Vietnamese consumers are increasingly turning to online shopping for their daily essentials, with an average of four trips per month, according to NielsenIQ Vietnam. This is a significant increase from the number surveyed in 2023 and twice as frequent as monthly trips to the supermarket. On average, one person uses 3.2 platforms for online shopping.
The biggest reasons for consumers to shop online are not just cheap prices, but rather convenience in stocking up for family consumption (25%) and immediate service for food (21%). In the past, Vietnamese consumers primarily used e-commerce for non-essential purchases like electronics, fashion, and household appliances. However, the trend is shifting towards more frequent online shopping trips for daily essentials.
NielsenIQ reported that customers on average purchase 6.5 types of products online, with the top three categories being food, beverages, and personal cosmetics. This highlights a change in consumer behavior towards prioritizing essential items in their online shopping. E-commerce has become the “new normal” in Vietnam and is experiencing robust growth compared to the general retail market. However, this growth rate is slower than expected due to limitations in human resources, tools, and skills among medium, small, and micro enterprises.
TikTok Shop Vietnam plans to support 10,000 small and medium-sized enterprises with a budget of one million USD in the second half of 2024. They will collaborate with local authorities and business associations to identify businesses in need of support. Additionally, TikTok Vietnam aims to organize a livestream festival in a different province each week to promote e-commerce among smaller enterprises.
