VietNamNet Bridge - Experts have predicted that many business fields will derive benefits from mobile technology as smartphones and desktop computers become more popular.

A new survey by the US Gallup Institute shows that 43 percent of Vietnamese have internet connections at their homes, 94 percent of Vietnamese have mobile phones (with 37 percent being smartphones). At least 31 percent of Vietnamese access the internet with mobile devices, while only 18 percent use desktop computers and 10 percent laptops for the internet.

Nguyen Truong Minh from Google South East Asia said that the number of people accessing the Google search engine with mobile devices has outstripped those using their desktop computers.

Google’s report about the Vietnamese market cited three important factors in 2015 – the sharp increase in the number of mobile devices used, the increase in online shopping transactions, and the increase in demand to watch videos on internet.

“It is the increase in the number of smartphones which will serve as the platform for Vietnam’s e-commerce to develop more rapidly in the time to come,” said Nguyen Dac Viet Dung, chair of Sendo.vn trading floor.

Sendo.vn found that 30 percent of access to the website in 2014 and 5 percent of orders were from mobile devices. Just one year later, the figure soared to 60 percent and 30 percent, respectively. 

Dung believes that the figures would even be higher in 2016, with the corresponding figures of 75 percent and 50 percent.

Lazada, a large online shopping network, has also confirmed the increase in the number of customers using mobile devices.

Le Ngoc Hanh from Lazada said the number of orders placed via mobile devices soared by 200 times recently, while revenue from this group of customers increased by four times.

About 50 percent of Lazada’s total customers in July were ‘mobile customers’.

Apps

The customers placing orders via mobile devices are a ‘gold mine’ for e-commerce firms. 

Dung said Sendo has been making hectic preparations for one year, from preparing the website interface to fit smartphone’s screen to designing apps to serve online transactions.

Mobile devices allow customers to shop anytime and anywhere, therefore, service providers need to optimize customers’ experience. 

The apps have voice searches, a QR code, delivery status info, and chatting periods with sellers.

Nguyen Truong Minh from Google also noted that many of the world’s big e-commerce brands have succeeded thanks to their appropriate investments in mobile shopping apps. Of the $1 billion worth of Sapdeal.com’s revenue, 65 percent was ordered via mobile devices.

DNSG