Given the recent crowds at several wet markets, it seems that taking wet markets online would help to reduce the crowds and encourage more to stay at home (Wet market goes online to woo shoppers during circuit breaker, May 4).
But selling fresh produce over a livestream on Facebook may not be the best solution for consumers.
First, vendors might experience technical difficulties during livestreaming, while the noisy atmosphere in wet markets could make communication challenging.
Second, there is the issue of waiting time, as wet market vendors can serve only one customer at a time.
While these inconveniences can be tolerated in the short term, people would likely seek a return to wet markets for an easier process.
The efficiency of online wet market platforms needs to be boosted if this is to take off.
Perhaps, instead of livestreaming, online wet market vendors could provide a webpage for customers to place orders.
The webpage could carry pictures and details of the produce they are selling, similar in concept to a restaurant menu.
It would allow wet market vendors to cater to more customers at different times of the day, instead of only from noon with livestreaming.
This would also reduce the waiting time, and stall owners would be able to reply directly to customers to confirm their orders.
There could even be a self-collect option, which would also reduce the waiting time for customers to get their goods.
Still, whether online wet markets are sustainable in the long term is uncertain.
Wet markets have a unique appeal as customers are able to physically select the freshest items, a sense of satisfaction that cannot be replicated online.
Similarly, the interaction with vendors and neighbours is one of the intangible aspects of visiting wet markets.
On the other hand, as Singapore aims to digitalise society further, traditional wet markets will likely be modernised. Perhaps people will get used to ordering fresh produce online.
Singapore will surely experience many changes after the Covid-19 situation is over.
Lao Jing Hui
