What is cross-border e-commerce?
Cross-border e-commerce is the online buying and selling of goods between a seller and a buyer in two different countries. For sellers in Vietnam, it means selling to customers in the US, Europe, Australia and elsewhere through international marketplaces or their own website, then shipping the goods abroad.
It is one of the fastest-growing sectors in the world, driven by cheaper digital marketing, convenient international payments (Payoneer, PingPong…) and small-parcel logistics such as ePacket that keep shipping costs low.
Common cross-border models
- Selling on international marketplaces (Amazon, eBay, Etsy, Walmart): instant access to large existing traffic.
- Cross-border TikTok Shop: sell through viral video content.
- Your own website / D2C (Shopify): build your own brand and own your customer data.
- Dropshipping and POD (print-on-demand): no inventory, items printed per order.
Which marketplace should you sell on?
| Marketplace | Best for | Key traits |
|---|---|---|
| Amazon | Mainstream products, FBA | Largest traffic, high competition |
| eBay | Unique items, collectibles, accessories | Easy to start, flexible auctions |
| Etsy | Handmade, vintage, gifts | Buyers pay more for unique products |
| TikTok Shop | Trending products at good prices | Sales driven by video content |
Logistics: the make-or-break factor
A great product with slow shipping, high shipping costs or surprise taxes for the buyer will kill your conversion rate and your shop ratings. That is why choosing the right shipping solution matters as much as choosing the right product.
- Small, low-value parcels: go with ePacket, which is cheap and tracked. See the rates by route.
- Need fast delivery: use Express (at a higher cost).
- Selling to the EU: ship under a valid IOSS number (required for EU shipments) so buyers pay no VAT on delivery.
- Selling high volumes to the US: consider FBA plus first-mile shipping.
Roadmap for new sellers (5 steps)
- Pick a niche and products with good margins and low weight.
- Open a store on the right marketplace and an international payment account.
- Set selling prices that include shipping and taxes (DDP/IOSS where needed).
- Use a tracked logistics solution so you stay transparent with buyers.
- Optimize listings and reviews, then expand to new routes and marketplaces.
Tip
Start small, measure the delivery success rate and real transit time on each route, then scale up. VIO ePacket covers 249 destinations, so you can expand step by step.
Frequently asked questions
- Do you need a lot of capital to sell cross-border?
- No. You can start with a no-inventory model (dropshipping, POD) or ship single orders by ePacket, then grow as sales come in.
- What is the cheapest way to ship internationally from Vietnam?
- For small e-commerce parcels, ePacket is usually the lowest-cost option that still comes with full tracking.
Start shipping with ePacket
Our rates are published for every route — choose your market to see the details.