Vietnamese consumers shop online for almost everything now, but some categories fly off the digital shelf faster than others. If you want to sell online in Vietnam, it helps to know what people already love to buy, and why. What are the top products Vietnamese buy online, and how do you win in those categories? Here is what the data and the market show for 2026.
Vietnam online shopping in numbers (2025-2026)
- Around 78 million internet users, almost all mobile-first.
- Shopee, Lazada and TikTok Shop lead e-commerce.
- Social commerce and live selling drive a big share of sales.
- Reviews and creators decide what people buy online.
Top 5 products Vietnamese love to buy online
1. Fashion and apparel
Clothing, shoes and accessories are among the most bought online. Trend-driven, affordable and creator-led, fashion thrives on social commerce and live selling.
2. Beauty and cosmetics
Skincare and makeup sell heavily online, driven by reviews, tutorials and KOC content. Beauty is a natural fit for discovery-to-purchase on social.
3. Consumer electronics and accessories
Phones, gadgets and accessories sell well online, backed by reviews, comparisons and demos. Buyers research hard, then buy on marketplaces.
4. Food, beverage and supplements
Snacks, drinks, specialty food and health supplements move online, boosted by convenience, delivery and creator recommendations.
5. Home and lifestyle products
Home decor, small appliances and lifestyle goods sell strongly, driven by inspiration content and easy delivery to urban apartments.
How RedNote, Douyin and WeChat drive online buying
What Vietnamese love to buy online, and how, closely follows China. RedNote (Xiaohongshu) turned reviews and “hauls” into buying triggers across fashion, beauty and home, and Vietnamese buyers now shop the same way. Douyin proved that short video and live selling move products from discovery to cart in seconds, and TikTok Shop in Vietnam runs the same model. WeChat showed how brands keep online customers with content and service. For brands this means three things: build RedNote-style reviews and Douyin-style video and live selling, reach Chinese consumers and tourists in Vietnam who shop these categories on the apps, and reuse content across both markets. Online buying in Vietnam mirrors the Chinese playbook.
Anonymous examples
One fashion brand built its online sales on creator hauls and weekly live sessions, matching how Vietnamese already shop, and grew fast. A home brand listed products with no content or reviews, and sat unsold on a crowded marketplace. Matching the category behavior decided it.
Mistakes brands make selling online in Vietnam
- Listing without content. Reviews and video drive online sales.
- Ignoring live selling. It converts across top categories.
- No creator strategy. KOCs decide what people buy.
- Weak marketplace presence. Shopee and TikTok Shop are essential.
- Generic content. Localized, category-specific content wins.
What this means for you
Vietnamese love to buy fashion, beauty, electronics, food and home products online. To win, match each category’s behavior with reviews, video and live selling, in the style the Chinese platforms proved. For context, see Vietnam’s Digital 2025 profile and the economy of Vietnam.
Read next on our blog: top channels to sell in Vietnam, marketing tips to manage a brand in Vietnam, and business opportunities in Vietnam.
FAQ: what Vietnamese buy online
What do Vietnamese buy most online?
Fashion and apparel, beauty and cosmetics, consumer electronics, food, beverage and supplements, and home and lifestyle products lead online shopping in Vietnam.
Which platforms do they buy on?
Shopee, Lazada and TikTok Shop lead, with social commerce and live selling driving a large share. Discovery happens on social, then buyers purchase on marketplaces.
Why does fashion sell so well online?
It is trend-driven, affordable and creator-led, a perfect fit for social commerce and live selling. Hauls and creator content turn discovery into purchase quickly.
How important are reviews and creators?
Decisive. KOCs and reviews shape what Vietnamese buy online across every top category. Listings without content and reviews struggle on crowded marketplaces.
Does live selling really drive sales?
Yes. Live selling converts across fashion, beauty, food and home, moving products from discovery to cart in real time, in a model proven on Douyin and TikTok.
Why watch Chinese platforms for online selling?
They set the review, video and live-selling model Vietnam follows, reach Chinese consumers in Vietnam, and let cross-market brands reuse content across markets.
How should a brand start selling online in Vietnam?
Pick the right category behavior, list on Shopee and TikTok Shop, invest in reviews, video and live selling, and work with KOCs to drive discovery and sales.
Sell online in Vietnam with GMA
At GMA, we help foreign brands sell online in Vietnam. We build the reviews, video and live selling that drive sales across fashion, beauty, electronics, food and home, and we set up your marketplace presence. If you want to win online in Vietnam, tell us about your project and we will map the first steps with you.
GMA (Gentlemen Marketing Agency) is a French agency based in Shanghai with more than 75 specialists. We run marketing and e-commerce for foreign brands across Asia, from Vietnam and China to Indonesia, the Philippines and Thailand. One team, one network, from first strategy to first sale.