Reliability beats bargains as Vietnamese shoppers redefine e-commerce boom: report

Ho Chi Minh, Vietnam – Vietnamese consumers are rewriting the rules of online shopping with more prioritisation in customer service, according to report

More than half of Vietnamese shoppers (53%) say reliable delivery matters most, outweighing lower fees (45%), and matching calls for better package handling (51%). 

“Vietnamese shoppers are raising the bar for e-commerce,” Juda Kanaprach, chief marketing officer at Milieu Insight, said.

Seven in ten are willing to pay extra for dependable service, yet a single poor delivery is enough for one in three to stop buying from a seller altogether.

In a market now worth over USD 25 billion, Milieu Insight reports that shoppers are less swayed by bargains and more driven by reliability, quality service, and accountability from platforms.

“They want more than bargains—they expect platforms to stand behind every step of the shopping experience, from accurate product descriptions and transparent fees to, most critically, dependable delivery,” Kanaprach stressed. 

Trust is also shaped by return policies: 46% of shoppers will abandon a purchase if no returns are offered. 

The vast majority of returns stem from genuine issues such as damaged or missing goods, rather than a change of mind.

The study also highlights a striking shift in expectations: 90% of Vietnamese consumers believe platforms, not couriers, should enforce delivery standards. 

Half escalate complaints directly to platforms, and for nearly four in five shoppers (79%), the courier brand is irrelevant as long as deliveries arrive on time.

Engagement in Vietnam also outpaces the region. In the last six months, 41% of shoppers increased their online spending—almost double the regional figure of 25%. 

Beyond affordability (64%), they are turning to e-commerce for wider product variety (52%), livestream shopping (50%), and AI-powered recommendations (32%).

Milieu Insight concludes that in Vietnam, cheap prices no longer secure loyalty. 

“The future of growth in Vietnam’s e-commerce sector belongs to the players who can deliver on that promise consistently,” Kanaprach concluded.