When Professor Ting Li mentioned mass buying culture on Single Day in China, I immediately recalled a case in my country. I grew up in Vietnam, my country is small and not as developed as China but somehow, we have this culture in common. In Vietnam, Shopee has become the go-to platform for online shopping, much like Taobao in China or AliExpress abroad. With its irresistible vouchers and coupons, offered three times a month, Shopee drives mass consumerism. ShopeePay, the platform’s digital wallet, follows Alipay’s footsteps but with a twist: it pushes a ‘buy now, pay later’ model instead of interest-bearing services.
Photo credit: Shopee
At first glance, it seems perfect—buyers get products without upfront payment, sellers enjoy boosted sales, and Shopee benefits from increased transactions. However, there’s a hidden catch: many buyers unknowingly have their credit scores impacted when they sign up for this service. What feels like a convenient way to shop is actually chipping away at their financial health.
Photo credit: Shopee
The issue goes beyond personal finance. A large percentage of items on Shopee are low-cost products imported from China, often with free shipping. But when these items are returned, they usually don’t make the journey back. The shipping costs are too high compared to the value of the goods, so they remain in Vietnam, turning into piles of waste.
Photo credit: vov.vn
What’s ironic is that even though I now reside in the Netherlands, I can’t escape the behaviour. I’m still drawn to these “too good to miss” deals, buying items I don’t need. I spent 1,830 euros buying bullshit things on my 3-month vacation in Vietnam last summer, and most of them ended up in the garbage. The addictive cycle of discounts, vouchers, and effortless purchases is hard to break—even with the environmental impact staring us in the face.
This consumerism, though it boosts sales and provides short-term satisfaction, has long-term costs both financially and environmentally. It’s time for all of us, myself included; to rethink our shopping habits and understand the true price we pay beyond the checkout.
