BEST Express’ strategy under the pressure of logistics standardization

When efficiency becomes the new benchmark for growth

Vietnam closed 2025 with GDP growth of 8.02 percent and an e-commerce market valued at approximately $32 billion. These numbers convey the excitement of market expansion while also underscoring a growing emphasis on the quality of growth. The country is gradually moving beyond expansion driven by volume and entering a phase that prioritizes productivity and value creation.

Within this transition, logistics is emerging as a strategic pillar of the digital economy. Every order placed on an e-commerce platform depends on a robust operational system behind the scenes to ensure speed, cost efficiency and reliability. When the market was still in a phase of rapid expansion, competition largely revolved around capturing market share. From 2026 onward, however, efficiency and value creation are becoming the defining metrics.

According to Gavin Lu, General Manager of BEST Express Vietnam, the momentum of economic transformation is not only reflected in macroeconomic reports but also visible in the daily movement of shipments across the country. As Vietnam seeks to move beyond its role as a low-cost manufacturing base and transition toward higher technology production, the entire supply chain must adapt with greater precision and operational discipline.

Vietnam’s e-commerce market is projected to reach 39 billion dollars in 2026 and potentially expand to $70 billion by 2030. Greater scale inevitably brings greater pressure. Sellers require fast delivery at reasonable cost, high successful delivery rates and stable service quality to maintain their ratings. Consumers increasingly expect a seamless experience from the moment they place an order to the moment the package arrives.

“If BEST Express positions itself only as a traditional parcel delivery service, we would quickly be left behind by this wave,” Lu said.

Instead, the company has chosen to build a long term operational platform from the moment it entered the Vietnamese market. Its parent company, BEST Inc., was founded on a strong technology foundation. The founder came from a computer science background and introduced a technology driven mindset into logistics in Asia’s largest market. That technological DNA continues to shape the company’s expansion in Vietnam.

All core operating software in Vietnam is developed internally. The system goes beyond parcel delivery to integrate warehouse management, route planning and large scale data analytics.

Artificial intelligence applications allow the company to forecast shipment volumes down to the ward level ahead of major shopping events. With more accurate predictions, the company can allocate personnel and vehicles in advance, reducing localized congestion while improving overall productivity.

Another pillar of the strategy lies in empowering partners. BEST Express provides franchise operators and merchants with a suite of free management tools that enable them to track orders, manage inventory and monitor cash flow in real time through a localized and user friendly interface.

The company’s leadership says that by 2030 every partner in the network, whether located in the southernmost province of Ca Mau or in mountainous areas in northern Vietnam, should be able to access a modern and easy to use management system. In this way the company’s technological capabilities become shared assets across the network.

Beyond internal capabilities, improvements in interregional transport infrastructure are providing a significant tailwind. Expressways and ring roads connecting key economic zones in southern Vietnam are shortening transit times and reducing logistics costs.

Executives at BEST Express compare national infrastructure to railway tracks and logistics companies to trains. As the tracks are upgraded, the trains must operate with higher efficiency to capture the full advantage.

Building on this foundation, the company has begun deploying an integrated network strategy. Its BEST Cargo model is now integrated with the express delivery system and operates on the same infrastructure. The first integrated franchise hub has been established in Tan Phu District in Ho Chi Minh City. Meanwhile, 40 sorting centers nationwide are being upgraded into logistics nodes that connect the flow of goods from north to south, from border regions to domestic markets and from sellers to buyers with greater speed and efficiency.

If BEST Express positions itself only as a traditional parcel delivery service, we would quickly be left behind.

Gavin Lu, 

- General Manager, BEST Express Vietnam

This integration addresses a long standing gap in the market. Smaller parcels could previously be delivered quickly at reasonable cost, while bulky goods often faced higher fees and longer delivery times.

By operating Express and Cargo within the same standardized system, BEST Express can process heavy shipments with speeds and workflows comparable to those of smaller parcels. The shift represents a move away from fragmented operations toward an integrated logistics model.

From delivery network to a comprehensive logistics ecosystem

As the market expands rapidly, management challenges extend beyond simply adding more trucks or warehouse space. The more critical task is ensuring that service quality remains consistent across the entire network. With the integration of Express and Cargo operations, that challenge becomes even more complex.

BEST Express describes its operating philosophy as integration for efficiency. Heavy shipments are handled according to the same speed and service standards applied to smaller parcels. The company maintains a high first attempt delivery success rate in order to uphold service commitments.

At sorting centers, automated technology helps classify heavy shipments with greater accuracy while minimizing impact and damage during transportation to customers’ doorsteps.

In the next phase of development, service quality is defined by more than speed alone. It also includes reliability and the ability to grow alongside partners. Sellers can track the entire journey of each order through the system. Buyers experience consistent delivery performance. Franchise operators benefit from management platforms that help optimize their operations.

“For BEST in 2026, service quality is not only about speed. It is about reliability and growing together with our partners,” Lu said.

Thousands of franchise hubs participate in the shared network and operate on a centralized technology platform. Data from each delivery point is continuously updated to monitor operational metrics. When bottlenecks arise, the coordination system can quickly make adjustments. The combination of technology and local market knowledge helps the franchise network operate more effectively.

Looking ahead to 2030, BEST Express positions its strategy within Vietnam’s broader ambition to become an upper middle-income economy with the digital economy contributing around 30 per cent of GDP. The company envisions itself as a comprehensive logistics ecosystem that includes express delivery, supply chain management, smart warehousing, cross border transportation and solutions supporting global supply chains. Technology platforms serve as the foundation for that ambition.

Its partnership philosophy is framed as a long term development relationship. Franchise operators are supported in becoming digital entrepreneurs who can tap into the growth of e-commerce while contributing to local economic development. The central organization focuses on connecting the network, standardizing operations and providing management tools.

As the period from 2025 to 2026 is widely seen as a turning point for the Vietnamese economy, the trajectory of BEST Express illustrates a broader transition in logistics. The industry is moving beyond simple scale expansion toward building operational platforms driven by technology, data and partner ecosystems.