{"id":10120,"date":"2022-05-04T07:30:45","date_gmt":"2022-05-04T07:30:45","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/focus.cbbc.org\/?p=10120"},"modified":"2025-04-23T09:41:36","modified_gmt":"2025-04-23T09:41:36","slug":"how-to-sell-in-china-e-commerce-platform-or-branded-website","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/focus.cbbc.org\/how-to-sell-in-china-e-commerce-platform-or-branded-website\/","title":{"rendered":"How to sell in China: E-commerce platform or branded website?"},"content":{"rendered":"

Launching an e-commerce presence in China requires careful consideration: should you choose an e-commerce giant like Tmall or a social commerce platform like Douyin or WeChat? Agnes Yung, group account director at digital agency Hylink UK, explains the advantages of each platform<\/h2>\n

China has the largest population of digital buyers in the world \u2013 780 million people in 2021 \u2013 and the e-commerce market is projected to reach $3 trillion in 2024. That\u2019s a huge market, but it\u2019s also a market with an entirely different landscape from the Western world. As a result, many brands and businesses find it difficult to navigate the Chinese e-commerce landscape due to budget and resource constraints, and most of all, a lack of local knowledge.<\/p>\n

If you are operating an e-commerce website in Europe, it\u2019s likely that you have some cross-border orders from China already, so may be considering creating a \u2018.cn\u2019 website as a next step. However, particularly as an SME, it is prudent to be mindful of the commitment required to create a website infrastructure in China (including tackling the firewall issue) and engage with local logistics. Most importantly, however, Chinese customers are much more accustomed to shopping from giant e-commerce platforms or social e-commerce, rather than individual brand websites.<\/p>\n

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The e-commerce giants<\/h4>\n

Tmall<\/strong>
\nTmall Global is China\u2019s largest cross-border B2C digital marketplace, enabling brands without operations in China to create virtual storefronts and ship products into China. Tmall Global offers one-stop solutions for inventory and logistics management<\/a>, providing options such as bonded warehouses and consolidated shipping from overseas, with Tmall Partners (certified third-party operators) managing the business locally and providing customer support. Some companies use Tmall Global as a stepping stone before committing to a store on domestic brand-focused platform Tmall for more established brands.<\/p>\n

JD<\/strong>
\nJD runs a substantially different business model to Tmall Global as it takes ownership of merchandise sold and is directly responsible to customers for product quality, authenticity, and any after-sales service. JD has its own logistics system, with a vast network of distribution stations and warehouses to fulfil orders quickly. Traditionally known for consumer electronics, the platform has also built up a luxury fashion portfolio in recent years.<\/p>\n

However, working with the above platforms comes with cost implications and reduced control over your brand, something that not every business is ready for. Other challenges include gaining and maintaining visibility on a competitive platform and building brand equity in a sales-driven environment.<\/p>\n