VietNamNet Bridge - The rapid expansion of food & beverage, restaurant and pharmacy chains in the last few years has led to the general opinion that they are easily profitable. But there are pitfalls that companies must be aware of. 

FPT Retail, the digital device retailer, The Gioi Di Dong, the biggest smartphone distributor, and Vingroup, the real estate developer and retailer, all have spent big money to set up their drug retail and manufacturing chains.

The decisions by Tran Anh Digital World JSC to sell its distribution chain and the moves by giant home appliance chains to open drugstores indicates the home appliance market is becoming saturated.

Giant retailers who have been eyeing the drug retail market for years have finally joined the game with ambitious plans to remap the market.

After a strong rally of 30 per cent in stock price over the past four months, Mobile World Group (ticker MWG) saw back-to-back divestments from numerous of foreign funds.

Authorized resellers are selling iPhone 8 and iPhone 8 Plus at quoted prices, while second-class agents are setting lower prices to lure more buyers. The price of products imported through unofficial channels is even lower.

VietNamNet Bridge - A representative of a mobile phone retail chain in Hanoi said iPhone X with VNA codes reserved for the Vietnamese market will hit the shelves by the end of this month.

VietNamNet Bridge - Two years ago, Apple’s authorized resellers included iCenter, Future World, KTC and Phong Vu shops. Now, most of the agents belong to The Gioi Di Dong and FPT Shops.

VietNamNet Bridge - iPhone X brought to Vietnam across border gates are being offered at record-high prices.

VietNamNet Bridge - Drug distributors have been expanding their networks by opening new drugstores and taking over other chains. 

The Vietnamese mobile phone market in the third quarter saw an unexpected breakthrough from Samsung, which now holds the largest market share among smartphone makers. 

BPhone 2 was introduced by BKAV Corporation on August 8 and officially hit the market on August 19 with the retail price of nearly VND10 million. Just one month later, used BPhone 2s were being offered for less than VND8 million.

VietNamNet Bridge - The Gioi Di Dong JSC (Mobile World - MWG), the owner of the largest mobile phone & home appliance distribution chain, has prepared VND2.5 trillion in its coffers for the disbursement for large M&A deals.

VietNamNet Bridge - As the competition in the domestic retail market heats up, big Vietnamese-owned retail chains are considering neighboring markets like Myanmar, Laos and Cambodia.

VietNamNet Bridge - The sharp fall in sales of PCs (both desktop and laptop) has forced distributors and retailers to shut down or sell other products.

VietNamNet Bridge - Phone distribution chains are selling many other products together with mobile phones to earn extra money.

VietNamNet Bridge - The Gioi Di Dong wants to be a leopard, Vietjet a pigeon, Masan a wild boar and FPT a herd of bees. What’s the philosophy behind the choices?

VietNamNet Bridge - Rural areas, which digital product retailers have ignored in the last five to seven years, have now become a major ‘battlefield’.

iPhone models have seen prices decreasing significantly in Vietnam despite the rumor that iPhones would be more expensive once US President-elect Trump takes office and tries to encourage Apple to start manufacturing products in the US.

VietNamNet Bridge - In the past, iPhone dealers could pocket VND6-8 million for every iPhone sold. But the heyday is over.