In addition, the seminar is attended by industry associations and leading enterprises to exchange solutions for Vietnamese goods to maintain domestic market share and enhance competitiveness in the digital era. In particular, the seminar also welcomes the strong participation of journalists and media agencies. The seminar focuses on two major themes.

The first session, titled “Identifying Vietnamese Goods – The Key to Expanding Market Share,” revolves around the question: how can Vietnamese goods be legitimately recognized, protected from counterfeit and imitation products, and enhance credibility in the hearts of consumers?

The second session, under the theme “Positioning Vietnamese Brands in the Digital Space,” will discuss solutions for Vietnamese brands not only to be present but also to make a strong mark on digital platforms, adapting to the global e-commerce trend. Similarly, in the discussion on the digital space, delegates will analyze in greater depth the solutions to help businesses adapt in the new context…

The seminar is not only a forum to hear experiences from businesses and experts but also a place to connect the State – associations – enterprises to find common solutions. From brand identification in the traditional market to brand positioning in the digital space, all are aimed at the common goal: strengthening consumer trust, expanding market share, and affirming the position of Vietnamese goods in the global market. The event is expected to provide practical insights, helping Vietnamese goods overcome challenges, seize opportunities, and make breakthroughs in the digital era.

Speaking at the seminar, Ms. Bùi Thị Hồng Sương, Deputy Editor-in-Chief of Sài Gòn Giải Phóng Newspaper, stated: in recent years, along with the dynamic development of the economy, Vietnam’s domestic market has increasingly affirmed its pillar role. However, alongside opportunities come significant challenges: intensifying competition and rapidly changing consumer habits. Particularly, the explosion of digital technology has created an entirely new “front” – where brands not only appear on traditional store shelves but must also position themselves in the minds of consumers through every click and every online transaction.

For Vietnamese goods, the challenge is not only to maintain market share against the influx of imported products but also to clearly define their identity, build trust, and establish a strong brand presence in the digital space – where shopping behavior changes daily. This is an urgent requirement if we want Vietnamese goods to reach regional and global markets while winning over domestic consumers with intrinsic value and brand credibility.

Arising from this reality, the seminar themed “Market Share Growth – Positioning Vietnamese Brands in the Digital Space” aims to create an official forum where regulatory agencies, industry associations, pioneering enterprises, and experts can come together to share experiences, discuss solutions, and propose practical initiatives to protect and clearly identify Vietnamese brands in a transparent and legitimate manner. At the same time, it seeks to build brand positioning strategies on modern digital platforms; foster close connections among the State – Enterprises – Associations and media, technology organizations, thereby helping Vietnamese goods enhance competitiveness in the era of deep international integration.

“As the leading political–social press agency of the city, Sài Gòn Giải Phóng Newspaper will continue to accompany, honestly reflect the voices of the business community, and serve as a bridge bringing policies closer to practical production and business. We believe that through the seminar, practical initiatives, proposals, and solutions will help remove difficulties and open up new directions for elevating Vietnamese brands,” shared Ms. Bùi Thị Hồng Sương.

Affirming the Identity of Vietnamese Goods in the Digital Space is an Urgent Requirement

Speaking at the seminar, Vice Chairman of the Ho Chi Minh City People’s Committee Nguyễn Văn Dũng stated that in recent years, with a population of over 100 million and increasing purchasing power, Vietnam has been emerging as one of the most attractive markets in Southeast Asia. The domestic retail market is currently estimated at 180 billion USD and is projected to grow to 350 billion USD by the end of 2025. At the same time, the digital space has become a “new frontier” full of potential. According to the E-Economy SEA 2024 report by Google, Temasek, and Bain & Company, Vietnam’s e-commerce reached a scale of 22 billion USD in 2024 and could nearly triple to 63 billion USD by 2030. This presents a great opportunity for Vietnamese goods to reach tens of millions of consumers while expanding their position on the regional map.

However, opportunities always come with challenges. Vietnamese businesses in general, and those in Ho Chi Minh City in particular, are facing fierce competition from international brands with advantages in scale and quality, along with the influx of low-cost goods from many markets. In particular, the increasingly complex situation of intellectual property infringement has reduced the competitive advantage of legitimate enterprises. In this context, protecting brands and affirming the identity of Vietnamese goods in the digital space is no longer an option but an urgent requirement.

Comrade Nguyễn Văn Dũng affirmed: “Ho Chi Minh City is currently the largest economic center of the country with over 500,000 enterprises, accounting for more than 20% of the national GDP. This is the pioneering and core force in the journey to position and elevate the Vietnamese brand. The City’s enterprises have the advantage of dynamism, the ability to quickly adapt to digitalization trends, and are also holding favorable conditions to become the nucleus connecting production, commerce, logistics, and finance in the new development space linked with Bình Dương and Bà Rịa – Vũng Tàu.”

In the context of Ho Chi Minh City entering a new stage of development with the orientation of becoming an international megacity after merging with Bình Dương and Bà Rịa – Vũng Tàu, the development structure of “1 center – 3 driving regions” will significantly increase the City’s economic scale and business community. In this structure, Ho Chi Minh City is the center of finance and high technology; Bình Dương is the hub of advanced industrial production; Bà Rịa – Vũng Tàu is the gateway for international seaport logistics. This complementarity not only expands development space but also forms the largest integrated economic – trade – logistics development triangle in the country.

Therefore, identifying and developing Vietnamese brands has become an urgent task. Only when each Vietnamese enterprise and product can be clearly positioned and gain a reputable brand presence in the digital space will they have enough competitiveness to maintain domestic market share against the wave of imported goods, while also leveraging the momentum of new supply chains to boost exports.

Vice Chairman of Ho Chi Minh City People’s Committee Nguyễn Văn Dũng further affirmed: “Ho Chi Minh City is implementing a comprehensive set of solutions to accompany enterprises. The City focuses on strengthening intellectual property protection, promoting digital transformation in management, distribution, and marketing, building a transparent and sustainable e-commerce ecosystem, while also promoting the leading role of large enterprises to spread strength and support small and medium-sized enterprises. The close connection between the State, associations, and enterprises will be the foundation to build trust, protect brands, expand market share, and affirm the position of Vietnamese goods.”

Vietnamese brands in the “middle zone,” yet to create a gap with cheap Chinese goods

According to Dr. Đinh Thế Hiển and the VFA research group, in the period 2023 - 2025, trade in services and retail in Vietnam continues to grow well, in which retail plays the key role, accounting for more than 77% of total revenue. However, retail sales growth has not met expectations, showing signs of slowing down compared to GDP growth and trade in services, indicating that although the retail sector has great potential, it is also facing many challenges.

Dr. Đinh Thế Hiển analyzed that the total trade in services (TMDV) revenue in Vietnam was recorded at 6,231 trillion VND in 2023, rising to 6,391 trillion VND in 2024 and reaching 4,579 trillion VND in the first 8 months of 2025; meanwhile, retail sales were 4,858 trillion VND in 2023, 4,920 trillion VND in 2024, and 3,495 trillion VND in the first 8 months of 2025.

Increasingly fierce competition from foreign retail corporations such as Aeon, Central Retail, Lotte… along with the strong development of e-commerce platforms has made the market even more cutthroat in terms of price. Meanwhile, rising operating costs, limited supply chains and logistics, rapidly changing consumer behavior with trends toward green consumption and personalization, slow and inconsistent digital transformation within enterprises, persistent issues of counterfeit and fake goods, coupled with policy and legal inadequacies and limitations in brand building, have all caused significant difficulties for Vietnam’s retail sector.

A comparison of growth rates shows that the momentum of trade in services (TMDV) remains stronger than traditional retail: TMDV revenue increased by about 9.6% in 2023, 9.0% in 2024, and about 9.4% in the first 8 months of 2025; while retail sales grew by 8.6% in 2023, 8.3% in 2024, and 8.1% in the first 8 months of 2025. Meanwhile, GDP growth was recorded at 3.84% in 2023, 6.42% in 2024, and 7.52% in the first 8 months of 2025, indicating that retail sales are showing a slower growth trend compared to GDP and total TMDV.

Nevertheless, e-commerce has emerged as a bright spot, with sales accounting for about 10% of total retail revenue, leading in sectors such as fashion and beauty, followed by home appliances, technology, and packaged food. Specifically, e-commerce revenue reached about 492 trillion VND in 2023, increased to 598 trillion VND in 2024, and reached about 202 trillion VND in the first 6 months of 2025. Consumers are tending to spend more on high-value products while demanding richer shopping experiences. Data shows that e-commerce growth is significantly stronger than traditional retail, averaging 20% per year. Notably, imported goods currently account for about 15% of sales and continue to increase.

It is forecast that in the period 2025–2026, the scale of Vietnam’s e-commerce market will reach between USD 32 and 45 billion, with fierce competition among major platforms such as Shopee, Lazada, and the strong breakthrough of TikTok Shop. The trends of livestreaming and shoppertainment (shopping combined with entertainment) are developing rapidly, while the market is also witnessing a clear shift and polarization, with small retailers gradually being squeezed out. In addition, the challenge of managing fraud, counterfeit, and imitation goods remains significant. Chinese e-commerce platforms such as Temu and Shein are increasingly dominant in terms of price, making it difficult for Vietnamese businesses to compete directly, though they still hold advantages thanks to logistics proximity to the market, local products, and cultural similarities.

In terms of branding, Vietnamese enterprises have begun to pay more attention to building brand stories, improving product quality, and creating emotional connections with customers, especially among younger generations such as Gen Z and Millennials. However, a major limitation lies in the lack of strong brands in the mid- and high-end segments, weak international marketing, and the absence of well-structured brand positioning strategies in the digital space.

On the digital space, Vietnamese brands remain at a spontaneous, unprofessional level, mainly focusing on the low- and mid-end segments. Compared with the region, Vietnam is only at an average level, while South Korea excels in content creation and customer experience, China is strong in content, and Thailand is successful in both marketing creativity and customer experience.

In terms of competition and branding, Dr. Đinh Thế Hiển pointed out that although many Vietnamese enterprises have started focusing on building brand stories and improving quality, there is still a lack of strong brands in the mid-to-high-end segments, international marketing remains weak, and brand positioning in the digital space has not been systematically invested; therefore, Vietnamese brands are currently in the “middle ground” compared with cheap Chinese goods and mid-to-high-end regional brands. Thus, to develop sustainable digital brands, Vietnamese enterprises need to upgrade digital tools such as CRM, logistics, and content, while transitioning toward a digital brand model capable of competing regionally and withstanding the pressure from cheap Chinese goods. One of the key solutions is the application of artificial intelligence in the customer journey, from CRM, AI chatbots, loyalty apps to omni-channel CX. This strategy helps increase conversion rates, retain customers, optimize costs, while transforming customer data into personalized experiences, making brands closer, smarter, and more trustworthy in the eyes of consumers.

Ministry of Industry and Trade: building e-commerce platforms, training skills for enterprises, supporting export connections

Speaking at the discussion session, Mr. Nguyễn Thành Nam, Deputy Director General of the Domestic Market Management and Development Authority (Ministry of Industry and Trade), affirmed: “The seminar organized by SGGP Newspaper is professionally in-depth, focused on key issues, and I highly appreciate the content of today’s workshop. To support Vietnamese goods and protect consumer rights, strengthening the campaign for Vietnamese people to prioritize using Vietnamese products is a consistent task. In reality, many domestic enterprises still lack digital skills, customer management, and e-commerce exploitation; infrastructure remains inadequate, while foreign goods, particularly from China, are cheaper and have superior delivery speed.”

In the coming time, the Ministry of Industry and Trade will focus on building e-commerce platforms, training skills for enterprises, and supporting export connections through the system of Trade Counselors, as well as implementing online auction and bidding programs. At the same time, the Ministry will improve institutions, standardize products according to international standards, strengthen traceability, protect consumer rights, and coordinate with major e-commerce platforms to commit to not trading in low-quality goods... This is an important foundation to enhance the competitiveness of Vietnamese products in both domestic and international markets.

The biggest limitation of enterprises today is digital transformation capacity

Mr. Nguyễn Minh Đức, Deputy Secretary General of the Vietnam E-commerce Association, shared that the biggest limitation of enterprises today is their digital transformation capacity. Many businesses expect immediate high results when applying e-commerce. However, such expectations are ineffective, as e-commerce requires long-term investment.

“Each day, a person can spend up to 6 hours online, of which 2 hours are dedicated to watching livestreams. Therefore, building e-commerce with a strategic approach is essential for brand development and sales growth. We must establish multi-channel operations according to the market and continuously adjust e-commerce strategies to meet market demands,” Mr. Nguyễn Minh Đức shared.

Also according to Mr. Nguyễn Minh Đức, in order to develop e-commerce, enterprises must focus on digital management capacity. Businesses should invest in and select young people with product knowledge to engage in e-commerce sales. In addition, it is necessary to enhance and update the warranty system. In the coming time, businesses also need to use AI staff for automatic reminders and debt collection. At the same time, we can leverage AI to replace many resources and expand into cross-border markets…

Mr. Nguyễn Anh Đức, Deputy Director of the Ho Chi Minh City Department of Industry and Trade, Chairman of the Vietnam Retailers Association, stated: “The digital space opens up tremendous opportunities for Vietnamese brands, but it also requires thorough preparation — from brand management and technological capacity to a transparent legal policy system, standardized regulations, and strong support from regulatory agencies. The State, associations, and enterprises must work closely together to turn opportunities into advantages, instead of leaving businesses to struggle in an unbalanced competitive environment. In addition, there should be long-term planning, selecting strategies, fully leveraging resources, and focusing on development in Ho Chi Minh City.”

Serious Investment in Resources and Human Capital is Essential

Mr. Trần Văn Chín, Chairman of Arobid Technology Joint Stock Company, shared his view: We have introduced technological solutions that create multiple growth touchpoints for enterprises. Over the past three years, we have developed an online exhibition platform that helps businesses amplify their brands, services, and products. Most recently, the A80 event connected thousands of businesses. Within this online exhibition framework, enterprises had opportunities to close deals; create dedicated rooms for group meetings by industry sector; and connect with financial institutions to seek financial solutions for their operations.

According to him, enterprises must recognize that participating in e-commerce requires serious investment in resources and human capital. For success, personnel operating on e-commerce platforms must commit to disciplined, long-term, and structured investment.

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Nguồn: Báo Sài Gòn Giải Phóng