Amazon exec hails Vietnam as emerging link in global supply chain

Vietnam has the opportunity to diversify its items on the Amazon platform thanks to its advantage as a new manufacturing hub and ability to provide a variety of items, Eric Broussard, Amazon’s vice president of international marketplaces and retail, said at the Amazon Cross-border E-commerce Summit held in Ho Chi Minh City Thursday.

The country also has a spirit of entrepreneurship that helps elevate its place in the global e-commerce supply chain, he said.

In the 12 months ending August 31, Vietnamese companies had sold over 17 million products on Amazon, up 50% from the previous year.

The bestsellers were household, kitchen, personal healthcare, garment, and beauty items.

Gijae Seong, head of Amazon Global Selling Vietnam, said beauty made it to the top five for the first time thanks to huge interest in false eyelashes, hair growth serum and teeth whitening powder.

The number of Vietnamese sellers increased by 40%.

Amazon said merely there are now thousands of Vietnamese sellers on the platform without disclosing details.

Around 90% of sellers are medium, small or micro businesses though some large players have recently started selling on the platform, including pottery manufacturer Minh Long, office supply distributor Thien Long and furniture maker BeeFurni.

Amazon recently opened a training center in Ho Chi Minh City. The center includes a studio that produces and broadcasts training materials on cross-border e-commerce.

Amazon is set to use a marine shipping partner to help Vietnamese sellers distribute more products overseas on top of aviation.

Vietnam’s e-commerce exports last year were worth VND80 trillion and could jump to VND300 trillion by 2027 if businesses get support, Access Partnership, a UK consultancy, said.