Vietnam’s e-commerce market is fast becoming a standout in the Asian ecommerce landscape, showing resilience and potential even in a time when global markets are slowing down.
While it’s true that growth slowed down in 2023, when the economy grew by 5.05% instead of the projected 6.5%, the nation faces serious potential for growth in 2024 and beyond. In spite of slowed growth, foreign direct investment and government reform continue to bolster the nation forward.
However, there are still challenges imminent. Whether you are just beginning to sell to Vietnam, or you have a well-established market in the nation, there are some key elements you’ll need to understand in order to succeed in the region, including:
Trends and preferences in the region
The logistics infrastructure in Vietnam
Challenges and opportunities for e-commerce retailers
Looking to grow your brand in Vietnam? Explore Wayfindr’s custom 4PL solutions built for e-commerce expansion
Vietnamese e-commerce market size and growth outlook
As of 2025, Vietnam is among the top 3 fastest-growing e-commerce markets in Southeast Asia. According to Google’s SEA e-Conomy report, Vietnam’s e-commerce market size is expected to surpass $20 billion USD, with year-over-year growth driven by mobile penetration and digital payment adoption.
The rise in cross-border e-commerce is also a big driver. Many international sellers are eyeing Vietnam not just as a sourcing hub, but as a strategic consumer market—particularly in urban centers like Ho Chi Minh City, Hanoi, and Da Nang.
Vietnam e-commerce market 3rd largest in Southeast Asia
The top e-commerce marketplaces in Vietnam are Shopee, Lazada, Tiki, Tiktok Shop, and Sendo. It’s important to have a presence on at least a couple of the top marketplaces, plus your own website specially tailored to Vietnamese shoppers.
Mobile e-commerce is key, and smartphone usage is the backbone of the e-commerce growth in the region.
Speaking of technological access, online banking and payments have made leaps and bounds in recent years in Vietnam. However, like other countries in the region, some shoppers still prefer to use the cash-on-delivery method to pay for goods bought online.
Fast-growing young population
The population is growing and young. A growing population under forty means more tech-savvy consumers – an excellent statistic for e-commerce sellers, who rely on tech-savvy internet shoppers to make sales.
Lack of space in Vietnam cities as populations grow quickly means retail stores are no longer practical. Selling and buying online makes more sense in a cramped city filled with young people.
Logistics infrastructure
Although Vietnam is likely the most developed nation in terms of logistics infrastructure among the ASEAN nations, the country still has some work to do to create better logistics facilities to support its fast-expanding e-commerce fulfillment network.
On the positive side, the nation has seen and continues to see high rates of investment into logistics-related areas — some of the highest rates of FDI in the world currently, in fact.
However, the nation still has some gaps, particularly when it comes to e-commerce fulfillment and the last mile of fulfillment.
In 2023 the Vietnamese government prioritized investment in transportation infrastructure, including rail, inland waterways, air, and highway transport.
The construction of various expressways is a major example of this progress. The growth in transportation infrastructure means that logistics and last-mile fulfillment are easier than ever, and improving still.
A 2022 report by Google puts Vietnam as one of the top three countries attracting e-commerce investment. Foreign investment slowed in 2023 but continues to be a main driver and source of growth for the country’s manufacturing and logistics sectors.
Last-mile still fragmented
While e-commerce is booming in the country, the last mile of fulfillment is still far from perfect. Moving within the major cities poses little issue, but outside of that things get a little hairy. Moving outside of the cities is challenging, as various parts of the country have developed and urbanized at very different rates.
This means moving from town to town you will have to deal with a lack of good roads and inadequate warehousing facilities.
Other issues stemming from poor infrastructure and facilities, such as parcel theft and loss, are also prevalent in some areas.
Challenges and opportunities
As growth stagnates in other parts of the world, many e-commerce retailers are looking to Vietnam as the kingpin in their Asia growth strategy. Between the US and Vietnam alone, trade in the past ten years has grown more than 360%.
Trade conditions could not be better, particularly for the many countries with which Vietnam has bilateral trade agreements. The government, the growing young population, and foreign businesses all seem to be creating the perfect environment for e-commerce growth in the region.
However, there are still some negative aspects to contend with. Despite the positive nature of a government invested in improving infrastructure and encouraging international trade, Vietnam still suffers from a slow, corrupt bureaucracy.
While the nation is one of the best in terms of corruption in SE Asia, overall, corruption remains an issue for those trying to do business in the nation. The northern and southern parts of the country can be quite politically different as well, resulting in confusing commercial laws and overly complicated tax structures.
And, like many nations in the region, the country has yet to make real strides in meeting its stated goals to transition to clean energy.
Work with a 4PL who can make your Vietnam expansion seamless
What do you do when the opportunity is there, but you aren’t sure how to build business relationships in a faraway market?
No matter how far away you are, if you are entering the Vietnamese market without any logistics connections in Vietnam, you will have a hard time making sure your supply chain is effective.
That’s where we come in; we have partners located right there in Vietnam, everything from warehouses and fulfillment centers to trucking companies. All these partners are in our network, meaning we work with them, connecting all their software and technologies to ours, in the same logistics ecosystem, but we do not own them.
The partner network we have as a 4PL provider gives us, and you as our e-commerce retailer client, the flexibility needed to design the optimal supply chain for your business.
As Wayfindr's Director, he draws on 10+ years of experience in corporate finance and cross-border operations across the Asia Pacific region—helping build the systems behind Wayfindr’s global, carbon-neutral 4PL model.
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