Livestream-based order boosting services are booming.

Many small business owners breathed a sigh of relief as a range of "order boosting" services emerged, increasing online sales, especially during the year-end shopping season of 2025 and early 2026.

Inside a professionally equipped studio, helping many brands boost revenue through livestreaming - Photo: BONG MAI

Alongside seizing opportunities to increase online sales, many small business owners are also apprehensive about order cancellations and product swapping after peak seasons, as these are significant loopholes in online business.

All-inclusive package

Amidst the booming livestreaming market on e-commerce platforms, and acknowledging that both she and her husband are introverted and not good at public speaking, instead of trying to do everything themselves, Ms. Duong Hai Yen (residing in Thu Duc, Ho Chi Minh City) and her husband sought support from an intermediary.

After doing some research, Ms. Hai Yen connected with a company that specializes in providing a complete package of services for organizing and operating online sales sessions, including: a person to introduce products in front of the camera, a sales script, a livestream room with full equipment such as cameras, backdrops, studio lights, software, and computers to control and monitor sales activities...

"My job is to ship the products, the service provider handles everything else. They've helped me clear out my inventory quite well in many sessions, which is especially helpful at the end of the year," this small business owner shared.

Depending on the level of involvement of the service provider, the cost that the client has to pay is usually calculated in the form of revenue sharing or a fee per session.

According to sellers, this cost accounts for a significant portion of their profit margin, not to mention platform fees, advertising costs, and the risks of order cancellations and returns, which significantly reduces profit margins. Nevertheless, it remains a suitable solution to save time and effort, helping to quickly promote products on livestream, especially during peak seasons.

Currently, many domestic and international brands are also turning to professional studios to rent livestreaming rooms at prices ranging from 300,000 to 500,000 VND per hour or more.

The advantages include a well-invested space with a synchronized equipment system, professionally handled lighting, many flexible shooting angles, and technicians on standby to promptly resolve any transmission and technical issues.

Meanwhile, some businesses opt to hire professional teams to set up studios right at home or utilize space within their stores to create mini livestreaming rooms. However, this option requires a significant initial investment in equipment and setting.

Working in the field of providing livestream room setup services, Mr. Tran Van Hai (35 years old, Ho Chi Minh City) said that depending on the customer, the company will advise on the most suitable solution. The unique characteristic of livestream selling is that the lighting must be beautiful but not too artificial, which would cause buyers to lose trust; it must ensure authenticity.

Every detail in the image, such as the stitching of the shirt, the product's shape, or the texture of the lipstick, must be clear so that customers can easily choose and visualize it, especially when viewing it on their phones.

In fact, small business owners with limited budgets can still utilize existing space and simple equipment to sell online.

However, during the peak shopping season at the end of the year and the Lunar New Year, many businesses are willing to invest from 35 million to 100 million VND or more to build a professional livestreaming room, especially those who want to sell mid-range and high-end beauty and fashion products.

Small business owners learn how to run a professional livestream session - Photo: BONG MAI

I'm worried that customers will buy the product, use it for a long time, and then return it.

The peak shopping season during the holidays brings in a large number of orders for many small businesses, but not all of them translate into actual revenue and profit.

After more than six years of selling online on e-commerce platforms, Ms. Tran Bich Tram (Ho Chi Minh City) concluded: "After every Christmas, New Year's Day, or Lunar New Year, the number of customers demanding returns increases dramatically."

According to her, with the current policy, many small business owners feel they are being "bullied." "There was a customer who bought a pair of pants for less than 300,000 VND, then demanded a return because they didn't like them anymore, and the platform immediately accepted. The item was returned to the shop, and I was deducted 40,000 VND for that order, which was very painful," she said.

Notably, sellers also face the problem of product substitution, which tends to increase after major holidays. Ms. Hai Vy, an online seller, recounted an unforgettable experience: "Last Tet, a customer placed nearly a dozen orders including shampoo, skin cream, hair growth spray, herbal bath powder..."

After receiving the genuine items, the person requested a return, but when I opened the package, it turned out to be entirely fake, low-value goods."

Some customers even tear off the tags to cover their personal information, unaware that the seller can still verify it. Besides this typical case, Ms. Hai Vy said she has encountered many instances of swapped goods and returns of worthless items such as rags and torn clothes.

PwC Vietnam assesses the consumer outlook this year as quite positive, with total retail sales maintaining their upward trend and inflation at a moderate level. The outlook for the 2025-2026 period is linked to expectations of improved disposable income.

Accordingly, spending leading up to Tet 2026 will no longer be characterized by unrestrained extravagance, but will focus on worthwhile purchases such as gifts, upgrading long-lasting equipment, and buying genuine products... thereby helping consumers reduce perceived risk, with the mindset of making a purchase once for peace of mind.

Customers are likely to turn around if they perceive a lack of transparency.

As Tet (Vietnamese Lunar New Year) approaches in 2026, online shopping behavior is showing a clear shift, with advertising content increasingly playing a decisive role in order decisions.

According to NielsenIQ, e-commerce growth during this year's Lunar New Year season was primarily driven by promotional programs. However, entering the 2026 cycle, social commerce (e-commerce models linked to social networks) through livestreaming, short videos , and KOLs/KOCs is projected to grow rapidly.

Typically on the TikTok Shop platform, the majority of sales come from "content-based purchases" promoted by sellers, gradually forming new consumer habits.

Consumer psychology is therefore changing. As Tet (Lunar New Year) approaches in 2026, consumers are easily persuaded by visual evidence such as review videos, quick experience livestreams, etc., but are also ready to change their minds if they perceive any signs of lack of transparency.

This leads to shopping demand tending to surge based on trending content, rather than simply waiting for fixed sales events.

Vietnamese customers are putting a lot of pressure on us to offer strong promotions.

According to Ms. Nguyen Thi Anh Hong, Director of E-commerce at the 24hStore retail system, consumers today don't want to waste time going to many places or dealing with crowds, so they are switching to online shopping for quick transactions and faster delivery.

As Tet (Lunar New Year) approaches, the demand for gifts increases across the board. Gifts for family, colleagues, and business partners are usually purchased in bulk 2-4 weeks before Tet. With this increased demand, product categories reflecting the spirit of Tet on e-commerce platforms also see a surge, especially technology and accessories, as they are both practical and a way to express goodwill.

In addition, this is also the biggest "deal hunting" season of the year. Customers are used to looking for discount vouchers, free shipping codes, and daily flash sales.

Hunting for deals doesn't decrease demand; in fact, it increases purchasing power, as consumers tend to buy more to fill their shopping carts or spread their orders over several days to maximize discounts.

Regarding purchasing power, a representative from Shopee stated that shopping demand during the year-end and Lunar New Year holidays continues to increase, with a growing preference for authentic products.

Millions of consumers take advantage of "mega sales" to shop, with the most recent campaign (12-12) showing strong growth across many sectors, from traditional clothing and gift sets to motorcycles...

To prepare for the peak shopping season at the end of the year and the Lunar New Year, a representative from Lazada announced that the platform will launch the "Super Sale for Tet 2026" program from January 15th to February 10th, 2026, with a series of extended offers to meet the needs of early, convenient, and economical shopping.

Specifically, from January 15th to 17th, the platform launched Hong Phat promotional vouchers worth up to 8 million VND, along with many discount programs up to 88% and free shipping, in response to the "National Concentrated Promotion Program 2025".

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Source: https://tuoitre.vn/no-ro-dich-vu-day-don-livestream-20251221231048116.htm