Sales of pickleball products on such e-commerce platforms as Shopee, Lazada, Tiki, Sendo, and TikTok Shop in Vietnam reached up to VND22.7 billion (US$918,900) between June and September this year, representing a nearly-150-percent jump compared to the previous three months, according to Metric, an e-commerce analytics platform.

Pickleball players have been splurging on the latest apparel, accessories, and gear over the past several months.

The number of online stores selling pickleball gear on Vietnamese e-commerce platforms has skyrocketed to 568, up from around 260 just three months ago.

The majority of pickleball gear and accessories on these platforms, such as paddles, balls, skirts, grip wraps, shoes, and sportswear, sell for VND200,000 ($8) to VND350,000 ($14).

The sport's growing popularity is also evident in rising foot traffic at stores selling pickleball gear in major cities like Hanoi and Ho Chi Minh City.

In Ho Chi Minh City’s District 1, pickleball stores on Huyen Tran Cong Chua and Nguyen Thi Minh Khai Streets or in major shopping centers have seen a notable climb in daily footfall.

“Our [pickleball] products sell out quickly even though we constantly restock,” said an attendant a sporting goods store on Nguyen Thi Minh Khai Street in District 1, Ho Chi Minh City.  

“We’ve seen a boom in sales thanks to this sport."

She added that the store sells pickleball products at a wide range of prices, with the most expensive high-end outfits fetching upwards of VND10 million ($406) each.

Pham Nghia, a resident of Thu Duc City, Ho Chi Minh City, has been playing pickleball with his children for nearly a year and has invested quite a bit in the sport.

He has spent VND2 million ($81) on a paddle, another VND2 million on shoes, and pays between VND120,000 ($5) to VND 220,000 ($9) each time he books a court.

He also spends VND500,000 ($20) for every coaching session he attends.

Although costs for gear and coaching can be significant, this sport is for everyone at any age, Nghia said, adding that his whole family has fallen head over heels in love with it.

A pickleball is just one quarter the size of a tennis court, making it relatively accessible and low-cost.

Nguyen Van Nam, an economic expert in the city, expressed confidence that pickleball will continue to grow in popularity due to its health benefits and minimal equipment costs, especially amid the current economic challenges.

Invented in the U.S. in 1965, pickleball has become one of the world’s fastest-growing sports in the past two years.

The sport first appeared in Vietnam in 2018 but has only gained traction during the last six months.

The number of pickleball players in Hanoi and Ho Chi Minh City has skyrocketed hundreds of times compared to the end of last year.

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