TikTok's move into Silicon Valley signifies more than just office expansion; it's a crucial step in its US localization e-commerce strategy. Leveraging its leading global short-video platform, TikTok is actively building a complete closed-loop e-commerce ecosystem within the US, aiming to challenge traditional e-commerce giants and reshape the American e-commerce landscape. Its future development is highly anticipated.
The World Customs Organization (WCO) Working Group on E-Commerce (WGEC) held its final meeting in Brussels, finalizing key annexes to the Technical Specifications of the E-Commerce Standards Framework, laying the foundation for the implementation of global standards for cross-border e-commerce. The meeting emphasized the importance of data sharing, case studies, and capacity building, and looked forward to the future development direction of cross-border e-commerce standards. These achievements have significant implications for the development of China's cross-border e-commerce.
Amazon's strict rules pose challenges for cross-border e-commerce sellers, with issues related to FBA inventory surplus and returns. The high return rate, reaching 15%-20%, leads to many products being unsellable due to damaged packaging or non-compliance with review standards. To address this, sellers must return the goods to a third-party overseas warehouse before sending them to the FBA warehouse for restocking.
This article focuses on the two main models of cross-border e-commerce: bonded shopping and direct purchase imports. The bonded shopping model utilizes bonded warehouses for rapid shipping, while direct purchase imports involve sending goods directly from abroad. Understanding the differences, advantages, and disadvantages of these two methods is crucial for consumers to make informed shopping choices in a rapidly changing market environment.
JD Logistics has initiated drone delivery tests in Suqian to enhance delivery efficiency in rural e-commerce. The experiment focuses on the transfer of goods from distribution centers to rural promoters, addressing the last-mile delivery challenge. Drone delivery significantly boosts logistics efficiency and offers customers a better shopping experience. JD also plans to advance drone research and automated warehousing technology to further improve operational efficiency.
Declining sales in some Amazon categories reflect a trend of consumption downgrade. Lower US consumer savings rates and rising Engel's coefficients are leading to reduced spending on non-essential goods. Cross-border e-commerce sellers should address these challenges through product innovation, supply chain optimization, brand building, refined operations, and diversified channels. Crucially, controlling costs is paramount to adapt to the new normal of consumption downgrade.
Following Facebook, Instagram also announced the closure of its live e-commerce feature, marking Meta's complete abandonment of the live e-commerce sector. Although the live e-commerce market in Europe and America continues to grow, it still lags far behind the Chinese market. Meta's failure reflects the unsuitability of the live e-commerce model in the European and American markets, as well as the challenges of corporate strategic adjustments. This highlights the differences in consumer behavior and market dynamics between China and the West in the context of live e-commerce.
Amazon is poaching influencers with high salaries to counter the rise of TikTok e-commerce, highlighting its emphasis on live-streaming e-commerce. TikTok Shop's global expansion brings new opportunities for cross-border sellers. The cross-border e-commerce landscape is facing reshaping, and future competition is full of variables. Only innovators can win. Amazon's move underscores the growing importance of short-form video and live commerce in the global e-commerce market and the intense competition between major players.
The Latin American e-commerce market is experiencing explosive growth, with Brazil, the largest e-commerce market in the region, serving as a gateway to Latin America. Mercado Libre, a leading e-commerce giant in Latin America, continues to invest in the Brazilian market, boasting a leading market position and an efficient logistics network. The Brazilian e-commerce market is poised for further growth in the coming years, presenting numerous opportunities for Chinese sellers.
The World Customs Organization (WCO) E-Commerce Package provides a guiding framework for customs administrations in managing cross-border e-commerce, with the core being the Framework of Standards on Cross-Border E-Commerce. It covers trade facilitation, security, revenue collection, and consumer protection. The WCO urges countries to implement the package in phases based on their national circumstances and provides support to promote secure, efficient, sustainable, and inclusive cross-border e-commerce development.
