Category: Other Marketplaces

Selling on Xiaohongshu (Little Red Book) in China: The Ultimate Guide

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China has one of the biggest eCommerce markets in the world and you can find a plethora of marketplaces here. In the past decade, brands like Tmall, JD, Pinduoduo, and Koala have attracted millions of buyers to become frequent buyers.

Xiaohongshu, referred to as Little Red Book, or sometimes only RED, is a website that started out in a blog format. Here, bloggers could write reviews of products and the rest is history.

Even if Xiaohongshu allows merchants to sell products on the website, it’s primarily used to drive traffic to other websites and for sales on WeChat, for example.

Setting up an account on WeChat and Xiaohonhshu is often done in combination and significantly cheaper compared to selling on Tmall. This is something we review later in this article.

Today, we will go through all the key topics you should know before you start selling on Xiaohongshu.

Today, we review the following:

  • What is Xiaohongshu?
  • Using KOLs and Influencers on Xiaohongshu
  • The Business Model of Xiaohongshu
  • Xiaohongshu’s Market Share
  • The Process when Selling on Xiaohongshu

What is Xiaohongshu?

Xiaohongshu (小红书) started out in 2013 and is one of the fastest-growing e-commerce websites in China, currently having around 100 million users. Continue reading Selling on Xiaohongshu (Little Red Book) in China: The Ultimate Guide

Top eCommerce Websites in Thailand: An Overview

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Thailand’s eCommerce market is set to grow much in the coming years and will only be behind Indonesia’s. Everything from cosmetics, food & beverages, clothes, and DIY products is in high demand here.

Over the years, we’ve also seen many eCommerce companies entering the market.

In this article, we review the most popular eCommerce marketplaces in Thailand. We review their unique features and why these sites have managed to become leading forces in the market.

1. Shopee

Shopee is the biggest eCommerce platform in Southeast Asia in terms of monthly users. Originally founded in 2015, the marketplace has gained much traction thanks to its competitive shipping services.

The benefits of using Shopee are also the many discounts and free shipping all over Thailand. Continue reading Top eCommerce Websites in Thailand: An Overview

Taiwan Market Entry Guide: An Introduction

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Taiwan has a comparatively small eCommerce market but attracts many foreign exporters who wish to penetrate the Asian market.

Companies often see a specific demand for their products in the Taiwanese market or sell here in addition to other countries.

For example, Shopee is one marketplace that operates in multiple countries and regions, including Taiwan ROC, as well as Vietnam, Singapore, Malaysia, Philippines, Thailand, Indonesia, and Korea.

In this article, we go into greater detail and cover the most important topics for exporters that want to enter the Taiwanese eCommerce market.

If there’s anything else you wonder about, feel free to write a comment at the end of the article.

Topics covered:

  • Market Entry Strategy
  • Taiwan Market Entry Obstacles
  • Market Entry Research
  • Incorporation

Market Entry Strategy

Market entries can differ depending on the sales goals and level of commitment among companies. While some brands just want to test a market and increase local awareness, other companies have vast goals to increase sales rapidly. Continue reading Taiwan Market Entry Guide: An Introduction

Japan Market Entry Guide: An Introduction

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Japan is the most developed Asian country and offers plenty of growth opportunities for eCommerce companies that wish to enter the market.

The eCommerce market is the third-biggest in the world, ahead of the UK and just behind China and the US. In 2020 alone, it grew by as much as 26%.

The same as for the US, Amazon is a major marketplace but there are also a handful of other options available. In this article, I explain the most important information for foreigners who wish to enter the Japanese eCommerce market.

Topics covered:

  • Market Entry Strategy
  • Japan Market Entry Obstacles
  • Market Entry Research
  • Incorporation

Market Entry Strategy

Entering a market can mean different things and highly depends on your level of involvement. Continue reading Japan Market Entry Guide: An Introduction

China Competitor Price Analysis

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The Chinese market becomes increasingly more saturated and competitive with foreign brands. While some companies see great success such as Foreo Luna and Gucci, other brands have suffered and been forced to close operations.

Having a sound knowledge of local competition and a suitable pricing strategy is one of the most important parts of a market entry strategy and crucial for future success to maximize sales.

In this article, I cover a wide range of topics and explain how you can perform a competitor price analysis in China.

Topics covered:

  • What is competitor cost analysis?
  • How do I find out what my competitors are charging?
  • Calculating your unit cost
  • FAQ

What is competitor price analysis?

Competitor price analysis is an essential part of a company’s market entry strategy and can ultimately determine whether you will succeed in a new market or not.

It helps you understand how much other companies charge for their products online and/or offline. From a strategic point of view, the analysis can help to better understand the entry barriers in a market. Continue reading China Competitor Price Analysis

Top 5 eCommerce Websites in Asia: A Complete Guide

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to China & Southeast Asia

Cross-border E-Commerce is set to grow immensely in Asia in the coming decade.

At the same time as China has become the world’s biggest E-Commerce market, neighboring countries like Indonesia, Vietnam, and the Philippines grow at impressive rates.

With increased disposable incomes, mobile usage, and internet penetration, Asia will continue to be the most interesting eCommerce market in the world.

With that said, navigating new eCommerce markets can be a daunting task due to the many eCommerce websites available. In this article, I’ve listed the most popular and interesting eCommerce marketplaces in Asia.

1. Tmall Global (China)

China’s E-Commerce market is not only the biggest but one of the most developed in the World.

With a population of 1.4 billion and a surging middle class, it’s become three times bigger than the US E-Commerce market.

Here, Tmall Global (天猫国际) is undoubtedly one of the most popular cross-border E-Commerce websites.

Continue reading Top 5 eCommerce Websites in Asia: A Complete Guide

Selling on Vipshop and VIP International in China: The Ultimate Guide

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to China & Southeast Asia

The Chinese E-Commerce market grows immensely and will lead the way for other Asian countries in the coming years.

On the contrary to countries like the US, where you can choose between eBay and Amazon, China has a dozen of E-Commerce websites that all bring different benefits.

When I talk with foreign companies, they’ve rarely heard about Vipshop, and maybe more importantly, VIP International. The latter one has grown a hundred folds since it was established in 2014 and is currently one of the biggest marketplaces for cross-border E-commerce.

In this article, you’ll learn what differentiates VIP International from other marketplaces and whether you should sell on these websites or not.

Topics covered in this article:

  • What is Vipshop.com and VIP International?
  • The Growth of VIP International
  • How does the typical customer look like on VIP International?
  • Products Sold on Vipshop
  • How can I start selling on Vipshop and VIP International?
  • Costs to Sell on Vipshop
  • How can I get paid on Vipshop and VIP International?
  • Can I sell cross-border on Vipshop?

What is Vipshop.com and VIP International?

Vipshop started as early as 2008. Still, many foreigners aren’t familiar with this giant marketplace.

Previously being the highest valued E-Commerce website in China, the cross border sub-platform VIP International is currently the third biggest in terms of cross border sales.

So, what makes Vipshop and VIP International different from other big players like Tmall and Jingdong (JD)?

Continue reading Selling on Vipshop and VIP International in China: The Ultimate Guide

Selling on JD.com in China: A Complete Guide

Posted on by Fredrik Gronkvist — 5 Comments

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to China & Southeast Asia

JD.com is the second-largest B2C eCommerce marketplace in China and was launched as late as 2015. Since its inception, it’s developed advanced fulfillment systems and caters to hundreds of millions of buyers.

While Tmall Global is getting a lot of attention from cross border eCommerce companies, few are aware of JDs own cross-border program – JD Worldwide.

In this article, you will learn why JD Worldwide could be the next sales channel for your business, and the requirements you must meet before you can start selling.

What is JD.com?

JD.com, which stands for Jing Dong (京东), is China’s second-largest eCommerce marketplace. It’s only second to Taobao.com, which also includes Tmall.com, both owned by the large company Alibaba Group.

While Taobao.com and Tmall.com are open platforms, allowing anyone (at least in China), to set up a store and start selling – JD.com is more focused on direct sales.

They have more of a hybrid model today, that I will get into in a bit, but JD.com is still sourcing products and selling directly to end customers.

Thus, JD.com operates more like a traditional online store. Continue reading Selling on JD.com in China: A Complete Guide

How to Sell on Kaola.com: The Ultimate Guide

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to China & Southeast Asia

Many things have changed since the cross border e-commerce industry started out in China some years ago.

With that said, companies like JD, Tmall, and Kaola were launched as late as 2014-2016 and the e-commerce market is still in an infant stage.

One of the most popular marketplaces is undoubtedly Kaola, which has seen a massive growth the past years.

With that said, it’s not that easy to find summarized information about Kaola, what options you have when selling on the website, how much you need to pay, and more.

Therefore, I’ve written this article where I explain the crucial details you need to know before you start selling on this rapidly growing marketplace.

Topics covered:

  • What is Kaola?
  • Advantages when selling on Kaola
  • Kaola market share
  • How much does it cost to sell on Kaola?
  • What kinds of companies sell products on Kaola?
  • Process when opening a store on Kaola
  • FAQ

What is Kaola?

Kaola was established by NetEase in 2015, which is one of China’s biggest IT companies.

The name Kaola literally means Koala in Chinese (考拉), as the website’s first goal was to target Australian companies, who wished to sell their products in China. I assume the name and the logo of the company might give you some hints.

Continue reading How to Sell on Kaola.com: The Ultimate Guide

How to Export Products to Taiwan: An Overview

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Taiwan has a surprisingly big eCommerce market and its structure of consumption brings many similarities to Europe’s. Even if the way of consuming products is closer to that of Japan, the Taiwanese often have a great appetite for foreign food products.

Worth mentioning is also that two-thirds of all products sold from Europe to Taiwan are electronic products, bringing similarities to Sweden where electronics are the most imported products via eCommerce channels.

Even if Taiwan brings many opportunities for foreign exporters who want to penetrate the local eCommerce market, you will most likely have challenges ahead. Thus, it’s important that you learn about local regulations, the export process, and make sure to connect with the right people.

In this article, we review the following topics:

  • Which products are in demand in Taiwan?
  • Top eCommerce Platforms
  • Trade Fairs for Exporters
  • Shipping & Fulfillment

Which products are in demand in Taiwan?

The Taiwanese have a strong appetite for foreign products, a trend that we’ve seen going on for years. Being one of the biggest importers in the world according to the European Economic and Trade Office, plenty of consumer products are in demand. Continue reading How to Export Products to Taiwan: An Overview