Category: Cross-Border E-Commerce

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

Singapore Market Entry Guide: An Introduction

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Singapore has some of the strongest and the most developed eCommerce markets in Southeast Asia, growing by 8.35% a year. A benefit of selling on platforms like Lazada in Singapore is that you can clone your stores and get access to other ASEAN markets.

Even if it’s fairly straightforward to start selling in Singapore, it’s important that you understand your market entry options, the obstacles, and more. In this article, I cover the basics and explain the key information when entering the Singaporean market.

Topics covered:

  • Market Entry Strategy for Singapore
  • Singapore Market Entry Obstacles
  • Market Entry Research
  • Incorporation

Market Entry Strategy

Let’s start and review the options you have when entering the Singaporean market. The choices among sellers relate to their level of commitment, budget, and brand awareness, for example.

As societies become digitized and eCommerce is on the rise, hybrid-solutions of selling both cross-border, on local eCommerce websites, and offline also become more common. Continue reading Singapore Market Entry Guide: An Introduction

Vietnam Market Entry Guide: An Introduction

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Being an emerging market with a rapidly growing middle-class, investors and exporters compare Vietnam to China 15-20 years ago.

Even if Vietnam receives the attention to becoming a manufacturing hub, the domestic market shows an increased appetite for foreign products.

Entering the market can seem like a complex task for foreigners with little or no experience in Vietnam. Yet with some hand-holding and thought through planning you can avoid common pitfalls and plan for future sales.

In this article, I explain the basics you need to know when entering the Vietnamese eCommerce market as a foreigner.

Topics covered:

  • Market Entry Strategy
  • Vietnam Market Entry Obstacles
  • Market Entry Research
  • Incorporation

Market Entry Strategy

Entering a new market requires a robust strategy, including considerations to the different levels of involvement. For example, some companies are at an early stage and want to increase brand awareness through online or offline campaigns. Continue reading Vietnam 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

China Market Entry Guide: An Introduction

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China has the biggest consumer market in the world and its economy shifts towards domestic consumption. As a result, increasingly more foreign companies want to sell here and grasp market shares.

Yet, many exporters are unaware of the challenges that companies face when entering the market. It has a completely separate ecosystem with different search engines, buying behaviors, and legal setups. It’s crucial that you get your feet wet first.

In this article, I share the key info you should know prior to entering the Chinese eCommerce market.

Topics covered:

  • Market Entry Strategy
  • China Market Entry Obstacles
  • Market Entry Research
  • Incorporation

Market Entry Strategy

As disposable incomes and the appetite for foreign products increase in developing Asian countries, we see a greater demand for market entries. Continue reading China Market Entry Guide: An Introduction

Top 5 eCommerce Websites in Asia: 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

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

Shipping Products with Lazada Global Shipping (LGS): A Complete Guide

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Free Webinar: How to Sell Online
to China & Southeast Asia

Lazada is one of the fastest-growing eCommerce marketplaces worldwide as it serves the booming Southeast Asian market.

Selling cross-border into six markets can be a challenging task, especially as customers demand shorter delivery lead times and increased customer service.

Luckily, Lazada has launched Lazada Global Shipping (LGS) which helps you facilitating orders, last-mile deliveries, and returns. The service is easy to use and integrated with the Lazada platform.

In this article, we review LGS in greater detail, covering the most important topics asked by sellers.

Topics covered:

  • What is Lazada Global Shipping (LGS)?
  • What is Kobron?
  • What are the benefits of using LGS?
  • Can I use other fulfillment companies and LGS at the same time?
  • How much does it cost to use LGS?
  • How can I manage orders with LGS?
  • How can I track orders with LGS?
  • What local couriers are available when selling on Lazada?
  • How do I manage returns?
  • What are the limitations of using LGS?

What is Lazada Global Shipping (LGS)?

Lazada Global Shipping (LGS) is Lazada’s in-house shipping solution that is solely dedicated to cross-border sellers.

You’re probably familiar with the term cross-border sales by now, but let’s have a quick recap. Practically speaking, you ship your products from overseas (e.g. the US or Europe) to Lazada’s fulfillment center in Hong Kong. Continue reading Shipping Products with Lazada Global Shipping (LGS): A Complete Guide

Product Restrictions when Selling Cross-Border on Lazada

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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

Selling cross-border on Lazada gives you access to as many as 6 nations, all located in ASEAN. Starting on Lazada is also comparably easy and won’t set you back more than a few hundred dollars.

But, not only does Lazada has requirements due to internal policies. As a matter of fact, ASEAN countries are not equally developed, have different customs processes, import regulations, religions, and cultures.

In this article, I explain about product restrictions when selling cross-border on on Lazada.

A comment before we start: Keep in mind that regulations change frequently and you should contact Lazada, or sign up to become a seller, for up-to-date information.

Topics covered:

  • General prohibited items in all ventures
  • Country-specific prohibited items
  • Counterfeit/replica goods
  • Second-hand/used goods
  • FAQ

What products are not allowed to be sold on Lazada?

I’ve divided the sections into generally prohibited items by country, country-specific prohibited items, counterfeit/replica goods, and second-hand goods.

This is for us to have a better overview and the same structure Lazada uses when presenting their requirements. Let’s have a look. Continue reading Product Restrictions when Selling Cross-Border on Lazada

Managing Customer Returns & Failed Deliveries on Lazada

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Free Webinar: How to Sell Online
to China & Southeast Asia

Many international exporters reside outside of Asia and want to sell cross-border on Lazada.

A common question is therefore how you can deal with customer returns and failed deliveries. Who will take care of the parcels and is it even possible to get them back, while you are on the side of the globe?

Luckily, you don’t need to be physically present at all. The process can be managed with the help of Lazada’s logistics services and with a separate 3PL company.

In this article, I go into greater detail and explain the information you need to know about how to manage failed deliveries and customer returns on Lazada.

Topics covered:

  • Acceptable reasons for customer returns on Lazada
  • The process for customer returns and failed deliveries
  • How to manage returns and failed deliveries for cross-border sales
  • Lazada’s re-routing process for failed deliveries

Acceptable reasons for customer returns on Lazada

Lazada’s return policies are pretty much the same for all ASEAN countries. Customers can return products in all countries, except for Vietnam, based on the following reasons: Continue reading Managing Customer Returns & Failed Deliveries on Lazada

Top Tmall Partners in China & Hong Kong: 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

Selling online is the preferred choice for many foreigners who wish to enter the Chinese market. It’s not strange as the market has literally exploded in the past years and will continue to grow in the future.

If you plan to sell on Tmall (or Tmall Global), the easiest option is to find a Tmall Partner (TP) who can help you through the process. Not only are they experienced and have a presence in China, but they can also save you much time and money.

There’s a catch though. It’s not easy to find summarized information about Tmall Partners, their founders, their management, what clients they serve, and what marketplaces they’re active on. Therefore, I’ve written this article where I list some of the biggest and most popular Tmall Partners in China and Hong Kong.

1. Azoya Group

Azoya Group was founded by Alex Huang and Don Zhao in 2013, it’s one of the biggest Tmall Partners in China and has offices in 12 different locations worldwide. Continue reading Top Tmall Partners in China & Hong Kong: A Complete Guide