E-commerce remains a key shopping channel preferred by Vietnamese during the Tết shopping season. — Photo courtesy of Shopee Vietnam

HCM CITY — The shopping season of Lunar New Year (Tết) 2026 has featured a clear shift in Vietnamese consumption behaviour, with consumers planning their shopping, and prioritising budget optimisation and convenience, according to experts.

According to a survey by Worldpanel by Numerator Vietnam, over 70 per cent of households still focus their spending on essential categories such as food, beverages, and gifts during the Tết holiday.

However, about 60 per cent of survey participants said they would reduce expenses on non-essential products, reflecting a trend towards cautious and proactive consumption to balance the family budget. This shift in behaviour has been observed in e-commerce, which remains a key shopping channel preferred by Vietnamese during the Tết shopping season.

Shopee, an e-commerce platform, has also released a report entitled "Shopee Vietnam – Tết 2026 Consumer Trends Snapshot on Shopee," highlighting user behaviour and shopping trends on the Shopee platform during the Tet 2026 period.

Shopee stated that Tết 2026 highlights a growing trend of smart spending as Vietnamese consumers increasingly prioritise purchases from official stores, favour Vietnamese products, and embrace entertainment-driven shopping experiences. At the same time, new consumption behaviours are emerging, with rising expectations around faster delivery and same-day fulfilment.

The trend of proactive consumption is clearly manifested among younger shoppers, as Gen Z and Gen Y represent the majority of Tết shoppers on the platform.

Instead of waiting for sales late at night, this group tends to shop flexibly during the day, with popular time frames at 12 pm, 8 pm, and 9 pm, reflecting changes in accessing promotions and the shopping experience.

Building on this behavioural foundation, data recorded on Shopee during the Tết holiday of 2026 shows a significant shift in the purchasing decision drivers of users, with the "smart spending" factor increasingly prioritised through actively identifying needs, leveraging suitable promotions, and emphasising delivery speed. Notably, the promotions from the platform and sellers during this period helped users save a total of VNĐ744 million (US$30,000) when shopping on Shopee. Among these, 92 per cent of the total orders were eligible for free shipping - a crucial factor in driving purchase decisions.

Shopping during Tết is increasingly shaped by interactive and content-led experiences, accompanied by stronger trust in official stores and a continued rise in preference for Vietnamese products. More than 18 million buyers shopped on Shopee Mall during Tết, of which around 18 per cent were first-time buyers. The highest-order value recorded was approximately VNĐ170 million ($6,500), driven by a high-value motorcycle purchase from an official Shopee Mall store.

Furthermore, the trend of prioritising Vietnamese products continues to be upheld. Consumers are not only seeking affordable prices but also showing interest in familiar brands that are closely tied to the culture and customary usage during the Tết holiday.

Shopee reported that the total number of orders from Vietnamese brands increased by 30 per cent compared to Tết 2025, indicating the sustainable growth potential of domestic businesses on the e-commerce platform.

A study by Insight Asia found that 63 per cent of Vietnamese consumers chose e-commerce platforms for shopping during Tết 2026, a significant increase from the 48 per cent in 2024. Beyond meeting demand for convenient shopping, e-commerce has become a solution to help consumers save time and costs during the busy year-end period. — VNS