Why is it difficult for Vietnamese businesses to export and solutions on Alibaba

1. Vietnamese businesses face the biggest difficulty in finding international buyers

Most Vietnamese manufacturing enterprises have good products and competitive prices but do not know where the buyers are. Previously, businesses had to:

• Participate in fairs (cost 100–300 million/time)

• Hire international callers

• Find an intermediary agent

This is the reason why 70% of Vietnamese SMEs "stand still and watch" for export opportunities.

Alibaba solution:

• Thanks to the B2B model on Alibaba, businesses are visible to millions of buyers from more than 200 countries.

• Businesses do not need to search themselves—buyers proactively send requests for quotation (RFQ).

• Opening a store on Alibaba helps businesses "bring their products to the world" 24/7 without the need for an international sales team.

2. Language barriers and lack of specialized export personnel

Many businesses are afraid to export because they do not have English-speaking personnel or do not understand the foreign trade process. An SME usually only has 1-2 people in charge of many tasks: domestic sales - logistics - marketing - documents.

Alibaba solution:

• Alibaba Vietnam has a team of consultants to open stores to support from A–Z:

• Write product descriptions in English

• Image design conforms to international standards

• Consulting to respond to buyer

In addition, the floor also supports automatic translation to help businesses reduce language barriers when communicating in B2B.

3. Lack of knowledge about the international B2B model

Many business owners are only used to selling domestically and do not understand how international buyers buy. Lack of knowledge about B2B makes them unaware of:

• What does the buyer require?

• Transaction process?

• How to quote FOB, CIF price?

• How to negotiate B2B?

Alibaba solution:

• Alibaba operates under the B2B model on Alibaba, where buyers place requests and suppliers respond.

• The floor has a transparent index system: traffic volume, keywords, response rate...

• Instructions from Alibaba Vietnam help businesses clearly understand how this e-commerce platform operates.

4. Not knowing how to analyze international markets

Most businesses do not know which markets need their products. They are dependent on traders or intermediary companies.

Alibaba solution:

• When opening an Alibaba booth, businesses have a set of market analysis tools:

• Demand by country

• Average price the buyer is buying

• Competitor products

This is direct data from global buyers, helping businesses make accurate decisions.

5. Traditional export costs are too high

Enterprises that export in the traditional way must bear:

• Cost of opening a showroom

• Expenses for going to international fairs

• Cost of hiring foreign sales team

• International marketing costs

Alibaba solution:

• The cost of opening an Alibaba store is much lower, but the efficiency in reaching buyers is higher.

• A booth can attract from 1,000 - 20,000 views/month.

• This is the most cost-optimized channel for Vietnamese SMEs to open their doors globally.

6. Lack of international brands makes it difficult to create trust for buyers

Vietnamese SMEs often do not have a brand or an international standard English website. Buyers are skeptical and rarely send requests.

Alibaba solution:

• The booth is supported and built according to global standards: images, profiles, certificates...

• Verified Supplier function helps increase reputation.

• Ratings and feedback help buyers trust more than contacting via free email.

7. Restrictions on displaying products on the international Internet

Vietnamese business websites often have difficulty appearing on international Google. No traffic from foreign buyers.

Alibaba solution:

• Alibaba is the world's largest B2B e-commerce platform.

• Each product posted is automatically SEOed to millions of buyers who are searching.

• Products easily appear in buyers' search results on Alibaba.

8. Businesses do not know how to standardize product images and descriptions according to international standards

Descriptions lacking technical information and unprofessional images make buyers ignore them.

Alibaba solution:

• Alibaba Vietnam has a consulting team to help standardize all content.

• Images are optimized according to the requirements of the B2B model on Alibaba.

• Products are easier to recommend thanks to SEO standards in the floor.

9. Fear of international payment risks

Many businesses fear being scammed or not receiving their money.

Alibaba solution:

• Trade Assurance system ensures safety for both buyers and sellers.

• Businesses receive payments through Alibaba's gateway, limiting risks.

10. Not having time to learn the export process

Business owners are always busy handling production, human resources, and domestic operations. There is no time to research the entire export process.

Alibaba solution:

• Alibaba Vietnam system has a consulting service for opening a store, providing support from the time of building a store until the first order is received.

• Businesses only need to prepare documents, the rest will be guided by a team of experts.

11. Lack of data to make product development decisions

Don't know what kind of products the world needs. It is unclear what size, price, and specifications are considered standard.

Alibaba solution:

• Alibaba's keyword analysis tool shows what buyers are looking for, how much it costs, and what standards are of interest.

• This is "golden" data that helps Vietnamese businesses perfect products to meet global needs.

12. High domestic competition forces businesses to find new channels

Many Vietnamese product industries such as agricultural products, wooden furniture, food, spices... have very strong price competition. Low profits if only sold domestically.

Alibaba solution:

• Exporting through Alibaba opens up larger markets and better prices.

• International buyers often buy in large quantities, with higher profit margins than domestic ones.

13. Difficulty reaching high quality customers

Many businesses often encounter "virtual" buyers or buyers who buy in small quantities. If you want to reach big buyers, you need a reputable channel.

Alibaba solution:

• Buyers on Alibaba are mainly distributors, factories, supermarkets, and commercial enterprises.

• 96% of buyers are at the bulk purchase level.

• The opportunity to reach high-quality buyers is much higher than other channels.

14. Not understanding how the international B2B e-commerce platform works

Many businesses think Alibaba is like Shopee or Lazada, but the B2B model is very different:

• Buyer does not buy immediately.

• Buyer requests a quote, asks for information, negotiates.

• The process is longer but the order value is larger.

Alibaba solution:

• When opening a booth, businesses are trained on how this e-commerce platform operates.

• Understanding how international buyers buy products helps businesses close orders effectively.

ALIBABA VIETNAM COMPANY - EXPORT E-COMMERCE FLOOR

• Head office: 19th Floor, Saigon Center Building, No. 67 Le Loi Street, Ben Nghe Ward, District 1

• Email:  [email protected]

• Phone: (+84) 987 258 510

• Branch 1: 10th Floor, Becamex Tower, 230 Binh Duong Avenue, Thu Dau Mot, Binh Duong

• Branch 2: 9th Floor, TTC Plaza, Vo Thi Sau, Thong Thong Ward, Bien Hoa City, Dong Nai

• Branch 3: 123 Cong Hoa, Ward 12, Tan Binh, Ho Chi Minh City 700000, Vietnam