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Home / Industry Overview / E-Commerce

Towards the end of 2006 it was recorded that 87 C2C (customer to customer) websites operating in Vietnam. Most of them did not substantially differ from buying or selling leads posted in E-newspaper or trade website.

The infrastructure does not necessarily support the evolution of E-commerce in Vietnam, with electronic transaction through credit or debit card yet to be popular. E-mart with shopping kart to be paid online can hardly be found in Vietnam. Almost everything goes through cash payment. Websites are rather a source of information than a virtual market.

The market entry of E-bay to Vietnam market marked a milestone in Vietnam E-commerce’s development, in particular for C2C transactions. E-bay was lured by the country’s 24 million internet users, a figure that is expected to grow 24% per year for 3 years to come.

The firm itself declared the purpose of presence as to help Vietnamese internet users gain more knowledge and support Vietnam’s manufacturers boost export of goods, according to E-bay’s Regional Director Sam MacDonagh.

Not every local player seems to be much worried, stating (i) the characteristics of E-transactions in Vietnam and local players’ understanding of consumers behavior and (ii) limited success of E-bay in similar market in several East Asian countries.

The government has been very active in promoting domestic E-commerce. It confirmed not to extend the support to every individual website but to work out a supportive framework. During 2007 the government will issue a legal frame regulating E-transactions.

From Vietnam government’s point of view, development of C2C is not the top priority, but Business-to-Business transaction which would help boost revenues in E-commerce.