Online sales channels for retail does not have a "one channel wins all" answer — revenue comes from the right channel where the industry's customers are, managed well so that orders are not missed. With current Vietnamese retail, Zalo and Facebook are the main messaging channels for customers; TikTok/Shopee is a growth channel; The website is the necessary "store copy". The "best" channel is the channel that is suitable for the industry + is collected in one place to close orders without missing out. Zenify recorded a 21% increase in conversion rate (approved).
TL;DR
- There is no one winner-take-all channel — the right industry channel generates revenue.
- Zalo + Facebook = main customer messaging and order closing channels of Vietnamese retail.
- TikTok/Shopee = growth channel, visual product.
- Website = "digital store", necessary for customers to look up and close.
- Every channel needs to be gathered in one place — a channel that cannot be managed is a lost channel.
Compare online sales channels
1. Zalo — the main messaging channel for Vietnamese customers
Customers already use Zalo every day, no need to learn more.
Zalo OA allows texting, sending notifications, and after-sale care.
Suitable: almost all retail industries, especially customers 25-45 years old.
2. Facebook / Messenger — channel to reach and close orders
Fanpage + advertising is the way customers know the most about the shop.
Messenger is a good place to consult and close orders, and automatically respond.
3. TikTok — growth channel, promoting hot buying
Livestream/video to promote quick purchasing, young customers.
Effective with visual products: fashion, cosmetics, household appliances.
4. E-commerce platform (Shopee, Lazada) — available search channel
Customers intend to buy and compare prices.
Fierce competition, commission costs.
5. Website / livechat — "store copy"
Customers look up products, read information, and finalize via livechat.
Necessary for customers to trust and for SEO to proactively attract customers.
Which channel has the highest revenue?
There is no general answer — answer by industry:
Fashion/cosmetic retail: TikTok + Facebook promote hot buying, Zalo takes care.
F&B / local services: Zalo + Facebook are main (customers message to ask, order).
Electronics/high value goods: website + Zalo for in-depth consultation before buying.
Fast-moving consumer goods: E-commerce platform + Zalo announces promotion.
Principle: Where customers buy, they sell there. Actual measurements each month, no guessing.
How to measure which channels generate revenue
Use attribution (single source assignment) to know where visitors come from:
Attach source to each order: from Zalo, Facebook, TikTok, exchanges, websites.
Measure: number of messages, number of orders, order value by each channel.
Compare by month — cut ineffective channels, pour more resources into main channels.
Don't guess "which channel is strong" — measure with real data. See also Measuring the effectiveness of each channel with attribution.
Merge channels so you don't lose orders
The "best" channel is only valuable when well managed:
Consolidate Zalo, Facebook, TikTok, livechat website into one screen (see Multi-channel consolidation).
News from all channels becomes a conversation with someone in charge.
There is no "dormant" news — customers who ask on any channel will get an answer.