Needs and requirements for developing a simulated e-commerce website for practical training of economics students: A study at Hanoi University of Industry and Trade

This study aims to identify the needs and requirements for a simulated e-commerce website designed to support practical training for e-commerce students at Hanoi University of Industry and Trade. The study employs document analysis and focuses group discussions involving 33 students from Cohorts 8 and 9. The results indicate that although various digital platforms are currently used for practical training, learning activities remain fragmented across different courses and lack an integrated environment in which students can experience the complete e-commerce operational process. Students expressed a need for a system integrating product management, customer management, order processing, simulated payments, digital marketing, and data analytics. The study identifies six major groups of requirements: business process simulation, system administration, usability, data security and control, teaching support, and scalability. The findings provide a basis for designing a simulated e-commerce website aligned with the objectives and learning outcomes of the training program.