2026.04.28 Vietnam Q1 E-Commerce Spending Reaches $5.7 Billion

Vietnam Q1 E-Commerce Spending Reaches $5.7 Billion

In the first quarter of 2026, total consumer spending on Vietnam’s top four e-commerce platforms reached 148.60 trillion Vietnamese dong (approximately $5.7 billion), a year-on-year increase of 46.6%. Sales volume and seller numbers both grew steadily, with beauty, women's fashion, and home & living as the main consumption categories. Mid-to-low-priced goods remained dominant. Notably, the children's apparel sector saw strong performance, with TikTok Shop’s growth rate of 108% surpassing Shopee. Local brands lead the market, while Chinese brands are also growing. Consumer demand is extending to multiple sub-categories and price tiers, signaling both increased competition and consumption upgrade trends.

India Extends Wheat Export Ban to Secure Domestic Supply

India’s Directorate General of Foreign Trade has announced it will maintain the existing wheat export ban, with no plans to lift it in the near future. The policy is primarily aimed at ensuring sufficient domestic wheat inventories, stabilizing local grain prices, and strengthening food security. As a major global wheat producer and exporter, India’s prolonged export restrictions will continue to impact the international wheat supply chain, exacerbating global food market uncertainties and profoundly affecting grain import patterns and trade dynamics worldwide.

India Speeds Up AI Agent E-Commerce, Building New Shopping Ecosystem

Leading Indian e-commerce platforms are rapidly deploying AI agent e-commerce, setting up smart shops to connect with major large language models and enabling full shopping and payment chain integration via open-source protocols. With payment technology maturing, AI can autonomously handle product selection and cart additions, with pilot applications in fresh food, local services, and travel. Final transaction confirmation remains under user control, and the industry is still in early development. Local companies lead technology R&D, while third-party service providers help small and medium brands quickly enter this emerging model, which holds substantial growth potential.

Amazon Expands Instant Delivery in India with Over 1,000 Micro-Fulfillment Centers

Amazon has announced a major expansion of its Amazon Now instant delivery service in India, covering 100 cities with over 1,000 community micro-fulfillment centers to upgrade minute-level delivery capabilities. The service covers all essential categories including fresh produce, beauty, and daily necessities, and also helps thousands of farmers sell agricultural products directly. Leveraging its extensive warehouse network, the platform can offer same-day and next-day delivery. Amazon has invested heavily in optimizing local operations to deeply penetrate India’s instant retail market.