Cross-border e-commerce platforms help Vietnamese products reach more markets

In recent years, international e-commerce platforms have helped Vietnamese products to reach more customers and markets, becoming an important export channel for domestic manufacturers.

The number of Vietnamese products sold on Amazon has surged by over 300% in the past five years, reaching nearly 18 million items. (Illustrative photo: VNA)
The number of Vietnamese products sold on Amazon has surged by over 300% in the past five years, reaching nearly 18 million items. (Illustrative photo: VNA)

The number of Vietnamese products sold on Amazon has surged by over 300% in the past five years, reaching nearly 18 million items.

Nguyen Thi Phuong Uyen, Marketing Director at Alibaba.com Viet Nam, affirms that cross-border e-commerce is becoming a stable and effective export channel.

According to Alibaba.com, in the second quarter of 2025, searches for “Made in Viet Nam” products saw significant increases across many categories – footwear up 172%, packaging and printing 94%, agricultural products 84%, food and beverages 71%, and beauty products 68%. Developed countries have also increased their orders placed on Viet Nam.

The Ministry of Industry and Trade (MoIT) noted that brands like King Coffee, AnEco, Sunhouse, and Lafooco have gained a foothold on international e-marketplaces.

These results highlight Viet Nam's growing presence on the global e-commerce scene. For example, the SUKAVINA Co., Ltd. earned over 200,000 USD in exports within just seven months of joining Alibaba.com. By May 2025, it had signed two contracts worth 2.5 million USD with Japan and India.

Similarly, after three years on the platform, the V.KAUS Co., Ltd. shifted from pure trade to investing in a dehydrated fruit processing plant to fulfil large orders from Europe, the US, Canada, and Japan. Since the start of 2025, its monthly export revenue has consistently exceeded 500,000 USD.

In the consumer goods sector, the Saigon Cosmetics JSC (SCC) shows how e-commerce has drastically reduced time to enter demanding markets. After launching official stores on Amazon and Shopee Global, SCC’s online export sales have grown by more than 30% annually, with international orders now accounting for about 20% of total sales.

Policy support as catalyst

The MoIT reported that Viet Nam's e-commerce market has surpassed 25 billion USD, a 20% increase from the previous year, accounting for about 10% of total retail sales and consumer service revenue. That gives Viet Nam the third place in Southeast Asia for this regard. The market is projected to grow to 63 billion USD by 2030, indicating ample opportunities for Vietnamese goods to expand globally.

To capitalise on this potential, Nguyen Dinh Tung, Chairman of Vina T&T Group and Vice Chairman of the Viet Nam Fruit and Vegetable Association, stressed the importance of "brand authenticity" in raising the value of Vietnamese products. He explained that when production is fragmented and standards inconsistent, Vietnamese products struggle to stand out and are often relegated to contract manufacturing.

However, when brands are clearly defined and origins transparent, products can be priced higher and enter more demanding markets like the US and Europe. Nguyen Minh Duc, Vice General Secretary of the Viet Nam E-Commerce Association, emphasised the need for businesses to improve digital governance skills, invest in young teams skilled in operating on international platforms, and utilise AI for automation, cost optimisation, and market expansion.

The MoIT sees e-commerce as a strategic pillar for its development plan from 2026 to 2030, aiming to build a sustainable digital export ecosystem. This initiative will help Vietnamese businesses improve their international competitiveness and reduce intermediary costs.

Lai Viet Anh, Deputy Director of the MoIT’s Viet Nam e-Commerce and Digital Economy Agency, highlighted that the ministry is focusing on three key areas – improving legal frameworks, implementing national digital platforms, and supporting industry-specific businesses. This legal corridor will help facilitate transactions, logistics, payments, and consumer protection in the digital space.

Additionally, she noted, the MoIT is running tailored training and advisory programmes to support businesses of all sizes, ensuring even small companies can participate in. It is also developing a national digital trade promotion ecosystem with platforms like iTrace247 (for traceability), Vietrade CRM, Vietrade Map, Vietrade Edu, and Smart B2B. Notably, the ministry is speeding up the integration of iTrace247 with the electronic customs and certificate of origin (C/O) systems, allowing businesses to cut paperwork, save costs, and improve transparency in exports.

VNA
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