With increased access to broadband networks, a proliferation of WiFi sites and a burgeoning smartphone market, it is little surprise that residents of six countries in Southeast Asia are going online with gusto. But what is really raising eyebrows is the fact that in some of these countries Internet usage is now surpassing traditional media such as TV, radio or print.

In Southeast Asia, recent Nielsen research indicates that consumers are highly influenced by online advertising, much higher than the global average.

As inflationary concerns continue to mount across Asia Pacific, more shoppers are turning to promotional offers for some respite from the rising prices of fast-moving consumer goods (FMCGs), according to a Nielsen study on shopper trends. Shoppers in Vietnam and Malaysia were particularly motivated by promotions, followed by shoppers in China.

With inflation and the cost of food, fuel and other basic necessities taking a bigger share of Vietnamese consumers’ wallets, it might not seem to be the best time for the country’s banks to think about expanding.

For most of the past two years, Vietnam has been on a roll. Virtually untouched by the global economic downturn, the country posted strong GDP growth. Consumer confidence, while fluctuating quite a bit, generally ranked among the highest of the 55 countries monitored by Nielsen on a quarterly basis.

Undoubtedly on the minds of many Vietnamese are the surging prices for food and other goods that the country has experienced over the last 12 months.

Consumer confidence fell in 25 out of 52 countries in Q4 2010 as hope for a global economic recovery evaporated at the end of last year, according to the latest edition of the Nielsen Global Consumer Confidence Index.

Twenty percent of the Vietnamese population is between the ages of 15 and 24, and half of these young people already use mobile services. Like their counterparts in other countries, young people in Vietnam use more data than average.

3G mobile rolled out across Vietnam in 2009, and The Nielsen Company used the anniversary of its launch as a check point to survey consumers’ attitudes and assess market awareness of the technology

Retail in developing markets like Vietnam has remained fairly robust. All signs point to further opportunities for expansion.