Ecommerce sales platform for Lankan exporters

In order to boost the Sri Lankan economy through exports via ecommerce, the Export Development Board (EDB) is implementing a national programme to nurture 2000 new entrepreneurs to become exporters during the period 2017-2022, at regional level.  

The main objective of this programme is to encourage domestic enterprises to invest in export industries to achieve the overall export target of US $ 28 billion in 2022.

The programme includes an awareness programme for entrepreneurs, a technological display of technology used in the export industry for the benefit of entrepreneurs to educate about the export sector and a forum to resolve the exporters’ issues.

In order to bring in the maximum advantage through the programme, the EDB has tied up with ecommerce company Tradesbarn LLC, Chicago IL, USA, facilitating Sri Lankan exporters sell their products and services across 180 countries.  

Tradesbarn LLC is a member of Chicago Trade Association, which has the membership of over 60,000, of which the membership is connected to diversified business sectors in the USA, serving 320 million Americans. 

In this context, the EDB invited Tradesbarn to take part in an awareness session followed by a product on boarding session for the ‘2000 exporters development programme’, held in Ratnapura, recently.

It was held with the patronage of Development Strategies and International Trade Minister Malik Samarawickrema, Justice and Prison Reforms Minister Thalatha Atukorale, Skills Development and Vocational Training Deputy Minister Karunarathna Paranawithana, Development Strategies and International Trade Deputy Minister Nalin Bandara Jayamaha, Development Strategies and International Trade Ministry Secretary S.T. Kodikara, Sabaragamuwa Province Governor Dhamma Dissanayake, Rathnapura District Secretary Malani Lokupothagama, EDB Chairperson and Chief Executive Indira Malwatte and officials of the government and  private sector also were graced this occasion.

The objective of this event was to promote exports in Sri Lanka based on the directions given by the prime minister in 2016.
During the programme, Trdesbarn LLC Chief Technical Officer Samantha Perera highlighted the importance of the exports in terms of economic growth of the country and also pointed out the benefits of moving forward with state-of-the-art technologies such as processing exports based on ecommerce platforms by being the key factor in modern trending consumer demands. 

Perera also claimed that Tradesbarn is the only online market place that allows Sri Lankan exporters to sell their products in the international market. It is integrated into international shipping platforms and also enables receiving sales proceeds to the Sri Lankan bank accounts of the exporters in US dollars and Sri Lankan rupees. 

Addressing the audience, Perera also expressed that while Tradesbarn does the marketing of products across 180 countries, the platform allows Sri Lankan exporters to upload their products free of charge and also it opens up doors to new business avenues in the USA, Canada, the UK, Europe, Australia, the Middle East and many other countries.

Tradesbarn has integrated with many international hubs such as IRS (USA) for collection of Federal Sales taxes from the USA sellers, Paypal/Stripe/Zelle for payment settlement to international sellers, JPM Chase Bank USA for settlement of payments to Sri Lanka and other countries’ bank accounts, shipping companies such as DHL/UPS/Fedex/USPS for generating of shipping labels and managing the shipping process.