The Covid-19 pandemic has had a significant impact on various everyday activities, including shopping in traditional markets. On the one hand, traditional markets still have to run to maintain economic continuity and fulfil basic food needs. On the other hand, physical interactions that still dominate shopping patterns in traditional markets also make it vulnerable to spreading a virus that moves so fast.
Therefore, the Community Service Team for Covid-19 Emergency Response, Faculty of Social and Political Sciences, Universitas Gadjah Mada, developed Sambilegi Online Market, which can be accessed through the https://pasarsambilegi.id site. This activity was carried out in collaboration with the Centre for Economic Democracy Studies UGM.
Sambilegi Market itself is located in Maguwoharjo Village, Depok Sub-District, Sleman Regency. This market is a class B market, which is a market that sells a variety of vegetables, fruits, meat, chicken, fish, snacks, spices, and items such as kitchen utensils, clothing, and other household necessities. Regarding market safety, Sambilegi Market had won first place at the national level as a Safe Market from Hazardous Materials in 2018.
“Traditional markets are one of the alternatives that are still popular for purchasing food and daily necessity. During a pandemic like this, systematic efforts are required to reduce the risk of transmission or spread of the virus in traditional markets,” said the head of the activity team, Dr. Hempri Suyatna, S.Sos., M.Sc., on Thursday (25/6).
Aside from Hempri, other service team members are Achniah Damayanti, MA, Puthut Indroyono SIP, Matahari Farransahat, M.HEP, and Rindu Firdaus, SIP. Besides making it easier for Sambilegi Market merchants, Hempri said that the site also makes it easier for customers to access various kinds of information, such as product names and photos, product prices, to order status. During the transaction process, customers can choose the delivery time; thus, the customers can adjust according to their needs.
Transaction activities at the Sambilegi Online Market can be accessed by residents in the Sleman Regency area. These areas include Maguwoharjo, Caturtunggal, Condongcatur, Purwomartani, Tirtomartani, Selomartani, Tamanmartani, Kalitirto, Tegaltirto, Sendangtirto, Jogotirto, Banguntapan, Minomartani, Bokoharjo, and Madurejo.
To ensure the quality of service, Hempri stated that the operational activities and delivery of Sambilegi Market goods would be carried out by a selected team consisting of members of the Sambilegi Market Pre cooperative and the Sambilegi Market Merchant Association. The appointment, according to him, aims to empower them through various assistance following the jargon “Safe Shopping is Comfortable”.
“Various mentoring efforts are made so that service quality can be maintained until the goods arrive safely in the customers hands,” concluded the lecturer of Social Development and Welfare of the Faculty of Social and Political Sciences UGM.
