Vietnam is projected to become the fastest growing e-commerce market in Southeast Asia by 2026, with growth over four times the value achieved in 2021. However, Vietnam’s micro, small, and medium-sized businesses (SMEs)—which make up 97% of all businesses in Vietnam—still face numerous challenges in navigating e-commerce opportunities successfully. SMEs need to adapt online business models now if they are to fully capitalize on the exponential e-commerce growth that is projected—or they risk being left behind. On March 22, the USAID Improving Private Sector Competitiveness project hosted a widely-attended online conference on e-commerce, engaging government agencies, enterprises, business development organizations, experts, and individuals. The event attracted 251 online participants and 150 others who watched the livestream on the Facebook pages of USAID/Vietnam, the Agency for Enterprise Development under the Vietnamese Ministry of Planning and Investment, and VnExpress—the most popular online newspaper in the country. Speakers from Tiki, Amazon Global Selling, Maritime Bank, and Vietnam Economic Forum shared practical experience, success and challenges, and risks and opportunities.
Providing Vietnamese small and growing businesses with the required knowledge and skills to successfully utilize e-commerce will enhance their ability to access new markets and to participate in the digital economy.
