Category: Other Marketplaces

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

Posted on by Marcus Sohlberg — 1 Comment

Suggestion: Watch the 10 minutes video tutorial before reading this article

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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 — 3 Comments

Suggestion: Watch the 10 minutes video tutorial before reading this article

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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

Posted on by Marcus Sohlberg — Leave a comment

Suggestion: Watch the 10 minutes video tutorial before reading this article

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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

Selling via Cross-Border eCommerce in Southeast Asia

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Do you sell online and want to expand to Southeast Asian markets?

Southeast Asia is currently one of the fastest-growing regions, we will see more and more foreign merchants entering the market in the coming years.

That said, it’s still comparatively easy to start selling cross-border here. The competition is still low for foreign products, you can let an eCommerce partner manage your shop for a few hundreds of dollars each month.

That’s not the case in China where sellers have to pay tens of thousands of dollars to get started.

Thus, the Southeast Asian is suitable for SMEs that want to try the Asian eCommerce markets first.

In this article, we review the following topics:

  • Southeast Asia’s eCommerce Market
  • Southeast Asia vs China eCommerce
  • Top eCommerce Marketplaces in Southeast Asia
  • How much does it cost to sell online in Southeast Asia?
  • Shipping & Fulfillment
  • FAQ

Southeast Asia’s eCommerce Market

Southeast Asia’s eCommerce market is one of the most promising and set to grow immensely in the coming years. In 2015, the value of the marketo was USD 5.5 billion but it’s predicted to exceed USD 150 billion by 2025. Continue reading Selling via Cross-Border eCommerce in Southeast Asia

JD Worldwide Seller Fees Guide: An Overview

Posted on by Marcus Sohlberg — Leave a comment

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Jingdong (JD) Worldwide is the cross-border eCommerce platform launched by Tencent in 2015. With more than 300 million monthly users, JD Worldwide is undoubtedly one of the biggest cross-border eCommerce websites in China.

With that said, selling online in China is more expensive compared to southeast Asia, and building up brand awareness is crucial at a start.

If you plan to sell on JD Worldwide, you must understand how much it will set you back in terms of setup and running costs.

In this article, I explain what setup fees and running costs you have to pay when selling on JD Worldwide. Let’s get started.

1. Refundable Deposit

First, you have to pay a deposit before you can start operating the store. This deposit is refundable, but JD has the right to deduct money if any dispute arises between you and a buyer. Simple as that.

The deposit is generally USD 15,000 but can reach up to USD 30,000, depending on the products you sell. It can also go down to as low as USD 10,000 for products like games and IP commodities. Continue reading JD Worldwide Seller Fees Guide: An Overview

Top 4 eCommerce Websites in China

Posted on by Marcus Sohlberg — Leave a comment

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China has the biggest eCommerce market in the world and recently surpassed the US. Previously, we have mainly seen large brands entering the market but that will change in the coming years.

Through the new eCommerce law, we will see more IP protection, a stronger focus on SMEs, and to simplify market entries.

The eCommerce landscape changes quickly in China and some companies have managed to become top players in as little as two years. In this article, I explain some of the top eCommerce websites in China and what sets these apart.

1. Tmall

Launched in 2014, Tmall is China’s biggest eCommerce platform with a market share of around 40%. Continue reading Top 4 eCommerce Websites in China

Top 3 Lazada Agencies in Southeast Asia: An Overview

Posted on by Marcus Sohlberg — Leave a comment

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Southeast Asia is currently one of the fastest-growing markets in the world and its eCommerce industry one of the most promising. Compared to countries like the US and China, it’s easier to get started here and the market is still comparatively untapped.

There are plenty of other benefits of selling here and it’s a great way to try out and learn more about the Asian markets. For example, it’s cheaper and you can pay a significantly smaller sum to hire a Lazada agency compared to a Tmall Partner.

In this article, we have listed some of the top Lazada agencies that help foreigners to sell cross-border on multiple marketplaces at once, including Lazada, Shopee, Zalora, and more.

1. Red Dino Ventures

Red Dino Ventures is a Malaysia-based eCommerce agency that helps both local and foreign buyers with marketplace setups. Besides, they also help with marketplace retainers which simply means that they can run the store on your behalf, managing everything from customer claims to shipping. Continue reading Top 3 Lazada Agencies in Southeast Asia: An Overview

6 Top Selling Products on JD.com

Posted on by Marcus Sohlberg — Leave a comment

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JD.com is one of the biggest eCommerce platforms in China that has grown at a rate of more than 30% a year. Not surprisingly, increasingly more foreign companies see JD as one of the best options to reach the growing Chinese online consumer market.

Before you start selling in China, it’s important that you know what products are in demand on the different eCommerce websites. Previously, I wrote an article where I list some of the top-selling products on Tmall.

Today, we’ll have a look at some of the top-selling products on JD, Tmall’s main competitor. Let’s get right into it.

1. Electronics & Home Appliances

JD attracts plenty of Chinese buyers who look for electronic merchandise, gadgets, and home appliances. The company does its utmost to grab market shares in these markets and acquired 46% of the big home appliance retail chain Five Star in 2019, valued at USD 190 million.

It’s not strange why JD is so strong in this market as it’s the preferred option among many men who are young and middle-aged, with a high purchasing power. Continue reading 6 Top Selling Products on JD.com

How to Fulfill & Ship Products with Shopee: A Complete Guide

Posted on by Marcus Sohlberg — 5 Comments

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Shopee has become one of the biggest E-Commerce marketplaces in Southeast Asia. Nowadays, it can also be found in countries like Korea and Taiwan.

Thus, Shopee operates in Asian countries where Lazada currently doesn’t have a presence.

Increasingly more cross-border sellers wonder how they can start selling on Shopee. Often, they ask how they can fulfill and ship orders to clients in so many countries.

In this article, you’ll learn the following:

  • What shipping options are available for Shopee sellers?
  • 3rd party fulfillment centers
  • Fulfilled By Shopee (FBS)
  • How can sellers offer free shipping on Shopee?
  • How can customers track orders?
  • How do sellers manage returns and failed deliveries?

What shipping options are available for Shopee sellers?

Shopee doesn’t have a mature logistics infrastructure for global cross-border sellers. At least not in comparison to Lazada and major Chinese E-Commerce platforms, like Tmall Global and JD Worldwide.

Its services are mainly to serve sellers in China, at least at the moment.

This is not strange as most of the products sold online in Southeast Asia are in the lower price range, manufactured in- and sold from sellers in China.

Continue reading How to Fulfill & Ship Products with Shopee: A Complete Guide