As the year draws to a close, cross-border e-commerce sellers must prepare their operational strategies for the new year. This market intelligence report covers crucial updates including Amazon Japan's holiday operation adjustments, the launch of Shenzhen's cross-border trade big data platform, and funding developments for Singapore's e-commerce SaaS platform Plugo.
Amazon Japan: Year-End Operation Adjustment Guide
The year-end period marks important holidays in Japan. Amazon Japan has issued reminders for sellers planning to pause operations during this season:
- Listing Status: Set to "Not for Sale" if pausing operations
- Shipping Time: Extend estimated delivery times to inform customers of post-holiday fulfillment
- Delivery Pattern: Adjust shipping options, potentially suspending expedited services
Sellers should implement these adjustments to maintain performance metrics and provide clear purchasing guidance.
Shopee Singapore: GST Implementation Notice
Effective January 1, 2023, all goods entering Singapore via air/sea/mail will be subject to an 8% Goods and Services Tax (GST). Sellers have two compliance options:
- Register directly for GST if meeting Singapore's business presence or S$1 million annual revenue threshold
- Utilize Shopee's GST collection and remittance service
Lazada Logistics Rate Adjustments: Thailand Market Changes
Lazada has restructured its Thailand standard shipping program into separate air and land transport options for cross-border direct shipping from China:
- Air Shipping: 40 THB minimum final delivery fee (3-7 day delivery)
- Land Shipping: 23 THB minimum final delivery fee (5-13 day delivery)
- Standard Shipping: 23 THB minimum final delivery fee (8-15 day delivery)
Sellers should select transport methods based on product characteristics and customer expectations.
AliExpress Winter Clearance Promotion
AliExpress has launched its Winter Clearance Event, an A+ tier global promotion requiring country-specific discount pricing. The platform will deploy premium traffic resources to drive sales momentum.
Shenzhen Cross-Border Trade Big Data Platform Launches
The newly operational Shenzhen Cross-Border Trade Big Data Platform integrates customs, taxation, foreign exchange, and border inspection data through blockchain technology. This ecosystem connects trade participants, logistics providers, and financial institutions to enhance trade facilitation.
Hebei Export Growth: 13% Increase January-November
Hebei Province reported 505.28 billion RMB in total foreign trade from January-November 2022, with exports growing 13% to 305.94 billion RMB. Significant trade growth occurred with ASEAN (35.6% increase) and EU (9% increase) partners.
Global Economic Outlook: US Pessimism Prevails
A Wall Street Journal survey indicates 66% of American voters believe the economy is heading in the wrong direction, with 83% of Republican voters anticipating worsening conditions in 2023.
Funding Update: Singapore's Plugo Secures $9M Series A
E-commerce SaaS provider Plugo has raised $9 million in Series A funding led by Altos Ventures. The Singapore-based company plans to expand its engineering team with the new capital.
Post-Recovery Health Advisory
Medical experts recommend avoiding strenuous exercise during early COVID-19 recovery. Three consecutive negative antigen tests may substitute for PCR testing to confirm non-contagious status.