JBL, a seller of bluetooth speakers, headphones, and sound systems, reported a twofold increase in Q2 sales on Lazada compared to the same period last year. This follows two consecutive years of the company maintaining over 50% sales growth.

A representative for JBL Vietnam stated that online channels not only generate high traffic and extensive customer reach but also serve as effective platforms for attractive promotional programs, engaging younger consumers more efficiently.

With a total of 613,900 shops, Shopee, TikTok Shop, Lazada, and Tiki all experienced an increase in gross merchandise value (GMV) during the first half of the year, ranging from 38% to 52%, according to a report by data aggregation and analytics platform Metric.

The combined GMV of these four multi-category e-commerce platforms reached 291,600 billion VND in the first six months, with over 2.18 billion products sold, marking increases of 41% and 12% respectively compared to the same period in 2025.

On average, Vietnamese consumers spent over 1,600 billion VND daily to purchase more than 12 million products on these platforms. The majority of these expenditures were for items in beauty, fashion, home and living, groceries and food, and home appliances.

Compared to general retail, online retail continues to grow three times faster and is estimated to account for nearly 10% of the entire retail sector. According to data from the General Statistics Office, total retail sales of goods in the first half of the year reached over 2.94 trillion VND, an increase of 12.5% compared to the same period in 2025.

The online channel's rapid growth is further fueled by the continuing trend of livestream and video selling, which effectively stimulate demand. An online survey by Q&Me revealed that livestreaming has become a primary shopping channel for active users, accounting for approximately 67% of their total online spending.

During a conference last month, Nesty General Director Ta Van Thanh noted that over half of TikTok Shop's total revenue came from livestreaming. This year, the footwear brand plans to increase its collaborations with content creators.

Simultaneously, traditional drivers of online retail persist, including promotional programs and optimized delivery in terms of both cost and speed. A Q&Me survey indicated that 82% of surveyed consumers are attracted by discounts. Livestream-exclusive vouchers and limited-time offers further accelerate immediate purchase decisions.

For instance, during the 6/6 promotion, Lazada's GMV increased nearly four times (276%) compared to a regular day. Regarding delivery, Shopee reported that shops offering express delivery (within one hour and four hours) saw order growth up to 130% compared to those without. Consequently, the platform stated it will continue to invest in operational infrastructure and enhance partnerships with logistics providers to shorten delivery times.

A driver delivering online orders in Hanoi on 7/5. Photo: Hoang Giang

However, to sustain customer acquisition, Shopee and TikTok Shop jointly adjusted their fee policies. This move has pressured sellers, in some cases forcing them to increase product prices. Following feedback, the National Competition Commission requested information and documents from the platforms to assess the impact.

According to Tran Lam, an online sales training expert and CEO of Julyhouse, the market is gradually moving past the "money-burning" phase and entering a period of optimizing business efficiency. "Platform costs are continuously rising, while consumers still expect lower prices, faster delivery, and more promotions," he said.

For Q3, Metric forecasts market expansion in both sales and product volume. Consumers are projected to spend 146,300 billion VND to purchase one million products during this period, representing increases of 2.31% and 3.45% respectively compared to Q2.

Building on its success, JBL announced plans to continue boosting online sales and enhancing its partnership with Lazada through super sales events and marketing activities like Super Brand Day, aiming to maximize consumer benefits.

Metric advises sellers to develop product categories based on data concerning search trends, price segments, and seasonality, rather than expanding intuitively. Additionally, improving product quality, images, and information is crucial. Combining advertising, promotions, livestreaming, affiliate marketing, and social media content also broadens customer reach.

Sharing his experience, content creator Hoang Van Khoa (PewPew) highlighted the importance of building a multi-platform ecosystem. He explained that each piece of content is developed in various formats and distributed across multiple channels, from Shopee to Facebook and Instagram. "Thanks to this approach, my content currently maintains over 30 million views each month," he said.

Looking long-term, Sarah Nguyen, Commercial Director of Shopee Vietnam, believes e-commerce is entering a new development phase. Consumers now expect more from their shopping experience, including personalization and reliability. This necessitates platforms to increase investment in artificial intelligence, infrastructure, and solutions to ensure seamless shopping experiences and expand buyer access for sellers.