platform. The year marked the debut participation of e-commerce giants like TikTok and Amazon, joining familiar platforms such as Lazada and Shopee. This not only gave consumers more choices but also opened up new export opportunities for ASEAN businesses.
Vision and Direction for AOSD 2025
The ASEAN Online Sale Day 2025 continues to be a top priority in ASEAN's economic cooperation development. With the theme "Click, connect, and grow at ASEAN Online Sale Day 2025," this year's event aims to build a connected and strong ASEAN digital community. It is the sixth consecutive year the event has been held.
AOSD 2025 focuses on three main goals: boosting intra-bloc consumption and exports via e-commerce, supporting local enterprises in accessing regional markets, and building consumer trust in cross-border online shopping. This year features a centralized digital platform developed by the ASEAN Secretariat, allowing consumers easy access to deals from all member states.
The event serves as a strategic catalyst, driving intra-bloc connectivity, expanding the digital market, and raising the profile of ASEAN businesses on the global economic stage. While it presents opportunities, challenges such as language barriers, differing technical standards, and logistics costs remain. Therefore, AOSD also functions as a crucial forum for stakeholders to collaborate and improve the cross-border e-commerce environment.
From a small initiative during the pandemic, AOSD has grown in scale and scope, becoming a powerful driver for cross-border e-commerce and contributing to a dynamic and prosperous digital economy for the entire region.