Vietnamese businesses are moving away from influencer‑heavy campaigns because ads are getting more expensive while fewer viewers turn those ads into purchases. Understanding this change helps readers see how marketing strategies affect the products they encounter.

Among more than 19 million Vietnamese content‑creator accounts, only about 2.6 million have generated orders, meaning roughly 86.3 % produce no sales. This shows that creating online content does not automatically translate into purchases.

Do Huu Hung, CEO of ACCESSTRADE Vietnam, warned that relying on a few high‑profile livestream sellers creates legal and operational risks. He also noted that advertising exposure and operating costs have risen sharply, while order conversion rates have declined. These pressures push firms to seek trusted internal assets such as employees and loyal customers.

Vietnam Airlines illustrated the new approach by training about 10 % of its 6,000 flight attendants to create social‑media content, which generated more than VND1 trillion (≈US$38.5 million) in ticket sales. Similarly, VinFast used real‑driver experiences from its Green SM electric‑taxi partners to build confidence among younger buyers, avoiding costly one‑way ads. Both cases show how authentic, employee‑based stories can drive sales more effectively than traditional influencer posts.

The growing reliance on employees and existing customers reflects a trust‑based economic model where consumers prefer recommendations from people they know. Companies that unlock these internal resources can lower costs, reduce risk, and sustain growth.