Retailers are focusing on online shopping as more and more consumers are seeking to avoid public places amid the new COVID-19 outbreak.

Le Thi Thanh Lam, deputy general director of Sai Gon Food Joint Stock Company, said during the first outbreak, consumers panicked and stocked up on goods, and so online shopping saw impressive growth.

While they are more composed this time, online shopping is still seeing huge growth on Sai Gon Food’s websites since they are familiar with them and they frequently offers good deals, she said.

A spokesperson for online platform Tiki told Nguoi Lao Dong (Labourers) newspaper that ever since the first COVID-19 cases appeared in Da Nang city late last month, demand for health-related products has spiked, especially face masks, demand for which grew 12-fold, and hand sanitisers, which saw sales double.

Other sought-after products have been air filters, school text books, bottled drinks, and canned foods, they said.

Tran Tuan Anh, managing director of Shopee, said his company has been working with suppliers and brands to meet growing demand.

The change in consumer shopping behaviour caused by COVID-19 has forced businesses to focus on their online shopping platform sooner than they had originally planned.

For example, wholesaler MM Mega Market had to launch its shopping website sooner than planned to offer products in demand, and other products will be added later.

Lotte Mart Vietnam’s shopping website, speedl.vn, saw massive growth during the outbreaks in March and July and had to double its online department payroll.

Many businesses have said that there is a fierce competition to offer the best prices online.

Shopping platforms are also offering sellers advertising packages that are featured more prominently and reach more customers.

According to the HCM City Department of Industry and Trade, retail revenues in the first seven months of the year were 8.2% up year-on-year to VND463.45 trillion (US$20 billion).