Vietnam e-commerce picture
The report "e-Economy SEA 2024" by Google, Temasek, Bain & Company published at the end of 2024 shows that the size of Vietnam's e-commerce market is estimated to reach more than 22 billion USD. In the region, the size of Vietnam's e-commerce is currently behind Indonesia (65 billion USD) and Thailand (26 billion USD).
Compared to 2023, the growth rate of this industry in Vietnam reached 18%, a rate only behind the Philippines and Thailand.
In 2025, it is forecasted that the e-commerce industry in Vietnam will reach more than 30 billion USD and increase to 63 billion USD by 2030.
The growth of Vietnam’s e-commerce is also linked to the boom and AI (artificial intelligence). Major platforms such as Shopee, Lazada and TikTok Shop are leveraging artificial intelligence, machine learning and big data to predict consumer behavior, adjust marketing strategies, enhance customer experience, and thereby boost sales.
Users trust AI to shop on e-commerce platforms
According to a report on AI applications in e-commerce in Southeast Asia by Lazada and market research firm Kantar, 92% of Vietnamese users use AI features on e-commerce platforms at least once a week, higher than the ASEAN average.
88% of consumers in Southeast Asia make purchasing decisions based on AI recommendations and over half (51%) say product and seller reviews are important when shopping online. Consumers in Vietnam are among the top consumers who trust AI when making e-commerce purchasing decisions.
At the same time, Vietnamese consumers are increasingly trusting smart payment products. According to a survey from VISA, 86% of Vietnamese consumers know about GenAI (generative artificial intelligence) in retail, satisfied with the benefits it brings, from suggesting better prices, personalized product options, making quick recommendations...
Efforts from e-commerce platforms
To take advantage of opportunities from AI, e-commerce platforms operating in Vietnam have taken timely actions to improve customer experience in Southeast Asia and in Vietnam in particular.
Lazada has launched a GenAI suite of features for the four key aspects of e-commerce shopping, known as the 4Ds, including product discovery, trust, offers, and decision-making, to deliver a more personalized and interactive experience.
“At Lazada, we see GenAI as a key part of our long-term, customer-centric strategy to enhance the shopping experience,” said James Dong, CEO of Lazada Group. “We want to lead the way and usher in a new era of online shopping. I believe GenAI will not only revolutionize e-commerce, but also completely change the way we shop, sell and interact.”
Meanwhile, TikTok Shop has invested more than 500 million USD in technology tools, built a team of specialized personnel and continuously upgraded its censorship processes, rejected substandard products, removed restricted or banned products, disabled seller accounts, removed commercial features of many content creators who violated policies... in the world, including Vietnam.
Meanwhile, Shopee has teamed up with YouTube to launch YouTube Shopping. With this move, viewers can experience shopping right while watching the creator's content, then check the product list and information. Just click on a product you like, viewers will be taken directly to the sales page for quick and easy shopping.
The cooperation is an important step of the two units to suit the current trend of combining shopping and entertainment.
