International buyers expect supply in Vietnam

International buyers have noted that the quality of Vietnamese goods has improved significantly, with many products being rated "on par" with regional competitors.

Vietnamese businesses connect directly with international purchasing delegations - Photo: VIS

Although the international market is opening its doors to supply in Vietnam, limitations in after-sales service, transparency and uniformity are still "negative points" that need to be improved.

"Price and quality are the key factors in negotiation"

During a discussion on the sidelines of the Vietnam International Sourcing 2025 (VIS 2025) exhibition taking place in Ho Chi Minh City from September 4 to 6, President of the Vietnam - Brazil Federation of Commerce and Industry Dionathan Santos said that the quality of Vietnamese goods has been widely known to Brazilian consumers, especially agricultural products and industrial materials.

He said Vietnam can compete in terms of quality and price with Indonesia and Thailand, and that Vietnamese workers are "younger, more skilled and more flexible than those in Cambodia or the Philippines."

"Brazil does not see Vietnam as an alternative to China but as a complementary solution to solve difficulties with China, so price and quality are prerequisites for negotiation," he emphasized.

However, Mr. Santos also said that the major weakness is that logistics is not yet optimal and cultural communication is not open, making partners worry about transparency.

Accordingly, compared to China, Vietnamese enterprises are still not competitive enough in terms of price and delivery time. This also causes difficulties when Brazilian enterprises want to establish long-term cooperation with large orders.

From the UK, Mr. Habib Jan representing KAK Private Limited shared plans to import 100 containers of food and beverages from Vietnam next year.

He recognized that Vietnamese products have clear advantages in price and quality, but to penetrate a demanding market like the UK, suppliers must have full certification and transparency about their origin.

Mr. Jan also emphasized that stable and competitive prices are what most distribution chains care about when looking for sources of goods. But stable quality is what keeps international buyers.

Representative of the purchasing delegation of Coppel Group (Mexico), Ms. Heidi Tran also shared that products from Vietnamese factories are very good, but what makes international buyers apprehensive is the stability of product quality.

"These things greatly affect the psychology of buyers, especially with large distribution partners," she said.

Buyers looking, sellers not ready

It is not difficult to see that Vietnam possesses many advantages in the eyes of international partners: abundant raw materials, competitive labor costs, and favorable geographical location. Some industries have made significant progress, from green textiles, food processing to supporting industries.

Sharing more with Tuoi Tre , Ms. Heidi Tran said that the working process at the factories is still relatively rigid. According to her, each business has its own working process, but distribution chains also have certain rules. If both sides are not flexible, it will be difficult for both sides to cooperate long-term.

Regarding the Middle East market, Mr. Fasuludeen, representative of Japanese food distributor in UAE - KAMI Food Stuff Trading Distribution Company - praised Vietnamese Jasmine rice. The quality of Vietnamese products at present is increasingly improving and receiving many compliments from international partners.

Demand is wide open, but Mr. Fasuludeen said many suppliers in Vietnam have difficulty connecting with buyers in Vietnam. Vietnamese products have export capacity, but businesses are not ready when there are obstacles in communication as well as after-sales services are not yet strict.

"We have had bad experiences in terms of transparency, ensuring sustainability and product quality stability for Vietnamese products. However, businesses are gradually improving this issue, which is why we are returning to the Vietnamese market," he said.

Vietnamese products on e-commerce channels must understand trends

From an e-commerce perspective, Mr. Larry Hu, director of Amazon Global Selling in Southeast Asia, said that in 2023, compared to 5 years ago, the number of goods exported and sold by Vietnamese sellers via Amazon increased by 300%, and the number of businesses with revenue of over 1 million USD/year also increased 10 times compared to 5 years ago.

The top 5 fastest growing product categories of Vietnamese businesses on Amazon in the past 5 years include: home, kitchen, health & personal care, apparel and beauty. However, to maintain their appeal, products must meet new consumer trends including environmental friendliness, health safety, and convenient design.

"Global consumers are increasingly concerned about origin and sustainability. Businesses therefore need to demonstrate the story behind the product," said Mr. Larry Hu about international consumption trends that Vietnamese businesses should grasp.

Truong Linh

Source: https://tuoitre.vn/nha-thu-mua-quoc-te-ky-vong-vao-nguon-cung-tai-viet-nam-20250906080319335.htm