Category: Other Marketplaces

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

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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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Free Webinar: How to Sell Online
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

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

Free Webinar: How to Sell Online
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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Free Webinar: How to Sell Online
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

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

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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

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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