Retail shifts: Traditional markets struggle as e-commerce trends evolve

Traditional market vendors in Ho Chi Minh City, specifically at Thanh My Loi Market, are facing severe economic hardship due to the rise of online shopping. Out of 229 planned stalls, only 16 remain operational. Vendors report extremely low foot traffic and minimal profit margins, often earning only 1,000 to 2,000 VND per item. Many older traders struggle to compete with the pricing and digital capabilities of large-scale online wholesalers and find it difficult to transition to livestream selling.

In China, the e-commerce fashion sector is responding to high return rates by implementing anti-tamper measures. To combat malicious returns—where consumers wear items briefly before returning them under 'no-reason' policies—sellers have introduced long, conspicuous anti-removal strings. Reports indicate that return rates for women's fashion on e-commerce platforms can reach 50% to 60%, with livestreaming sales seeing rates as high as 80%. This trend has sparked significant debate on Weibo regarding the erosion of consumer trust in the digital marketplace.