Vietnamese products thrive on Amazon as e-commerce fuels global trade growth

THE HANOI TIMES — The number of Vietnamese products sold on Amazon has surged by 300% in the past five years, according to Larry Hu, General Director of Amazon Global Selling Southeast Asia.

“Vietnam’s progress is remarkable,” Larry Hu said at a conference on July 24, highlighting the growing appeal of Vietnamese exports on global e-commerce platforms.

According to the Ministry of Industry and Trade (MoIT), cross-border e-commerce, alongside traditional trade, is becoming a major trend in advanced economies such as the US, China, the EU, Japan and South Korea.

In 2024, global e-commerce continued to expand strongly, especially in Southeast Asia. Vietnam ranked among the world’s top 10 fastest-growing e-commerce markets, with annual growth of 18%-25%.

Deputy Director of the MoIT's Department of E-commerce and Digital Economy Lai Viet Anh said that exporting Vietnamese goods through global platforms such as Amazon, eBay and Alibaba is now a growing trend.

Through these channels, Vietnamese products reach consumers worldwide, particularly in large markets like the US, China, the EU and ASEAN, she said.

“Several Vietnamese brands such as Minh Long ceramics, Sunhouse home appliances and Truong Tho sea grapes are now already present on Amazon shelves,” Anh added.

In this context, local businesses have found success by using e-commerce platforms to boost sales.

Hoang Thi Huong, Export Manager at Hanoi-based Anh Tu International Plastics Co Ltd, said that the company has sold online since 2011. Its products are now present in 10 markets, including the US, the EU and Japan.

Do Tuan Luong, Deputy Director of Kien Thuan Cooperative in the northern province of Lao Cai, said that 70% of its revenue once came from the domestic market.

After listing its products on Alibaba.com, the cooperative’s export turnover reached US$1 million, he said. Its tea products are now available in North America and the Middle East.

Policy support for global reach

The rapid rise of e-commerce has also created challenges for Vietnamese firms.

A 2024 report by e-commerce data provider Metric.vn showed that about 165,000 online shops closed during the year, often due to high advertising and commission fees, which can eat up 35%-45% of revenue.

Many sellers without clear strategies or competitive products left the market, opening opportunities for stronger brands.

Anh Nguyen, Associate Head of Digital Marketing at RMIT University Vietnam, suggested small sellers use cost-effective methods such as livestreaming, short videos, and affiliate marketing on social media platforms like Facebook and TikTok.

These approaches can help build trust and engage customers without heavy spending, he said.

Deputy Director of the MoIT's Department of E-commerce and Digital Economy, Nguyen Thi Minh Huyen, said that the E-commerce Development Center has been tasked with building an online export ecosystem (Ecomex) to help Vietnamese businesses bring potential products to global markets.

The ministry will also organize cross-border e-commerce training programs to strengthen business capacity and knowledge, regional linkage initiatives and a unified e-commerce platform for provinces and cities (sanviet.vn), she said.

"This platform aims to support sellers, buyers and digital platforms in logistics and non-cash payment solutions," she said.

The Vietnam Trade Promotion Agency (Vietrade) has partnered with Amazon Global Selling Vietnam to launch the program “V-Brands Go Global with Amazon”, according to Vietrade Director General Vu Ba Phu.

From 2025 to 2027, Amazon will provide 20 specialized training courses for 1,000 Vietnamese businesses and support 30 national brands in expanding their presence on the platform, he added.

“Diversifying partnerships with major platforms and building national pavilions for Vietnamese goods will be key to promoting the country’s image and securing a stronger role in global supply chains,” Phu said.