E-commerce platforms cater to large groceries demand in Vietnam
In this article (4)
Leading e-commerce platforms in Vietnam saw bigger demand for groceries, including fresh foodstuffs and beverages, in the second quarter of this year, a market research firm says.
Google searches for keywords relating to online grocery stores in the second quarter of this year surged 223 percent against the first quarter, Malaysia-based market research firm iPrice Group said. Searches for fresh foodstuff, drinks, pre-packaged items, and fruits and vegetables rose 99 percent, 51 percent, 30 percent and 11 percent, respectively.
According to a second-quarter e-commerce report by, online grocery has been the only goods segment with continuous growth since the pandemic broke out.
When HCMC started applying social distancing rules in early July, demand for buying groceries online increased sharply. E-commerce platform Lazada Vietnam sold 120,000 fresh milk cartons in the first three hours of July 7, and 10,000 poultry eggs in the first 12 hours of the day.
According to iPrice researchers, the surge in searches for online grocery stores and supermarkets is linked to the social distancing regulations imposed by municipal and provincial authorities. Retail sales of essential goods will also go online rapidly, they said.
The higher demand for groceries prompted e-commerce platform Tiki to open fresh groceries stalls (September 2) that would deliver the products within three hours in Hanoi.
“We will continue to organize similar programs,”
To lure more customers, online shopping platforms have held shoppertainment (shopping in combination with entertainment) activities since early July. Lazada and Shopee have launched online mini-game contests and music shows, and conducted more livestream sales in combination with recreational activities.
Lazada’s livestream channel reported that its daily views in the second quarter of this year rose 2.5 times over the same period last year. Shopee said the number of Shopee Live users in the first half of this year surged over 200 percent on-year.
Online payment and shopping platform MoMo attracted eight million players in one month after organizing a game contest with prizes totaling VND10 billion (nearly $435,000). “We will continue to organize similar programs,” said co-founder and vice chairman Nguyen Ba Diep.
According to rankings complied by iPrice Group and Israel-based digital intelligence provider SimilarWeb, Lazada Vietnam saw its website visits in the second quarter of this year increase 14 percent against the first quarter to 20.4 million, ranking second after Shopee. Shopee ranked the first for the 12 quarters, with 73 million web visits in the second quarter, up 9.2 million visits against the previous one.
Among e-commerce platforms in Vietnam, Lazada and Shopee have been the most active in terms of shoppertainment events in recent months. They are expected to host more such programs on September 9, the super shopping day.
The visits to top 50 shopping websites in Vietnam in the first half of this year totaled over 1.3 billion, the highest number so far. Specifically, web visits in the second quarter rose 10 percent over the first.
Questions & Answers
Q.What specifically caused the sharp increase in online grocery demand from early July?
What specifically caused the sharp increase in online grocery demand from early July?
Demand for buying groceries online increased sharply after Ho Chi Minh City started applying social distancing rules. Researchers linked the surge in online grocery searches to these regulations imposed by authorities.
Q.How have e-commerce platforms like Lazada and Shopee tried to attract more customers during this period?
How have e-commerce platforms like Lazada and Shopee tried to attract more customers during this period?
To attract more customers, online shopping platforms have held shoppertainment activities, such as online mini-game contests, music shows, and more livestream sales combined with recreational activities since early July.
Q.Which e-commerce platform received the most website visits in Vietnam during the second quarter?
Which e-commerce platform received the most website visits in Vietnam during the second quarter?
Shopee ranked first with 73 million web visits in the second quarter, an increase of 9.2 million visits compared to the previous quarter. Lazada Vietnam ranked second with 20.4 million visits.
Reader pulse
Is Vietnam's online grocery boom sustainable long-term?
17,815 votes so far