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As more Vietnamese businesses embrace cross-border e-commerce as a strategic growth channel, expanding into international markets is no longer seen as an opportunity reserved for large corporations. Against this backdrop, Amazon Global Selling 2026, held on June 2, 2026, in Ho Chi Minh City under the theme “Ready for Takeoff, Growth Without Borders,” provided valuable insights into the future of digital exports and practical strategies for businesses seeking sustainable growth on Amazon.
More than just an educational event, the conference reflected broader shifts taking place across the global e-commerce landscape. As markets mature and competition intensifies, success is no longer defined solely by selling more products. Instead, it increasingly depends on operational excellence, technology adoption, and the ability to build a sustainable business model.
1. Global Commerce Is Entering a New Era of Digitalization
In his opening remarks, Larry Hu, Managing Director of Amazon Global Selling Southeast Asia, highlighted the accelerating shift of global trade toward digital channels. Advances in technology, logistics infrastructure, and e-commerce platforms are creating unprecedented opportunities for small and medium-sized businesses to reach customers worldwide.
Within this trend, Vietnam is emerging as one of Southeast Asia’s most dynamic e-commerce export hubs. Supported by national digital transformation initiatives, an increasing number of Vietnamese businesses are exploring cross-border e-commerce as an alternative to traditional export channels.
According to Larry Hu, the number of products sold by Vietnamese selling partners on Amazon increased by nearly 35%, based on the 2025 SMEs Empowerment Report. This growth reflects the rising competitiveness, adaptability, and manufacturing capabilities of Vietnamese businesses in international markets.
However, greater opportunities also bring higher expectations in product quality, customer experience, operational efficiency, and business management. Companies aiming for sustainable global growth must be prepared to meet these evolving demands.
2. Amazon Remains a Major Opportunity, but Business Strategies Must Evolve
One of the key messages throughout the event was that Amazon continues to offer significant growth opportunities for Vietnamese sellers. However, the way businesses approach the marketplace today is very different from a few years ago.
In the past, rapid growth could often be achieved by identifying niche products or capitalizing on underserved market segments. Today, competition has intensified considerably. Success requires more than simply listing products and running advertising campaigns—it demands a scalable and sustainable business model.
Speakers emphasized the importance of understanding customer needs, selecting the right products, building strong brands, and establishing clear financial frameworks from the outset. A well-defined strategy can help businesses avoid costly mistakes as they scale.
The concept of the Lean Model was also highlighted as a practical approach in the current environment. Rather than expanding aggressively, businesses should continuously test, measure, and optimize based on real-world data. Data-driven decision-making helps reduce risk and improve resource allocation.
3. Artificial Intelligence Is Transforming Business Operations and Growth
Artificial Intelligence (AI) was one of the most discussed topics at this year’s conference.
According to Nguyễn Bảo Ngọc, Seller Development Manager at Amazon Global Selling, and Trần Thị Thùy Trang, Senior Marketing Manager at Amazon Ads Asia, AI is already reshaping how businesses operate. From product research and market analysis to customer insights, content optimization, and advertising performance management, AI is helping organizations improve efficiency while reducing operational costs.
Importantly, AI was not presented as a replacement for human expertise. Instead, it is viewed as a powerful tool that enables faster decision-making, enhances productivity, and allows teams to focus on higher-value strategic activities.
As global competition continues to intensify, AI adoption is rapidly becoming a core capability rather than a competitive advantage reserved for large enterprises.
4. Going Global Means More Than Selling Internationally
Another important theme discussed during the conference was that global expansion is about much more than selling products overseas.
To succeed internationally, businesses must establish strong operational foundations. This includes ensuring product quality, protecting intellectual property (IP), building brand equity, complying with regulatory requirements, and adapting to the specific standards of each target market.
These challenges become increasingly complex as businesses expand across multiple countries, marketplaces, and sales channels. Managing inventory, cash flow, compliance requirements, and operational data at scale requires a higher level of organizational maturity.
Today, international competitiveness is measured not only by product quality and sales performance but also by the strength of the systems and processes supporting business operations.
From a macroeconomic perspective, Michael Kokalari, Chief Economist and Director of Market Research at VinaCapital, shared his outlook on the global economy for 2026–2027. He noted that continued advancements in AI could become a major growth driver for the U.S. economy, potentially creating additional export opportunities for Vietnamese businesses.
5. Practical Insights and a Growing Support Ecosystem for Sellers
One of the standout features of Amazon Global Selling 2026 was its strong focus on practical execution.
In addition to keynote sessions, the event featured specialized workshops covering product selection, seller development, supply chain management, and growth strategies.
The Meet the Expert sessions attracted significant interest, offering attendees direct access to Amazon representatives and successful sellers who shared real-world experiences and operational insights.
Notably, Trịnh Khắc Toàn, Seller Development Manager for Northern Vietnam at Amazon Global Selling, introduced the “90-Day Amazon Launch Roadmap,” providing new sellers with a structured framework for building and growing their Amazon businesses.
Amazon also highlighted various support initiatives, including NAMI, New Seller Incentives, SAS-Pro account management services, and Amazon Global Logistics. These programs continue to play an important role in helping Vietnamese businesses enter international markets more efficiently.
Sliner’s Perspective: Building Systems, Leveraging Data, and Driving Sustainable Growth
The insights shared throughout the conference suggest that cross-border e-commerce is entering a new stage of development. The focus is no longer on achieving growth at any cost but on building the operational foundations necessary for long-term success.
At Sliner, we are seeing growing demand from businesses seeking to standardize operations, centralize management systems, and strengthen compliance as they expand across multiple markets. As organizations operate across various sales channels and countries, financial, operational, and business data must be managed in a more integrated and coordinated manner.
Alongside operational excellence, financial visibility has become increasingly important. Solutions such as GenBook, an Accounting and Financial Operations Platform for E-commerce Businesses, help organizations consolidate financial data from multiple sources, automate accounting workflows, and gain clearer insights into cash flow and profitability. Better financial visibility enables businesses to make more informed investment and expansion decisions.
Conclusion
Amazon Global Selling 2026 offered a comprehensive view of the future of cross-border e-commerce. The opportunities for Vietnamese businesses remain significant, but the path to success is evolving rapidly.
In an increasingly competitive marketplace, having a great product is only the starting point. The ability to leverage technology, utilize data effectively, build scalable operational systems, and maintain strong financial management will become critical differentiators in the years ahead.
For businesses aspiring to expand globally, now is not only the time to enter new markets. It is also the time to build foundations that will support sustainable growth in the long term.
