Cross-Border E-Commerce: Speed Must Go Hand in Hand with Standards

Market Momentum & Vietnam’s Advantages
The pace of expansion confirms Vietnam as one of the region’s most dynamic e-commerce markets. A young population, high smartphone penetration, and a dense platform ecosystem provide a springboard for Vietnamese sellers to reach global buyers. Yet scale does not automatically translate into cross-border capability without common data standards, end-to-end traceability, and multi-party connectivity (platforms–customs–3PL/4PL–banks). At the border, every hour of delay compounds costs and risk. The next-stage goal is not only to “sell more” but to “deliver faster, with greater transparency, and in measurable ways” across cost, service, and sustainability.

Digital Logistics: From “Data Fragmentation” to a Connected Chain
A cross-border parcel may pass through 8-12 different systems, fragmenting data and scattering risk alerts. AI and automation are improving product sorting, restricted-item controls, and documentation accuracy, cutting procedural time from days to hours provided a clean data foundation exists. The pivotal transition involves standardizing data schemas so all parties “read the same language,” adopting IATA ONE Record in air cargo for permissioned data access, and advancing responsible data sharing in the spirit of the EU Data Act (2024) to avoid local “data islands” and lock-in to any single platform.

Customs & Reverse Flows: Hidden Costs That Must Surface
Customs clearance currently ranges from 7 to 37+ days depending on destination, inflating storage and handling costs, disrupting delivery schedules, and stretching working capital. Meanwhile, return rates of 20–30% fuel a costly reverse flow—transport, processing, and packaging waste. If global e-commerce reaches ~US$2 trillion by 2034, returns alone could approach ~US$400 billion. To bring hidden costs to light, standardize customs data, apply AI for risk forecasting, and develop inland dry ports to ease pressure at gateways. For returns, prioritize in-country or in-region processing, standardized labeling and packaging, and fair cost-sharing across platforms, sellers, and carriers.

Infrastructure & New Models: Flexible Warehousing and Regional “Return Hubs”
An annual shortfall of US$10–15 billion in infrastructure and digitalization slows upgrades to warehousing, distribution networks, and interoperable data backbones. Proven models are emerging: flexible warehousing (e.g., Flexe) enables seasonal scaling without CAPEX; last-mile collaboration (UPS Mail Innovations – USPS) optimizes delivery costs; and DHL eCommerce – ASOS’s “single label one network” lets customers return via lockers or postal points, with automated routing to the nearest center for grading and restocking. With its port-and-airport strengths, Ho Chi Minh City can build a Southeast Asia–wide “return hub,” shortening inventory cycles and cutting the footprint of reverse logistics.

SMEs Accelerate with Responsible Data

SMEs (about 97% of enterprises) still face constraints in capital, operating standards, and fixed logistics costs. A practical roadmap is to establish a unique logistics ID for unified order tracking; deploy AI assistants to compare routes, services, and SLAs by market; use pay-as-you-go shared warehouses to reduce CAPEX; safeguard data portability to avoid platform dependence; adopt ONE Record in air cargo for permission-based access; and train a cross-chain KPI system with clear incentives and penalties. With transparent, well-governed data, SMEs can truly plug into global value chains—with measurable costs and controllable risks.

Vietnam’s cross-border e-commerce future stands on two pillars: Technology (AI, automation, data standards) and Responsibility (transparency, sustainability, inclusion). Countries and companies that turn transparent KPIs into a common language, build regional return hubs, and guarantee data portability will hold the advantage. Vietnam especially Ho Chi Minh City can become the region’s “digital logistics anchor” by moving in concert: standardizing customs data, investing in digital infrastructure and flexible warehousing, and elevating SME capabilities. Accelerating in the right direction today is the foundation for sustainable margins tomorrow.

-------------------

(*) CEL Consulting