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Shoppers click yes to e-commerce
Vietnam’s internet usage rate has skyrocketed over the last few years, bringing with it a surge in nationwide e-commerce and a slew of new online shopping websites.
Electronic retailers are taking the lead as witnessed by newly emerging supermarket Fivimart’s first foray into cyberspace this year.
Contrary to traditional markets and supermarkets, the majority of customers online are male. Most are regular visitors of websites selling electronic or technical items.
The increase in market share for electronic retailers has also been noticed by pundits from abroad. Chodientu.com, which translates into “electronic market,” was voted among the top shopping websites in a July poll for Information and Technology products by PC World magazine.
But at the end of the day, it is the ease and low-cost of shopping online which draws in new customers. And then keeps them there.
Phuong Thuy, who calls herself an ‘online shopaholic,’ said: “I have lost my habit of going to the supermarket, because now I can buy everything with just a click.”
Female customers, on the other hand, have been flocking to websites like muare.vn or enbac.com which sell consumer products, particularly clothes and cosmetics.
According to online-shoppers, websites offer a wide range of products at lower prices than traditional retail stores.
Several websites like webtretho.com, lamchame.com or rongbay.com also deliver, albeit for a 10-15 percent service fee.
A 2008 global consumer report by Nielsen Company, said that some of the biggest buyers of books on the Internet are from developing countries – China, Brazil, Vietnam and Egypt – indicating massive growth potential for online retailers that can target these fast-growing markets.
Much of these opportunities are coming from the back of the rapid development of broadband Internet and mobile services.
According to the Ministry of Industry and Trade’s E-commerce and Information Technology Agency, Vietnam’s Internet and telecommunications are built to handle the application of online payment services.
Around one-fourth of the population or 20 million people have access to the Internet while 60 million are mobile phone subscribers, according to the agency.
“Up to 85 percent of Internet users shopped online. The Vietnamese market has a lot of potential,” said the Vice Chairman of MasterCard, David Chan.
Thuy Hang
vietnews
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