From the language barrier to payment and delivery options, it is not easy to order and ship a gift in Vietnam if you are not familiar with the market and don’t have a local bank account. However, there are tips that you can use to surprise your loved ones.
Being in a long-distance relationship in 2020 is not easy, especially if you live in Vietnam. The pandemic has made international travel a faraway dream, if not impossible. Vietnam succeeds in curbing the spread of Covid-19 locally with the expense of banning all inbound commercial flights, except for a very few repatriation ones. There is no prospect of opening the border yet, at least for now.
My boyfriend, who lives in Singapore, and I have not met since March 2020. We have found many ways to enjoy being a couple from afar. Phone calls, text messages, and couple games are our go-to remedies. I sent surprise gifts to him, thanks to Singapore's many payment options (Hail technology!). However, my boyfriend struggles with doing the same. The reasons are many.
- Too much Vietnamese and too little English sites. Yes, Vietnamese is everywhere. Have you tried using Google Translate for ordering something online? Even I cringe at that thought.
- Payment. If you find a place that accepts online payment in foreign cards for your gift, consider yourself lucky. My boyfriend found a bakery, transfer the payment, and I got a wonderful birthday cake. He didn’t have all day to find a site that accepts foreign credit cards, and neither did I, so we settled with what we have.
- Counterfeits. Don’t trust random sites you found on Google for branded items unless you know who they are.
It is not impossible to order something in Vietnam if you are living abroad. Most Vietnamese people don’t have to deal with the problems since they can speak Vietnamese and have friends who live in Vietnam to help them out. For foreigners, it can be a bit tricky. Here are some tips to make your life easier.
Browse your gift on a trust-worthy e-commerce site
The most popular e-commerce sites in Vietnam, for now, are Tiki, Shopee, and Lazada. For cosmetics, you have Watson and recently, Sociolla. If you are buying from Tiki, the vendor Tiki Trading is your best bet. For Shopee and Lazada purchases, make sure the seller account is official and verified. All of the sites above accept foreign credit/debit cards.
However, to shop for products in Vietnam, you may need to open an account with a Vietnamese phone number. If the site requires that, ask your friends if they have a spare Vietnamese phone number that you can use to register and order.
Buy from abroad and send the gift into Vietnam
I would suggest the gift to be under 2,000,000 VND in value so that your friend don’t have to pay extra tax at the custom when they receive it. Using delivery services like UPS and DHL let you track the gift and enjoy good customer service. You don’t have to worry about your gift getting lost somewhere. The downside of this is the delivery fee can be quite expensive, sometimes even exceeds the gift’s value.
Find avendor that accept bank transfer as payment
What if you want to gift a cake or a bouquet from a boutique bakery/florist? Try finding their Facebook and asking them if you can pay by bank transfer from abroad. It may take a while to get a reply so don’t wait until the day before the birthday to start looking. If there is no reply within 12 hours, move on and find another vendor. Facebook and Messenger is so far one of the most common channels to order goods and talk to brands in Vietnam.
My boyfriend uses Transferwise for money transfer, but you can use any service available in your country of residence.
Ask a Vietnamese friend to order and buy for you
Who knows where to research and buy in Vietnam better than a Vietnamese? They can also advise you on where to buy cute gifts, Vietnamese gifting culture and preferences, and so on. This is much easier than doing the research on your own with the help of Google Translate.
Ordering gift in Vietnam may not be the most satisfying experience for a foreigner living abroad, but it’s worth it when you see the happiness and excitement of your loved ones. Until you meet again, good luck and gift on!
