Hanoi (VNA) – Vietnam’s e-commerce sector is entering a new phase, with competitive advantages no longer resting primarily on low prices or increasing order volumes, but on operational efficiency, quality, transparency and trust.
Le Anh Tuan, Founder and CEO of Firstcom Digital, said the cost of selling on e-commerce platforms had moved to a new level. Based on a compilation of practical reports and seller communities, once fixed fees, payment fees, infrastructure charges and service packages are included, sellers may have to spend around 24.5-27.6% of their revenue on platforms. The figure shows that the era of easy selling and low costs in e-commerce has officially come to an end.
According to Tuan, platforms do not sell products; they sell access to buyers. After years of investing in users, data, logistics, payment systems and tools to stimulate purchases, platforms have become an important part of market infrastructure.
Experts also point out that when consumers have too many choices, low prices are no longer enough to provide a lasting competitive advantage. Surveys show that 70% of Vietnamese consumers are willing to spend more on trusted sellers that provide consistent service, while 49% will abandon a transaction if a seller has no reviews from previous buyers.
Nguyen Thi Thuy Linh, an office worker in Hanoi, said: “I used to compare prices first, but now my first criterion is whether the shop is an authorised retailer or a reputable seller. The price may be slightly higher, but I feel more confident about the quality, warranty and after-sales service.”
Moreover, requirements concerning taxation, seller identification and information transparency will force businesses to standardise their operations, improve product controls and enhance after-sales services. This is an essential step towards curbing counterfeit goods, imitation products and goods of unknown origin in the digital environment.
In particular, from July 1, 2026, the 2025 Law on E-Commerce and Decree No. 248/2026/ND-CP, detailing a number of provisions of the law, have established a new legal framework aimed at increasing transparency and the accountability of market participants.
Kieu Tien Anh, CEO of the Hi1 e-commerce platform, said the new regulations would steer the market towards greater transparency, safety and sustainable development. They would also increase responsibilities relating to seller verification, product information, consumer protection, data management, traceability and the handling of transactions in the digital environment.
The new phase of e-commerce, however, extends beyond national borders. Artificial intelligence (AI), data and cross-border e-commerce are creating new ways for Vietnamese businesses to reach international customers.
According to Roger Luo, Head of South & Southeast Asia at Alibaba.com, Vietnam remains one of the platform’s positively growing markets, with the number of new exporters joining the platform between April 2025 and March 2026 increasing by around 10% year on year.
Le Hoang Oanh, Director of the Vietnam E-Commerce and Digital Economy Agency under the Ministry of Industry and Trade, affirmed that e-commerce exports are one of the key pillars of the national e-commerce development master plan for 2026-2030. They enable businesses to reach international consumers directly, reduce costs and enhance the standing of Vietnamese brands.
The Ministry of Industry and Trade is implementing the e-commerce law and Decree No. 248 with a focus on stronger verification and traceability, consumer protection and closer coordination among relevant agencies.
For businesses, meanwhile, the key priorities are to accurately calculate costs, take control of data, standardise operations, improve service quality and gradually reduce dependence on any single platform.
For e-commerce platforms, having become part of market infrastructure means their responsibility can no longer stop at facilitating transactions. They must also contribute to building a fair and safe business environment.
Green e-commerce, in particular, needs to be considered across the entire process, from packaging, warehousing and logistics to last-mile delivery, returns, reverse logistics and recycling. Every online transaction has a lifecycle behind it.
Growth, therefore, should not be measured solely by the volume of goods sold, but also by the economic, social and environmental value generated by each transaction./.
VNA
