The Vietnamese consumer electronics retail market, which has experienced rapid growth driven by urbanization and the rise of the middle class, is now reaching a turning point. This sector, primarily composed of durable consumer goods such as televisions, refrigerators, and personal computers, expanded its number of stores approximately 2.9 times over the four years since 2019; however, in 2024, it fell below the previous year’s level for the first time. As purchasing shifts from physical stores to e-commerce accelerate, the industry is required to redefine its roles and functions. 

4년 만에 거의 3배로 늘어났지만 2024년에는 매장이 110개 감소할 것으로 예상됩니다. 

2019년 기준 약 970개였던 베트남 가전제품 소매점 수는 2023년까지 약 2,800개로 확대되었습니다. 특히 지방 도시에서의 확장이 활발해 기존 주요 대도시에 집중되어 있던 판매망이 전국으로 빠르게 확대되었습니다. 

[Figure 1] Number of Stores by Region for Consumer Electronics Retailers (Stores) 

그러나 2024년에는 전국적으로 110개 매장이 감소하며 본격적인 위축 국면에 접어들었습니다. 위축 조짐은 2023년 하노이시에서 처음 나타났고, 이듬해에는 호찌민시를 비롯한 여러 지역으로 확산되었습니다. 이러한 움직임은 지난 몇 년간의 급속한 성장에 대한 반응으로 볼 수 있습니다. 

판매장소 EC로 전환, 모바일 세계도 매장 축소로 방향 전환 

The rapid contraction is driven by the acceleration of the online shift. The largest home appliance chain under Mobile World Corporation, “Dien May Xanh,” reduced its number of stores from 2,190 to 2,026 in 2024, cutting about 160 stores. Even so, sales recorded a 7% year-on-year increase to 2.4 billion USD, indicating possible progress in streamlining and improving profit margins. 

The group’s sales, including the company’s mobile phone sales chain “The Gioi Di Dong,” amount to 3.6 billion USD. Of this, online sales remain limited at about 10% but are seen as a future growth driver. Meanwhile, the sales of the five major e-commerce platforms, including Shopee, have reached 12.8 billion USD, a 37% increase year-on-year, clearly indicating a shift from physical to online channels for purchasing durable goods, including home appliances. 

제품 라인업 확대 실패는 사업 형태 전환의 어려움도 드러낸다 

오프라인 매장들도 이커머스와의 경쟁을 위해 사업 구조를 개편하고 있습니다. 모바일 월드는 일부 매장에서 생필품과 식품을 포함한 상품군을 확대했지만, 매출은 여전히 저조했습니다. 기존 매장 구조와 규모를 유지하면서 상품 수를 늘린 것이 전문성과 편의성 모두 미흡하게 만들었다는 지적이 제기되었습니다. 

Introducing the Japanese-style “comprehensive consumer electronics retail store” model requires a systemic overhaul in various areas such as product management, inventory turnover, and staff training, revealing structural challenges that cannot be addressed by merely expanding the product lineup. 

Conversion of vacant stores’ business formats progresses; what can the real sector retain? 

The decline of physical stores is considered inevitable in the future. In some vacant stores, conversion to high-demand business formats such as supermarkets and apparel street-level stores is already underway. As the separation from e-commerce progresses, what is required of consumer electronics retailers is not only “inventory display” and “same-day pickup”.