Retail in Vietnam

Navigating the digital retail landscape

February 2019
Foreword 03
Drivers of growth 04
The new retail landscape 13
Deloitte’s retail survey 19
1. Purchasing channels 20
2. Digital behaviours 24
Looking ahead 27
Contact us 28

 Retail in Vietnam | Navigating the digital retail landscape

Foreword
With the fastest-growing middle class in Southeast Asia, Vietnam has been experiencing
phenomenal growth rates in its retail sector. This trend looks set to continue into the
future, given its relatively young population demographics and robust consumer spending
behaviours. Indeed, the rise of e-commerce and digital retail channels in Vietnam is one
of the top trends to watch: by 2025, Vietnam’s e-commerce market size is expected to be
second only to Indonesia in the Southeast Asia region.

In this report, we explore the drivers of growth in Vietnam’s retail sector, and take a look at
some of the defining features of its new retail landscape. In particular, we examine the rise
of Modern Trade channels in Vietnam, including commercial centres, convenience stores,
and digital platforms. Later, we also highlight some of the findings from Deloitte’s latest
retail survey, which was conducted across nearly 700 households in the two metropolitan
cities of Hanoi and Ho Chi Minh City in late 2018.

There are several key takeaways. Firstly, although Vietnam’s retail sector holds immense
potential for growth, the level of competition is intense. Across different retail formats,
such as commercial centres, convenience stores and electronics chain stores, we are
witnessing domestic and foreign retail giants engaged in a battle for dominance as they
embark on aggressive expansion strategies. As online shopping begins to take off in
Vietnam, a similar story is also playing out across digital platforms, where players are
attempting to build scale amidst the proliferation of new players in the market.

Secondly, despite the rise of digital channels, physical channels continue to dominate the
retail scene in Vietnam. For companies, this underscores the importance of developing
omni-channel strategies, and the need for them to curate coherent and seamless
consumer experiences that integrate both online and offline consumer journeys across all
their touchpoints.

Finally, companies will also need to address several impediments that remain for online
shopping, such as concerns relating to payments and data security, and find innovative
ways to provide a differentiated consumer experience in this new digital retail landscape.

Nguyen Vu Duc
Consumer Industry Leader
Deloitte Vietnam

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Retail in Vietnam | Navigating the digital retail landscape

Drivers of growth

In recent years, Vietnam has been experiencing rapid retail growth. From 2013-2018, the retail sector recorded a
compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 10.97%1. Total retail revenue is also expected to reach USD 180 billion by
2020, which would represent an increase of 26.6% from 2018 (see Figure 1)2. With the influx of investments into
the sector, it is poised to witness further growth in the near future (see Figure 2).

Figure 1: Retail revenue and growth in Vietnam (2013-2020)3

210 30%
180
180 27% 25%

150 142
126 20%
115
120 103
85 94 15%
90 13%
13% 10%
11% 11%
60 10% 10%
5%
30

0 0%
2013 2014 2015 2016 2017 2018 2020

Revenue, USD billion Growth rate

1 Deloitte analysis
2 “Hoi thao ‘Thi truong ban le Viet Nam- Co hoi va Thach thuc’”. Vien Nghien cuu Thuong mai. 20 May 2016. http://www.
viennghiencuuthuongmai.com.vn/tin-tuc/tin-noi-bat/hoi-thao-201cthi-truong-ban-le-viet-nam-co-hoi-va-thach-thuc201d
3 General Statistics Office, https://www.gso.gov.vn/default.aspx?tabid=621

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 Retail in Vietnam | Navigating the digital retail landscape

Figure 2: Key statistics on Vietnam’s retail sector

USD 142 billion

Retail sales in 2018, the 10.97%
highest ever recorded4 CAGR of retail sales
from 2013-20185

#1
The fastest-growing #2
market for Rank of the consumer
convenience stores in and retail sector in terms
Asia by 20216 of mergers and
acquisitions (M&A) deal
value in Vietnam for the
2016-2017 period7
#3
Rank of the retail sector in
terms of total investment USD 15 billion
inflows in 20188 Estimated size of e-commerce
market in 2025, second only
to Indonesia in the Southeast
Asia region9

4 General Statistics Office, https://www.gso.gov.vn/default.aspx?tabid=621&ItemID=19037

5 Deloitte analysis
6 IGD Research, https://www.igd.com/about-us/media/press-releases/press-release/t/igd-vietnam-tipped-to-be-asias-fastest-growing-
convenience-market/i/16565
7 M&A Vietnam Forum Report 2017
8 Foreign Investment Agency, Ministry of Planning and Investment, http://fia.mpi.gov.vn/tinbai/6110/Tinh-hinh-thu-hut-Dau-tu-nuoc-ngoai-
nam-2018
9 Google Temasek’s E-conomy SEA 2018, https://www.thinkwithgoogle.com/intl/en-apac/tools-research/research-studies/e-conomy-sea-
2018-southeast-asias-internet-economy-hits-inflection-point/

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Retail in Vietnam | Navigating the digital retail landscape

Figure 3: List of some retailers in Vietnam’s market

No. Name of retail owner/store Country First Number Operation format Note
of origin outlet in of stores
Vietnam (updated on
Jan 2019)
1.PHYSICAL STORE
1.1 Domestic players
1. BiBoMart Vietnam 2006 140 Baby&Mom Specialty Store
2. FPT Retail FPT Shop Vietnam 2012 473 Electronics Specialty Store
Studio by FPT Vietnam 2012 13 Authorised Apple Products
chain Store
3. Hapro Hapro Mart Vietnam 2006 6 Supermarket
Hapro Food 2004 4 Grocery Store
4. Home Center Vietnam 2006 14 Home appliance,
Electronics Specialty Store
5. Intimex Vietnam 2001 10 Supermarket
6. Kid’s Plaza Vietnam 2009 91 Baby&Mom Specialty Store
7. Media Mart Vietnam 2008 95 Home appliance,
Electronics Specialty Store
8. Nguyen Kim Vietnam 1992 64 Home appliance, In 2015, Central Group
Electronics Specialty Store purchased 49% stake
of Nguyen Kim
9. Pico Vietnam 2007 23 Home appliance,
Electronics Specialty Store
10. Saigon Co.Op Co.Op Smile Vietnam 2016 41 Convenience Store
Co.Op Food Vietnam 2008 233 Grocery Store
Co.Op Mart Vietnam 1996 102 Supermarket
Co.OpXtra Vietnam 2013 3 Supermarket
Co.OpXtra Plus Vietnam 2013 2 Hypermarket
11. Satra SatraMart Vietnam 2013 3 Supermarket
Satra Food 2011 182 Grocery Store
12. Thegioididong Thegioididong. Vietnam 2004 1,058 Electronics Specialty Store In early 2018,
(Mobile World) com Store Thegioididong
completed the
acquisition of
electronics retailer Tran
Anh Digital
Bach Hoa Vietnam 2015 384 Grocery Store
Xanh
Dien May Xanh Vietnam 2010 724 Home Appliance Specialty
Store

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 Retail in Vietnam | Navigating the digital retail landscape

No. Name of retail owner/store Country First Number Operation format Note
of origin outlet in of stores
Vietnam (updated on
Jan 2019)
13. Vingroup VinMart Vietnam 2014 67 Supermarket In 2017, Vinroup’s retail
VinMart+ Vietnam 2014 1,700 Convenience Store arm, Vincom Retail JSC.
raised US$ 740 million
VinPro Vietnam 2015 36 Electronics Specialty Store
in its IPO10.
VinCom Vietnam 2004 46 Shopping Mall (4 Vincom
Center, 3 Vincom Mega
In 2018, Vingroup
Mall, 30 Vincom Plaza and
acquired supermarket
9 Vincom+)
chain FiviMart and
electronics store chain
Vien Thong A.
1.2 Foreign players
14. 7- Eleven Japan 2017 24 Convenience Store Vietnam’s first 7-Eleven
store was opened in Ho
Chi Minh City in 2017.
15. AEON AEON Mall Japan 2013 4 Shopping Mall In 2019, AEON Mall
will open the fifth mall
in Ha Dong district,
Ha Noi Aeonmall Hai
Phong will go into
operation in 2020.
Mini Stop Japan 2011 115 Convenience Store
AEON Citimart Vietnam- 1994 26 Supermarket Since AEON purchased
Japan 49% stake of Citimart
in 2014, Citimart has
been renamed AEON-
Citimart
16. Auchan France 2016 20 Supermarket
17. Big C France 1998 36 Supermarket In 2015, Central Group
(Thailand) purchased
Big C Vietnam with the
deal value of US$ 1.05
billion
18. B’s Mart Thailand 2013 168 Convenience Store
19. Circle K US 2008 300 Convenience Store
20. E-Mart Korea 2016 1 Hypermarket

10 “Vietnam: Vincom Retail raises $740m from GIC, Templeton, HSBC, others in IPO”. DealStreetAsia. 7 November, 2017.

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Retail in Vietnam | Navigating the digital retail landscape

No. Name of retail owner/store Country First Number Operation format Note
of origin outlet in of stores
Vietnam (updated on
Jan 2019)
21. Fuji Mart Japan 2018 1 Supermarket FujiMart Vietnam
stores are operated
by Fujimart Vietnam
Retail - a joint venture
between Sumitomo
and local real estate
conglomerate BRG
Group
22. GS25 South 2018 5 Convenience Store GS25 Vietnam is a
Korea joint venture between
Korea’s GS Retail and
Vietnam’s Son Kim
Group
23. Guardian Singapore 2011 79 Health & Beauty Specialty
(owned by Store
Dairy Farm)
24. Lotte Lotte Mart Korea 2008 14 Supermarket
Lotte Hanoi Korea 2014 1 Department Store
Department
Store
Lotte Duty Korea 2017 2 Duty-free store The duty-free stores
Free are opened at Da
Nang and Nha Trang
International Airport
25. MM Mega Thailand 2002 19 Supermarket After being acquired by
Market TCC Group (Thailand)
in 2016, METRO Cash
& Carry Vietnam was
renamed MM Mega
Market
26. Parkson Malaysia 2005 6 Department Store
27. Robins Thailand 2014 2 Department Store
28. Shop&Go Singapore 2005 95 Convenience Store
29. Takashimaya Japan 2017 1 Department Store
30. Watson Hong 2019 1 Health & Beauty Store
Kong

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 Retail in Vietnam | Navigating the digital retail landscape

No. Name of retail owner/store Country First Number Operation format Note
of origin outlet in of stores
Vietnam (updated on
Jan 2019)
2. ONLINE STORE
2.1 Domestic players
31. Adayroi Vietnam 2015 B2C E-commerce site of
VinGroup
32. ChoTot.com Vietnam 2012 C2C
33. Thegioididong. Vietnam 2004 B2C E-commerce sites of
com Thegioididong
Bach Hoa
Xanh.com
Dienmayxanh.
com
34. Shopee.vn Vietnam 2016 C2C
35. Sendo.vn Vietnam 2012 C2C E-commerce site of FPT
36. Tiki.vn Vietnam 2010 B2B2C In 2016, VNG
Corporation purchased
38% stake in Tiki11
2.2 Foreign players
37. AeonEshop. Japan 2017 B2C
com
38. Lazada.vn Germany 2012 B2B2C Lazada Vietnam is part
of Lazada Group. In
2016, Allibaba acquired
controlling stake of
South East Asia’s
Lazada12
39. Lotte.vn Korea 2016 B2C
40. Robins.vn Thailand 2017 B2B2C Zalora merged with
(formerly Central-owned fashion
known as brand Robins to
Zalora) become Robins.vn13

Note: The list is in alphabetical order for each category, not necessarily reflecting the business scale/importance
B2C = Business to Customer Model; C2C = Customer to Customer Model; B2B2C = Business to Business to Consumer Model

Source: Compiled from the companies’ websites, companies’ annual reports, public sources (as of January, 2019)

11 “Vietnam’s VNG buys 38% stake in ecommerce platform Tiki for $17m”. TechinAsia. 17 May, 2016. https://www.techinasia.com/vietnams-
vng-buys-stake-in-ecommerce-platform-tiki
12 “Alibaba buys control of Lazada in $1 billion bet on SE Asia ecommerce”. Reuters. 12 April, 2016. https://www.reuters.com/article/us-
lazada-m-a-alibaba/alibaba-buys-control-of-lazada-in-1-billion-bet-on-se-asia-ecommerce-idUSKCN0X90HT
13 “Zalora Vietnam becomes Robin.vn”. Vietnam Economic Times. 17 May, 2017. http://vneconomictimes.com/article/business/zalora-
vietnam-becomes-robin-vn

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Retail in Vietnam | Navigating the digital retail landscape

Investment trends
To promote the growth of Vietnam’s retail sector, the government has introduced a number of new regulations to
attract investments and enhance the linkages between local enterprises and global markets (see Figure 4).

Figure 4: Timeline of regulations

Decree 09/2018/ND-CP on
the Law on Commerce and
New Law on the Law on Foreign Trade
Investment Management was issued to
introduced to Decision No. incorporate several
increase the ease 1563/QD-TTg was favourable changes for
of doing business made to approve retailers establishing or
in Vietnam by the e-commerce expanding their businesses
relaxing certain development plan in areas pertaining to the
rules for foreign for the 2016-2020 trading of goods by foreign
investors period investors and enterprises

2014 2016 2018

2015 2017
As part of its 54 out of 63
commitment to the provinces issued
World Trade their specific
Organisation, Vietnam e-commerce
officially allowed foreign development
retailers to establish plans for the
100% owned businesses 2016-2020 period

Decision No.
1513/QD-TTg was made
to approve the scheme
promoting Vietnamese
enterprises’ direct
participation in foreign
distribution systems
until 2020

As a result of the favourable investment climate, both local and foreign retailers have been scaling up their
operations in Vietnam through the adoption of various expansion strategies, including M&A, franchising, and
other partnership models. Local player Vingroup, for example, has been acquiring smaller competitors – including
Fivimart and Vien Thong A, in addition to its earlier acquisitions of Ocean Mart, MaxiMark, and Vinatexmart – in a
bid to grow its retail revenues, which are expected to contribute up to 50% of the conglomerate’s total revenues,
up from its current 20%14.

At the same time, foreign investors have also successfully secured a number of M&A deals to further their
expansion plans in the market. Several high-profile transactions include the purchase of a 49% stake in Nguyen
Kim and acquisition of Big C Vietnam by Central Group15; acquisition of METRO Cash & Carry Vietnam by TCC
Group16; and purchase of a 20% stake in Bibo Mart by ACA Investments17.

14 “Vingroup to focus on its retail business”. BDG Vietnam. 9 August 2016. http://bdg-vietnam.com/en/about/news/details/items/vingroup-to-
focus-on-its-retail-business/
15 “Thailand's Central Group wins Vietnam's Big C for $1bn”. Nikkei Asian Review. 29 April 2016. https://asia.nikkei.com/Business/Thailand-s-
Central-Group-wins-Vietnam-s-Big-C-for-1bn
16 “Thailand’s TCC Holding acquires METRO Cash & Carry’s Vietnamese ops for $711m”. DealStreetAsia. 7 January 2016. https://www.
dealstreetasia.com/stories/thailands-tcc-holding-steps-in-acquiring-metro-vietnam-cash-carry-26128/
17 “ACA Investments takes 20% stake in Vietnamese baby product retailer Bibomart”. DealStreetAsia. 29 May 2017. https://www.
dealstreetasia.com/stories/aca-investments-takes-20-vietnamese-baby-product-retailer-bibomart-73612/

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 Retail in Vietnam | Navigating the digital retail landscape

Consumption trends
Vietnam’s retail sector is benefiting from the rise of the fastest-growing middle class in Southeast Asia – its middle
class population is expected to reach 33 million by 2020, up from 12 million in 201218 – whose growing affluence is
driving increasing expenditures.

At the same time, it also possesses a relatively young population, with 40% of its population below the age of
2419. With their greater propensity for digital technology, many of these younger consumers are driving the rapid
expansion of Vietnam’s e-commerce market, as they spend more time shopping on their digital devices than in
physical stores.

Ranked 6th globally in terms of revenue in 201820, Vietnam’s e-commerce market is well-poised to witness further
growth. Currently, online Business-to-Consumer (B2C) sales account for a modest 3.6% of total retail sales
nationwide21. This figure, however, is expected to soar to 5% in 2020, with a total value of USD 10 billion (see Figure
5)22.

Notably, Consumer-to-Consumer (C2C) or social commerce channels, are also becoming increasingly popular.
Typically hosted on social media platforms such as Facebook, Instagram, and Zalo, these platforms offer
buyers the ability to interact directly with their sellers, and to share information, such as photos, reviews or
recommendations with one another in real-time.

Figure 5: Online B2C sales in Vietnam

12 6%

5.0%

8 3.6% 4%

3.0%
2.8%
10
2.1%
1.8%
4 2%
6.2
5
4.07
0.7% 2.97
2.2

0 0.7 0%
2012 2013 2014 2015 2016 2017 2020*
Online B2C sales, USD billion % of total retail sales

18 “ASEAN Connected”. HSBC. https://www.business.hsbc.com.au/-/media/library/markets-selective/australia/pdf/campaign-asean-asean-

connected-final-report.pdf
19 “The World Factbook”. Central Intelligence Agency. https://www.cia.gov/library/publications/the-world-factbook/fields/2010.html
20 “Vietnam ranks sixth globally in ecommerce revenue in 2018: report”. TuoitreNews. 20 January 2019. https://tuoitrenews.vn/news/
business/20190120/vietnam-ranks-sixth-globally-in-ecommerce-revenue-in-2018-report/48620.html
21 E-commerce Vietnam White book 2018, MoIT, http://www.idea.gov.vn/?page=document
22 E-commerce Vietnam White book 2018, MoIT, http://www.idea.gov.vn/?page=document

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Retail in Vietnam | Navigating the digital retail landscape

Underpinning this rapid e-commerce growth are the Vietnamese consumer’s robust spending behaviours. In 2018,
the average annual spending for an online shopper in Vietnam was USD 350, nearly double the figure of USD 186 in
201723. In addition, online conversion rates, broadly defined as the proportion of visits to online websites that have
been converted to sales, are high in Vietnam. According to one survey, Vietnam posted the highest conversion
rates amongst six Southeast Asia markets, with a conversion rate that was 30% higher than the regional average24
(see Figure 6).

Furthermore, the Vietnamese consumer is becoming accustomed to online payment solutions. Currently, 50% of
all e-commerce expenditures are processed through card payments25, and the uptake of new cashless methods is
expected to accelerate: estimates suggest that e-wallet payments will make up 28% of the total e-commerce sales
in Vietnam in 201926.

Figure 6: Online conversion index across six markets in Southeast Asia

Vietnam 1.3

Indonesia 1.1

Singapore 1.1

Malaysia 0.9

Thailand 0.8

The Philippines 0.8

0 0.5 1 1.5

Note: The online conversion index represents a market’s performance relative to the overall average conversion rate across all six markets,
which has been assigned a reference value of 1.

23 E-commerce Vietnam White book 2018, MoIT, http://www.idea.gov.vn/?page=document

24 “State of eCommerce in Southeast Asia 2017”. iPrice. https://iprice.ph/insights/stateofecommerce2017/
25 “Vietnamese increasingly prefer electronic payments”. Vietnam Economic Times. 5 April 2017. http://vneconomictimes.com/article/
banking-finance/vietnamese-increasingly-prefer-electronic-payments
26 Statista. https://www.statista.com/outlook/243/127/ecommerce/vietnam#market-age

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 Retail in Vietnam | Navigating the digital retail landscape

The new retail landscape

In Vietnam, the retail landscape continues to be dominated by Traditional Trade channels, such as street shops,
which are a vital part of the community and everyday life, especially in rural areas, where they account for 90%
of the market. Even in urban areas, where Modern Trade channels, these channels continue to account for a
significant 50% of the market27 (see Figure 7).

Figure 7: Market share of different purchasing channels in rural and urban areas

2%
2% 2%
6% Medium-sized street shops 5%
11%
5%
Small street shops
32% Wet markets 15%
14% Specialty stores
Urban Rural
areas Hypermarkets & supermarkets areas
65%
9% Minimarts, convenience stores
Online
9% 23% Others

27 Kantar Worldpanel FMCG Report, Nov 2018. https://www.kantarworldpanel.com/vn/news/FMCG-Monitor-November-2018#download

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Retail in Vietnam | Navigating the digital retail landscape

However, in recent years, there has been an explosion Figure 8: Geographical breakdown of total retail
in the number of Modern Trade channels across sales in Vietnam
Vietnam, with a variety of players offering different
retail formats. This phenomenon is especially
pronounced in the two key cities of Ho Chi Minh City
HCM City
and Hanoi, which account for the majority of total retail 22%
Hanoi
sales at 22% and 11% respectively. They are followed
by three dynamic cities with large industrial parks – Dong Nai
Binh Duong, Dong Nai and Hai Phong – which together 57% Binh Duong
11%
account for nearly 10% (see Figure 8)28.
Hai Phong
4% Other cities/
4% provinces
2%

The rise of Modern Trade

With the rise of Modern Trade retail formats in Vietnam, some of the most notable recent developments can be
found in commercial centres, convenience stores, as well as digital platforms. Ho Chi Minh City, in particular, has
emerged as a particular area of focus for many retail players in Vietnam. For instance, it has experienced a surge
in the number of supermarkets in recent years, and now accounts for nearly one-fifth of the total number of
supermarkets nationwide (see Figure 9)29. It also accounts for the most number of commercial centres, with nearly
two times as many outlets as Hanoi (see Figure 10)30.

Figure 9: Number of supermarkets in Hanoi and Figure 10: Number of commercial centres in
Ho Chi Minh City Hanoi and Ho Chi Minh City
43
40
37
207
193 33
179 31
173
137 24
124 124 22 22
103 19
16

2014 2015 2016 2017 2013 2014 2015 2016 2017

Hanoi Ho Chi Minh City Hanoi Ho Chi Minh City

28 General Statistics Office

29 General Statistics Office
30 General Statistics Office

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 Retail in Vietnam | Navigating the digital retail landscape

Commercial centres
Currently, there are nearly 200 commercial centres operated by both domestic and foreign players across
Vietnam31. Typically, these commercial centres accommodate a variety of different facilities, including
entertainment and shopping options, with major players in this space including conglomerates such as AEON,
Lotte, and Vingroup. In particular Vingroup’s retail arm, Vincom, accounts for 60% of the market share in terms of
retail floor operations for the two major cities of Hanoi and Ho Chi Minh City, covering nearly 1.2 million square
metres of gross retail area32.

Competition heats up for commercial centres

Commercial centres are sprouting across all the major cities in Vietnam as retail players jostle for market
share. Local player Vingroup, for instance, has embarked on an aggressive expansion strategy, increasing
its number of commercial centres from 5 to 4933 as it advances towards its eventual goal of 200 commercial
centres34.

Foreign players, too, have demonstrated their growth ambitions. Japanese player, AEON, recently kicked
off the construction of its sixth commercial centre, AEON Hai Phong, which is expected to be ready in early
2019. Having opened its first commercial centre in Vietnam in 2015, AEON now aims to increase its portfolio
to 20 outlets nationwide35.

To begin its foray into Vietnam, South Korean player Lotte has also invested USD 400 million in the
construction of its first commercial centre, the 65-storey Lotte Centre Hanoi36. Lotte is also in the process of
building its second mall in the West Lake area, which it aims to complete by 202037.

As the retail market becomes increasingly saturated, however, the competition is intensifying. For instance,
in a bid to avoid the fierce competition with the other retail giants in Ho Chi Minh City, Saigon Co.op is aiming
to target the Southwest provinces, where there remains a shortage of quality entertainment facilities, with
plans to develop one to two Sense City centres per year38.

The recent closure of Parkson’s department store outlets in Hanoi is also another evidence of the overall
pressure that is mounting in the market. After opening its first outlet in Vietnam in June 2005, and expanding
to 9 retail properties across Da Nang, Hai Phong, Hanoi, and Ho Chi Minh City, Parkson has recorded
continued losses since 201439. This can be partly attributed to the growth of commercial centres, which
offer a greater variety of options than department stores. In a similar vein, several other department stores,
including Pico Sai Gon and Zen Plaza, have also closed or curtailed their scope of operations40.

31 General Statistics Office

32 “Vincom Retail tops $3bn market cap in stock debut”. Nikkei Asian Review. 8 November 2017. https://asia.nikkei.com/Business/Markets/
Stocks/Vincom-Retail-tops-3bn-market-cap-in-stock-debut2
33 “Vincom”. December 2018. http://vincom.com.vn
34 “Vincom Retail: Dac dia, dac thi phan”. Nhipcaudautu. 7 February 2018. http://nhipcaudautu.vn/bat-dong-san/vincom-retail-dac-dia-dac-
thi-phan-3322522
35 “Japanese retailers rush to open more shops in Vietnam”. VietnamNet. 12 April 2018. http://english.vietnamnet.vn/fms/business/198595/
japanese-retailers-rush-to-open-more-shops-in-vietnam.html
36 “Korea’s Lotte expands Vietnam real estate business footprint via M&As”. DealStreetAsia. 24 October 2016. https://www.dealstreetasia.
com/stories/s-koreas-lotte-strengthens-real-estate-business-in-vietnam-via-acquisitions-56242
37 “Lotte plans second Hanoi mall”. Insider Retail Asia. 1 March 2017. https://insideretail.asia/2017/03/01/lotte-plans-second-hanoi-mall
38 “Saigon Co.op da dang hoa mo hinh ban le hien dai”. Saigon Co.op. http://www.saigonco-op.com.vn/tintucsukien/saigon-coop-da-dang-
hoa-mo-hinh-ban-le-hien-dai_1212.html
39 “Parkson Holdings to expand in new malls, pull out from less popular ones”. The Star Online. 12 March 2018. https://www.thestar.com.my/
business/business-news/2018/03/12/parksons-plan
40 “Kinh doanh trung tam thuong mai”. Vietnam Finance. 26 November 2016. http://vietnamfinance.vn/kinh-doanh-trung-tam-thuong-mai-
nhin-tu-cai-chet-cua-parkson-viet-tower-20161121040730122.htm

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Retail in Vietnam | Navigating the digital retail landscape

Convenience stores
Convenience stores are becoming strong and direct competitors of many Traditional Trade channels, such as mom
and pop stores, as they offer consumers close proximity and greater convenience.

Across Vietnam, the number of convenience stores have quadrupled since 2012, and minimarkets accounted for
the most number of store openings in the first nine months of 201841. The attractiveness of convenience stores
have not only captured the attention of local players, but also foreign players, with convenience stores emerging as
the preferred retail format for many foreign retail investors (see Figure 11).

Figure 11: Domestic and Foreign market share across different retail formats42

Covenience Store 70% 30%

Online stores 50% 50%

Commercial centres and

supermarkets 17% 83%

Mini-marts 15% 85%

Foreign Domestic

41 “Nielsen Shopper Trends 2018”. Nielsen. https://www.nielsen.com/content/dam/nielsenglobal/vn/docs/Reports/2018/Nielsen-Shopper-

Trend-EN.pdf
42 Ministry of Industry and Trade

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 Retail in Vietnam | Navigating the digital retail landscape

The battle for convenience stores

According to estimates, Vietnam’s growth in convenience stores is expected to outperform many of its
neighbouring economies, with a CAGR of 37.4% from 2017-202143 (see Figure 12).

Currently, Vietnam possesses a relatively low concentration of convenience stores: while convenience stores
typically represent about 20% of the market in other economies, the figure in Vietnam is less than 10%44.
Its ratio of convenience stores to residents is also lower, at one store for every 54,400 residents. This is in
contrast to markets such as South Korea, where the figure is one for every 2,100 residents, and China, where
the figure is one for every 24,900 residents45.

This opportunity for growth has not escaped the attention of domestic and foreign retailers alike. Vingroup,
for instance, has plans to open 4,000 convenience stores by 202046, while Saigon Co.op has acquired existing
networks of small grocery stores, mostly in rural areas, to expand its market presence47. At the same time,
retail giant 7-Eleven aims to increase its number of stores to 1,000 within 10 years, while South Korea’s GS25
embarks on an endeavour to open 2,500 stores in the next 10 years48.

Figure 12: CAGR of retail sales for convenience stores for 2017-2021

37.4%

24.2%

15.8%
10.5% 10.3%
7.1% 6.6% 5.5%

Vietnam The Philippines Indonesia Malaysia India China Thailand Japan

43 IGD Research, https://www.igd.com/about-us/media/press-releases/press-release/t/igd-vietnam-tipped-to-be-asias-fastest-growing-

convenience-market/i/16565
44 “Mini-marts boom as Vietnam's shoppers shift spending patterns”. Reuters. 14 October 2015. https://www.reuters.com/article/vietnam-
retail/mini-marts-boom-as-vietnams-shoppers-shift-spending-patterns-idUSL3N11Y2IH20151014?feedType=RSS&feedName=financialsSe
ctor
45 “Vietnam Retail Sector 2017”. Savills. http://pdf.savills.asia/asia-pacific-research/vietnam-research/spotlight/spotlight-vietnamretail-
evolution-vi-0911.pdf
46 “Vinmart & Vinmart+ se co 200 sieu thi va 4000 cua hang vao nam 2020”. Vingroup. 16 January 2018. http://vingroup.net/vi-vn/tin-tuc-su-
kien/tin-tuc-hoat-dong/banle/vinmartvinmart-se-co-200-sieu-thi-va-4000-cua-hang-vao-nam-2020-3154.aspx
47 “Saigon Co.op nhay vao kenh ban le truyen thong bien cua hang tap hoa thanh dai ly hien dai”. Tapchibanle. 16 March 2017. http://
tapchibanle.org/2017/03/saigon-co-op-nhay-vao-kenh-ban-le-truyen-thong-bien-cua-hang-tap-hoa-thanh-dai-ly-hien-dai/
48 “Cuoc chien cua hang tien loi”. VnExpress. 21 May 2018. https://kinhdoanh.vnexpress.net/tin-tuc/doanh-nghiep/cuoc-chien-cua-hang-tien-
loi-3676214.html

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Retail in Vietnam | Navigating the digital retail landscape

Digital platforms
Amidst the proliferation of physical channels, digital platforms are also emerging in the retail market, with players
such as Adayroi, Lazada, Shopee, and Tiki leading the pack. The growth potential of Vietnam’s digital retail market
has also captured the attention of several e-commerce giants, with Amazon launching an initiative with the
Vietnam e-Commerce Association to provide e-commerce services to a group of 140 local businesses49.

Tiki moves from B2C to B2B2C50

Founded in 2010 as a web-based book retail business, Tiki has since expanded its offerings to a wider range
of products, including home appliances, electronics products, and health care products.

Earlier in March 2017, Tiki announced that it would be transforming its business model from a B2C platform
to a Business-to-Business-to-Consumer (B2B2C) platform. This strategic shift appeared to be well-received
by investors: following a USD 50 million investment from JD.com at the end of 201751, Tiki received another
USD 10 million from STIC Investments in early 201852.

The demand for digital experiences

As Vietnamese consumers become increasingly sophisticated, they are constantly on the lookout for new
products and experiences. In response, retailers are offering several different concepts that integrate offline
shopping experiences with digital experiences to cater to this demand.

Zalora, for instance, introduced the “click-and-mortar” format that aims to combines its offline and online
shopping experiences53. Under this format, consumers can visit a physical store to try on products, make
purchases on computer terminals located in the showrooms, and wait for their products to be delivered
to them. Another retailer, Toromart, also opened its first “checkout-free” store in Ho Chi Minh City, where
consumers only need to scan a QR code on their e-wallet app to pay for products54.

49 “Amazon is entering Vietnam”. Business Insider. 13 March 2018. https://www.businessinsider.com/amazon-to-enter-vietnam-2018-3

50 “Startup Tiki có quá tham vọng khi chuyển mô hình kinh doanh?”. Baodautu. 14 March 2017. https://baodautu.vn/startup-tiki-co-qua-
tham-vong-khi-chuyen-mo-hinh-kinh-doanh-d60147.html
51 “Chinese e-commerce firm JD.com pours $44 million in Tiki.vn”. Vietnam Investment Review. 16 November 2017. https://www.vir.com.vn/
chinese-e-commerce-firm-jdcom-pours-44-million-in-tikivn-53877.html
52 “Investors pour millions of dollars into Vietnamese e-commerce”. Vietnam Investment Review. 4 December 2017. https://www.vir.com.vn/
investors-pour-millions-of-dollars-into-vietnamese-e-commerce-54348.html
53 “Vietnam makes strides in buying into online shopping”. Channel NewsAsia. 12 March 2017. https://www.channelnewsasia.com/news/asia/
vietnam-makes-strides-in-buying-into-online-shopping-8280752
54 “First cashier free convenience store appears in Ho Chi Minh City”. The Saigon Times. 28 July 2017. http://english.thesaigontimes.
vn/57209/First-cashier-free-convenience-store-appears-in-HCMC.html

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Retail in Vietnam | Navigating the digital retail landscape

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Retail in Vietnam | Navigating the digital retail landscape

Deloitte’s retail survey

Methodology
In late 2018, Deloitte conducted a retail survey to uncover some of the latest consumption patterns in Vietnam,
including consumer preferences for the different purchasing channels across several key consumer product
categories, and some of the consumer’s digital behaviours and attitudes towards online shopping. Using a
combination of online and offline questionnaires, the survey covered 700 households in the two key cities of Hanoi
and Ho Chi Minh City, which are currently the focus of many domestic and foreign retail players, given their rapid
uptake of Modern Trade channels and e-commerce.

Demographics of survey respondents

Geographical distribution Age distribution

2%
19% Hanoi 10% 14% 22 or below

5% Da Nang 23-25

Ho Chi Minh City 36-50

76% 74%
Above 50

Monthly household income distribution

Less than VND 10 million 36%

VND 10-30 million 42%

> VND 30-50 million 11%

> VND 50-80 million 5%

Above VND 80 million 6%

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 Retail in Vietnam | Navigating the digital retail landscape

1. Purchasing channels
Clothing, footwear and personal accessories
The entry and expansion of international fast-fashion brands in Vietnam has contributed to a vibrant retail scene,
and an increasing preference for Modern Trade channels, such as commercial centres, for the purchase of clothing,
footwear and personal accessories. Online retail channels, most of whom offer delivery services, are also rising in
popularity amongst survey respondents (see Figure 13).

Figure 13: Preference for different purchasing channels for clothing, footwear and personal accessories

Commercial centres
and supermarkets 53%

Independent stores 51%

on street

Online 39%

Tradtitional markets 17%

Custom-made 15%

Source: Deloitte’s retail survey (2018)

Cosmetics and personal hygiene products

With the rise of middle-class consumers in Vietnam, there has been an increasing demand for cosmetics and
personal hygiene products, including skincare and makeup products. Although survey respondents typically visit
supermarkets to make these purchases, they are also increasingly moving towards online channels (see Figure 14).
In response, many companies are deploying social media marketing campaigns to appeal to these consumers.

Figure 14: Preference for different purchasing channels for cosmetics and personal hygiene products

Supermarkets 66%

Online 33%

Independent stores 26%

Other 3%

Source: Deloitte’s retail survey (2018)

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Retail in Vietnam | Navigating the digital retail landscape

Electronics products
Electronics chain stores are the overall preferred channel for the purchase of electronics products by survey
respondents (see Figure 15). For these products, consumers may also adopt “showrooming” purchase behaviours,
where they browse or try items in physical stores, but ultimately make the purchase online to benefit from
promotional deals. Alternatively, they may also adopt “webrooming” purchasing behaviours, where they browse
products online, but make the purchase in a physical store.

Electronics chain stores venture beyond their core business

Across Vietnam, electronics chain stores are embarking on expansion strategies. For instance, market leader
Mobile World, with 950 outlets across 63 provinces, recently acquired Tran Anh Digital to expand its network
of stores55. Following its merger with Central Group, Nguyen Kim is also expanding its operations through a
partnership with supermarket chain Big C56.

Their expansion, however, is not limited to their core businesses. Indeed, Mobile World and FPT Retail have
begun to venture beyond their traditional businesses and into pharmacy retail chains. In 2017, Mobile World
purchased a 40% stake in the pharmacy chain, Phuc An Khang57, while FPT Retail acquired the pharmacy
chain, Long Chau, with expectations that its pharmaceutical business will make up 40% of its total revenue
within the next 3-4 years58.

Figure 15: Preference for different purchasing channels for electronics products

Electronics Chain Stores 57%

Supermarkets 51%

Online 18%

Independent stores 14%

Source: Deloitte’s retail survey (2018)

55 “Mobile World completes acquisition of Tran Anh Digital”. Vietnam News. 4 January 2018. http://bizhub.vn/markets/mobile-world-
completes-acquisition-of-tran-anh-digital_291155.html
56 “Nguyễn Kim dồn dập mở cửa hàng điện máy tại Big C”. VnExpress. 8 December 2016. https://vnexpress.net/kinh-doanh/nguyen-kim-don-
dap-mo-cua-hang-dien-may-tai-big-c-3510582.html
57 “Mobile World officially acquires Phuc An Khang Pharmacy”. Vietnam Investment Review. 19 December 2017. https://www.vir.com.vn/
mobile-world-officially-acquires-phuc-an-khang-pharmacy-54848.html
58 “FPT Retail was quoted at 220 USD million having a big expectation for Apple products”. FRT Retail. http://frt.vn/en/company-infomation/
fpt-retail-was-quoted-at-220-usd-million-having-a-big-expectation-for-apple-products-2/

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 Retail in Vietnam | Navigating the digital retail landscape

Food and beverages

For the majority of survey respondents, supermarkets and wet markets are the preferred purchasing channels for
food and beverages, closely followed by convenience stores (see Figure 16). Nevertheless, Traditional Trade outlets,
such as street stores, remain familiar places to shop, even as online channels gain popularity, especially with the
rise of mobile applications, such as Foody and Lozi.

Figure 16: Preference for different purchasing channels for food and beverages

Supermarkets 67%

Wet markets 55%

Convenience stores 54%

Street stores/ small 49%

grocery stores

Online 19%

Source: Deloitte’s retail survey (2018)

Wet markets dominate for fresh food

Across Vietnam, wet markets – which are typically concentrated in rural areas, and scattered across urban
cities – continue to dominate the market for fresh food, even with the proliferation of commercial centres
and supermarkets (see Figure 17). This preference, however, seems set to change as convenience stores
continue to increase in popularity59.

Figure 17: Number of commercial centres, supermarkets, and wet markets in Vietnam60

Number of commercial centers Number of supermarkets Number of wet markets

2020 *
337 2020* 1300
2017 8580
2017 188 2017 958

2016 869 2016 8513

170 2016
2015 162 812 2015 8660
2015
2014 139 2014 762 2014 8568

2013 130 2013 724 2013 8546

0 100 200 300 400 0 500 1000 1500 8400 8500 8600 8700

59 “Sieu thi mini va cua hang tien loi gia tang thi phan ban le”. Vietnambiz. 12 February 2018. https://vietnambiz.vn/sieu-thi-mini-va-cua-hang-
tien-loi-gia-tang-thi-phan-ban-le-45897.html
60 General Statistics Office

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Retail in Vietnam | Navigating the digital retail landscape

Home appliances
Supermarkets and electronics chain stores are the survey respondents’ most popular purchasing channels for
home appliances (see Figure 18). Competition in this product category appears to be intensifying, as evidenced by
the recent closure of numerous smaller electronics chain store players.

Figure 18: Preference for different purchasing channels for home appliances

Supermarkets 64%

Chain Stores 37%

Independent stores 29%

Online 26%

Traditional markets 26%

Source: Deloitte’s retail survey (2018)

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 Retail in Vietnam | Navigating the digital retail landscape

2. Digital behaviours
Perceptions of online shopping Figure 19: Familiarity with online shopping
Consumers in Vietnam are accustomed to the use
of digital channels: nearly three-quarters of survey 74%
respondents have indicated familiarity with online
shopping (see Figure 19).

In general, survey respondents perceived online

shopping to be convenient – as it enables them to save
time, and shop from anywhere as long as they have
26%
their phones and Internet access – and felt that online
shopping gives them access to a greater variety of
products (see Figure 20).

However, several concerns remain around delivery time

and product quality. For instance, the need to wait for
Yes No
delivery and difficulties in ascertaining product quality
online are some of the issues that have been raised by Source: Deloitte’s retail survey (2018)
survey respondents.

Figure 20: Perceptions of online shopping

Online shopping
saves me time 3% 6% 27% 32% 32%

Quality of goods
purchased online is 10% 20% 41% 22% 7%
exactly what I expect

I can do online shopping from

anywhere, as long as I have my 5% 9% 20% 31% 36%
phone and internet access
Goods purchased
online are delivered 7% 19% 38% 26% 10%
on time as expected
Online shopping gives me
more choices of products 9% 17% 29% 30% 15%
compared to physical stores

I hate waiting for delivery, I

prefer shopping in stores 10% 14% 42% 18% 16%

1-Strongly disagree 2-Disagree 3-Neutral 4-Agree 5-Strongly agree

Source: Deloitte’s retail survey (2018)

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Retail in Vietnam | Navigating the digital retail landscape

Drivers of online shopping

For the majority of survey respondents, promotional offers are the top driver of online shipping, implying that
price is the top consideration. This is followed by delivery times, as well as the availability of a wider range of
merchandise (see Figure 21).

Figure 21: Drivers of online shopping

Promotional offers 56%

Delivery time 46%

Wide range of merchandise 42%

Convenience 41%

Return and refund policies 25%

Payment security 19%

Others 3%

Source: Deloitte’s retail survey (2018)

In terms of B2C channels, Lazada and Tiki emerged as the most popular platforms amongst survey respondents
(see Figure 22). Nonetheless, we are also witnessing the rise of C2C platforms, as 45% of survey respondents
reported having purchased items on social media channels, such as Facebook and Instagram. Indeed, these
social networks are not only useful for consumers to search for reviews and compare products: for many smaller
businesses, these platforms can be easy and cost-effective ways to increase consumer awareness and drive sales.

Figure 22: Preference for different B2C platforms

Lazada 33%

Tiki 30%

Adayroi 17%

Sendo 6%

Shopee 4%

Source: Deloitte’s retail survey (2018)

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 Retail in Vietnam | Navigating the digital retail landscape

Online payment methods

Even as they do their shopping online, the majority of survey respondents still continue to prefer pay with cash on
delivery (see Figure 23). This was followed by bank transfers, as well as credit cards and debit cards, implying that
several concerns still remain around issues such as payment security.

Figure 23: Preference for different payment methods for online shopping

65%

29% 27%
17%
7%

Cash on delivery Bank transfer Credit card Debit card Mobile wallet

Source: Deloitte’s retail survey (2018)

QR codes take off

By providing a quick and convenient solution for the transfer of money and purchase of items, QR code
payment has quickly taken off through word-of-mouth in Vietnam.

In 2017, VNPay introduced its VNPay QR code mobile application in 2017. Currently, its QR code payment
system is supported by more than 7,000 points of sales61, and plans are in place to roll it out on leading
e-commerce platforms, such as Adayroi, Lazada, Sendo, and Tiki in the coming years62.

61 “QR Code: Tro thu cua thuong mai dien tu”. Nhipcaudautu. 5 January 2018. http://nhipcaudautu.vn/thi-truong/qr-code-tro-thu-cua-thuong-
mai-dien-tu-3321928
62 “Mobile payment the next big thing”. Vietnam Investment Review. 24 March 2018. http://www.vir.com.vn/mobile-payment-the-next-big-
thing-57602.html

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Retail in Vietnam | Navigating the digital retail landscape

Looking ahead

With the rise of e-commerce in Vietnam, companies are exploring different ways to capitalise on this wave of
growth. There remain, however, several strategic considerations that they will need to make when embarking on
this endeavour.

Firstly, companies must keep in mind their goals for sustainable, long-term development even as they pursue
short-term goals. Although there are many untapped opportunities for growth within Vietnam’s e-commerce
space, the competition is intense and enormous amounts of investment is often required to establish the
necessary logistics and infrastructure, and for brand-building activities in the form of marketing and advertising.
The recent high-profile closures of several e-commerce platforms, and the repeated losses of many other players,
is testament to the scale of this challenge.

Secondly, companies will need to consider how they can integrate their physical and digital channels to deliver
a holistic and seamless experience for the consumer. Indeed, several local retail giants in Vietnam have already
begun investing in omni-channel strategies, such as a retail ecosystem that encompasses touchpoints across the
brand’s entire portfolio of retail businesses, including commercial centres, supermarkets, convenience stores, and
e-commerce platforms.

Finally, companies will need to find ways to tap into digital payment ecosystems to see how they can best leverage
network effects and smart payment solutions to provide a differentiated customer experience. At the same time,
they will need to invest in payment and data security, as the lack of secure and safe transactions is one of the key
impediments for online shopping and payment.

Ultimately, the path to success lies in curating experiences to engage and entice consumers by connecting with
them at the right touchpoints, at the right time, and with the right messaging. To respond to the rapidly evolving
consumer preferences and behaviours, companies will need to innovate quickly and respond swiftly when
navigating the digital retail landscape in Vietnam.

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 Retail in Vietnam | Navigating the digital retail landscape

Contact us
Deloitte Vietnam Consumer Team

Nguyen Vu Duc Trinh Bui Van

Partner Partner
nguyenvu@deloitte.com trabui@deloitte.com
+84 24 6288 3568 +84 28 3910 0751

Southeast Asia Consumer practice

Southeast Asia and Singapore

Eugene Ho
eugeneho@deloitte.com
+65 6232 7133

Brunei Myanmar
Daniel Ng Hui Hua Aye Cho
hung@deloitte.com aycho@deloitte.com
+673 222 5880 +65 6800 2255

Cambodia Lao PDR

Kimleng Khoy Choopong Surachutikarn
kkhoy@deloitte.com csurachutikarn@deloitte.com
+855 2396 3788 +66 2676 5700

Guam Philippines
Mike Johnson Melissa Delgado
mikjohnson@deloitte.com medelgado@deloitte.com
+1 671 646 3884 +63 2 581 9000

Indonesia Thailand
Xenia Ubhakti Manoon Manusook
xubhakti@deloitte.com mmanusook@deloitte.com
+62 21 2992 3100 +66 2676 5700

Malaysia Vietnam
Kavita Rekhraj Nguyen Vu Duc
krekhraj@deloitte.com nguyenvu@deloitte.com
+60 3 7610 9006 +84 4 6288 3568

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Retail in Vietnam | Navigating the digital retail landscape

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Retail in Vietnam | Navigating the digital retail landscape

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