HANOI – Expanding Horizons in Cross-Border E-Commerce
In the rapidly evolving landscape of Việt Nam’s cross-border e-commerce sector, experts note a significant disparity: although it is on an upward trajectory, it still constitutes a mere sliver of the nation’s overall trade volume, indicating a wealth of untapped opportunities for export augmentation.
As the domestic e-commerce market soared to an estimated US$31 billion by 2025, positioning Việt Nam prominently among the globe’s top 10 and ranking third in Southeast Asia, the total import-export turnover via e-commerce languished at just $4.45 billion.
This figure pales in comparison to the country’s comprehensive trade turnover, which hovers around $930 billion, thus illuminating considerable potential for a surge in e-commerce exports.
“There is ample room for growth,” asserted Trần Thanh Hải, deputy director of the Import-Export Department at the Ministry of Industry and Trade, during a recent e-commerce export conference.
Lê Hoàng Oanh, director of the Vietnam E-commerce and Digital Economy Agency, posited that cross-border e-commerce is rapidly becoming a transformative model for exports.
This new paradigm enhances global market accessibility, empowering small enterprises to connect with international customers, streamlining logistics and advertising costs, and unveiling substantial growth prospects.
“Where traditional exports confine businesses to limited customer bases, global e-commerce opens doors to billions of potential consumers,” Oanh remarked, emphasizing that this channel is increasingly seen as a strategic avenue for exports.
The forthcoming E-commerce Law, effective from July 2026, alongside the national e-commerce development blueprint for 2026-2030, is anticipated to lay a solid legal groundwork for the flourishing of cross-border e-commerce, Oanh indicated.
She further elaborated that this novel policy infrastructure aims to enhance transparency, assist businesses in transcending borders, and bolster the development of digital frameworks, logistics, and payment systems.
A report from Access Partnership titled “The E-Commerce Export: A New Growth Driver for Vietnam’s Furniture and Fashion Exports” foresees a robust annual growth rate of approximately 20 percent in e-commerce exports within the furniture sector from 2024 to 2029.
The fashion domain is projected to see an even more vigorous expansion, estimated at about 26 percent annually—two to five times the pace of traditional export channels.
A survey encompassing 300 macro, small, and medium-sized enterprises (MSMEs) revealed a burgeoning dependence on e-commerce.
A striking 97 percent of respondents deemed it pivotal for future growth, while 96 percent asserted that it significantly enhances international competitiveness. Furthermore, an impressive 98 percent reported beneficial effects on sales across both online and offline platforms.
The primary export markets remain the US, China, and the UK, with 82 percent of participants highlighting the US as particularly promising.
Notably, business-to-consumer (B2C) e-commerce exports are surpassing Việt Nam’s overall export growth, especially in sectors like furniture and fashion, where the country boasts notable strengths, according to Sam Charlton, director at Access Partnership.
Addressing Existing Challenges
Nonetheless, challenges persist, with elevated cross-border logistics costs cited as the most formidable obstacle. The report also noted stringent standards and regulations imposed by export markets as additional barriers.
Other issues include a shortfall of skilled labor, limited digital competencies, dependency on foreign platforms, and underdeveloped brand identities.
An overwhelming 95 percent of surveyed MSMEs advocated for a long-term strategy to bolster e-commerce exports. This includes streamlined procedures, enhanced coordination, improved logistics, and more robust training programs.
Trần Thanh Hải acknowledged that exports remain heavily concentrated in primary markets such as China, the US, and the EU, relying significantly on global platforms like Alibaba and Amazon.
He cautioned that the majority of products are often contract-manufactured with low added value and urged firms to elevate product quality and fortify their brands.
He also underscored the necessity for logistics hubs in proximate markets like China, Cambodia, Laos, and Myanmar to mitigate costs and enhance competitiveness.
Lê Hoàng Oanh stressed that cross-border e-commerce is evolving into a long-term strategic focus. Regulators are in the process of formulating a legal framework to underpin sustainable growth, encompassing customs, taxation, and consumer protection policies aligned with international standards.
The Ministry of Industry and Trade is simultaneously striving to refine regulations, creating a more transparent and globally in-tune business environment.
Oanh implored businesses to adhere to international standards, invest in certifications, and bolster digital capabilities to amplify e-commerce exports.
She advocated for leveraging technologies such as big data and artificial intelligence while expanding enterprises’ presence on platforms like Amazon, Shopee, TikTok Shop, and Lazada.
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