Gen Z's new choice in the digital environment

Without the need to appear in person or spend hundreds of millions of dongs in capital, Gen Z (those born between 1997 and 2012) in urban areas are creating a new business trend, which is Virtual selling. By taking advantage of AI technology, virtual avatars, or simply creative voices and graphics on short video platforms such as TikTok and Reels, young people can be their own bosses, earn an income, and still maintain their privacy.

Young people apply AI to create virtual characters to sell products and run ads.

“Faceless sales” strategy

The strong development of social networks such as TikTok, Facebook, Reels, and AI technology is changing the way young people do business online. One of the prominent trends is Virtual selling, where sellers do not need to appear with their real faces but can still build their own brands and reach customers effectively. Being "invisible" when selling helps Gen Z reduce the pressure of appearance, maintain privacy, while still actively participating in the digital economy.

Currently, young people apply 3 popular forms of "invisibility". The first is voice-based approach, appearing only through narration and storytelling, focusing on product images and real experiences. The second is AI avatar, allowing the creation of virtual characters to represent the channel, helping to save filming and editing time while establishing a unique style. The third is only filming close-ups of manual operations, suitable for instructional content, cooking, or product assembly. These methods help sellers be flexible, creative and optimize the content production process.

 Vo Dinh Phung (residing in Long Thanh commune) is a freelancer (freelancer) who edits AI content and said: Virtual selling is opening up many new career opportunities for young people in the digital age.

According to Phung, the job of "Faceless sales" is not simply using an avatar to introduce products but requires a professional creative process.

“I am in charge of editing content, building scripts, and coordinating AI tools to create sales videos suitable for each customer group. Even though the person on screen is an avatar, the information must be honest, and the review must be accurate. Customers cannot see your face, so reputation becomes a matter of survival,” said  Phung.

However, Virtual selling also poses new challenges. When sellers are not visible, the most important factor is reputation. Building trust with customers becomes more difficult, requiring sellers to invest in content quality, product information transparency, and after-sales service assurance. In addition, the use of avatars to exaggerate product uses, hide contact information, or create sensational content to attract views is potentially at risk of distorting the market and affecting the image of serious business people.

Employees of BS Technology Solution & Media Company (located in Long Phuoc commune, Dong Nai province) discuss solutions to apply AI in sales.

Sharing about this trend, Phan Huynh Kim Thong, Communications Director at Cat Tien Sa Communications Company (Ho Chi Minh City) said: Virtual selling opens up many opportunities for young people but requires a higher level of responsibility. When sellers do not appear in person, the content and way of doing the job must come first. Sellers need to be honest in product reviews, avoid "spam content", and at the same time fully disclose information about the origin and return policy to reassure customers. In the faceless sales model, it is the customer reviews that become the most trustworthy "face" of the brand.

According to experts, for this model to develop sustainably locally, young people need to equip themselves with digital communication knowledge, adhere to business ethics and ensure transparency in every stage of approaching customers. Faceless sales is a modern trend, but reputation and responsibility are still the core factors that determine the existence of each brand in the digital environment.

Shaping digital civilization

Phan Tien Dung, Director of BS Technology Solution & Media Company (located in Long Phuoc commune, Dong Nai province) said: Virtual selling combined with AI is a revolution that levels the commercial playing field, helping young people overcome barriers in appearance or capital. However, when we are invisible, we are forced to appear with real value. First is the mindset that Content is king, meaning the posted content must be above all, really attractive, and cannot be done carelessly. When not using faces to attract customers, Gen Z must use AI to optimize content: neat images, profound scripts, and transparent information. Don't use AI to create "garbage" or fake news to attract views; use it to enhance customer experience. The second is the main characteristic in the virtual world. Whether you are an avatar or a Virtual KOL, the legal information, original product source and main policy must still be real. Anonymity is not a shield to avoid responsibility, but a reason for us to be more careful in every step of running the action.

The trend of faceless sales is becoming the choice of many young people, as it allows them to maintain privacy while still reaching a large number of customers on digital platforms. Using voices, AI avatars, or close-up filming, sellers can create professional content without revealing their faces. However, this model is only sustainable when ensuring information transparency, honesty in promotion, and building reputation through customer feedback.

Phan Tien Dung also pointed out that when customers do not know who the seller is, they will examine more carefully the product quality and service speed. Finally, let the data speak. In this model, the customer review and feedback system is the most prestigious "face" of the brand. Whoever masters digital trust will win.

By Le Duy – Translated by Quoc Dung, Thu Ha