With high interaction level, Facebook is an ideal online sales channel. Facebook’s report released in July 2017 showed that Vietnam ranks seventh in the world in number of Facebook users, with 64 million a month. 

HCMC is among the 10 cities with the highest numbers of users. It is estimated that more than 400,000 accounts in Vietnam pay money for items sold on Facebook.

However, the heavy dependence on Facebook will put online sellers at risk. 

Hoang Ba Tau, marketing director of Success Oceans, said accidents such as the AAG and APG optical cable system breakdown have interrupted business.

It is no longer easy to sell goods via Facebook as sales are not high enough for many shops to cover expenses of ads. In addition, online traders will suffer if the social network or international cable network breaks down.

“When the cable system breaks down, people cannot access Facebook,” he said.

He suggested that e-commerce firms in Vietnam consider other sale channels to disperse risks, such as Inbox in Facebook or e-mail marketing. 

Tuan Ha, CEO of Vinalink, also said that online sellers via Facebook have to pay for ads. Oil price increases, cable breakdowns and more competitors will also affect them as the ad costs will be higher.

“Some sellers complain that they have to spend big money on ads, but received only several comments,” Ha said.

Hong, the owner of an online bakery shop in HCMC, confirmed that it is no longer easy to make money with the sale via Facebook.

“In the past, I just needed to take good pictures and post stories every day to sell my products. But things are getting more and more difficult,” she said.

“Now I have to pay for ads to obtain customers. But the money I get is not enough to cover the ad costs. Besides, there are also too many sellers,” she said.

She is considering stopping sales on Facebook and looking for other investment opportunities.

Meanwhile, Nguyen Ba Huong, CEO of F5 Media, said as consumers have become too familiar with the ads on Facebook, sellers should consider other sale channels such as Zalo or YouTube video.

In principle, Huong said, sellers should not be too reliant on any channel, but should take full advantage of all channels.

Gia Khanh, the owner of an online shoes shop, said the sales have been growing steadily because he doesn’t rely on Facebook like other shop owners.

“I have opened a shop on Zalo and I use Zalo to find new customers,” he said.

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V. Ha