This document is a detailed global e-commerce platform manual, compiled and published by ESG Cross-border. The manual aims to help cross-border e-commerce practitioners understand e-commerce platforms around the world, providing them with one-stop solutions to assist in expanding into international markets.
1. Introduction
- Overseas markets have become key to e-commerce growth. Facing complex foreign trade situations, "multi-platform store opening" has become the preferred strategy to reduce risks, increase brand exposure, and broaden the customer base.
- ESG Cross-border has sorted out core information on 100+ e-commerce platforms, covering platform profiles, advantages, categories, entry requirements, and important notes, helping sellers open stores globally.
2. Introduction to Major Global E-commerce Platforms
- Alibaba International: The world's largest B2B platform, established in 1999, serving over 40 million active business buyers, with operations worldwide. Provides one-stop services, logistics covering 200+ countries and regions, and supports various trade methods. Suitable for selling products in categories such as machinery, electronics, home goods, etc. Entry requires business license and other documents, with different membership fee models.
- AliExpress: One of China's largest cross-border B2C export platforms, established in 2010, covering 220 countries and regions worldwide, with Russia, the US, and Spain as major markets. The platform has high traffic, supports multiple languages and local payments, and offers a wide range of hot-selling categories. Entry requires business qualifications and related documents, charges sales commissions, and supports various logistics and payment methods.
- Amazon: The world's largest cross-border e-commerce platform, established in 1995, with 18 major overseas sites now open. Numerous advantages, such as a massive user base, strong logistics, and premium membership services, mainly selling products across multiple categories. Entry requires business documents, monthly rent and sales commissions vary by site and category, with multiple logistics and payment options.
- eBay: An online auction and shopping website, founded in 1995, covering over 190 countries and regions. The platform is mature, has strong purchasing power, and diverse categories. Entry requires business qualifications and documents, with fees including store subscription, sales, listing, etc., supporting self-shipping and overseas warehouse shipping.
- SHEIN: A leading global fast fashion e-commerce brand platform, established in 2008, with business covering over 150 countries and regions. High traffic, stable payments, convenient logistics, and strong system management, mainly selling fashion and lifestyle products. There are two modes: self-operated and platform sellers, with different entry requirements and fees.
- Temu: Pinduoduo's cross-border e-commerce platform, launched in 2022, developing rapidly and has entered multiple countries. Extremely high traffic, fast payments, simple operations, and complete categories. Entry requires a business license, with various cooperation models and corresponding pricing and settlement rules.
- TikTok Shop: TikTok's official online store, launched in 2022, leveraging TikTok's traffic advantage, with business scope covering the globe. Advantages include high traffic, superior algorithms, favorable policies, and easy operation, with a wide range of hot-selling categories. Entry requires meeting certain conditions, the platform charges a deposit, commission, and transaction fees, with a payment cycle of about one month.
3. Overview of Major E-commerce Platforms in Other Regions
- Europe: Includes platforms such as Allegro in Poland, bol.com in the Benelux region, and Cdiscount in France, each with different characteristics and advantages in their local markets, such as Allegro's high monthly visits, bol.com's strong local influence, and Cdiscount's diverse marketing tools.
- Japan and Korea: Such as Korea's 11st, Coupang, Gmarket, and Japan's Rakuten, Starday, etc. Korean platforms are popular among young people, while Japanese platforms have unique features in market share and services, such as Rakuten's high market share and Starday's obvious logistics and operational advantages.
- South Asia: Includes India's Flipkart, Myntra, etc., which occupy important positions in the Indian market, such as Flipkart's high market share and Myntra's focus on fashion.
- Southeast Asia: Platforms like Lazada and Shopee are developing rapidly in the Southeast Asian market, with Lazada having a well-developed logistics system and Shopee offering broad coverage and excellent localized operations.
- North America: Includes platforms such as BestBuy and Walmart in the US, Walmart Canada in Canada, etc. The North American e-commerce market is highly competitive, with BestBuy focusing on home appliance retail and Walmart as a comprehensive retail giant.
- Latin America: Such as Brazil's Americanas and MercadoLibre, each with their own advantages in the Latin American market, with Americanas having strong local influence and MercadoLibre offering wide coverage.
- Turkey: Includes platforms such as Gittigidiyor and Hepsiburada, with Gittigidiyor as an auction platform and Hepsiburada having high traffic in Turkey and Eastern Europe.
- Russia: Includes platforms such as OZON and Wildberries, with OZON offering a wide range of categories and high market recognition, and Wildberries mainly selling shoes, clothing, and accessories, with broad market coverage.
- Middle East: Platforms such as Fordeal and Noon, with Fordeal developing rapidly and offering favorable policies, and Noon having strong capital and localized operations.
- Australia: Catch is one of Australia's largest online retailers, with great market potential and strong purchasing power.
- Africa: Includes platforms such as Jumia and KiKUU, with Jumia as Africa's leading cross-border e-commerce platform and KiKUU providing one-stop services, developing well in the African market.
4. Independent Sites and Related Service Brands
- Introduces independent site building brands such as Shoptop and 2cshop, providing "site building + marketing" one-stop services to help Chinese brands go global.
- Covers product selection analysis tools such as Blue Whale BI and Super Shop Data, helping sellers analyze market trends, select products, and manage store operations.
- Includes overseas marketing platforms such as Rainbow KOL and Nox Star, providing influencer marketing, advertising placement, and other services to help brand promotion.
- Involves payment and tax compliance service brands such as ONERWAY and TaxEasy, providing secure payment solutions and tax compliance support for cross-border e-commerce.
- Introduces logistics and warehousing companies such as Baotongda Logistics and Chain Warehouse Technology, providing international logistics, overseas warehousing, and other services to ensure cross-border e-commerce goods transportation and storage.
- Includes intellectual property service brands such as Ruiguan and Jite IP, providing infringement risk detection, intellectual property integration, and other services for cross-border sellers.
- Mentions cross-border ERP systems such as Fingerprint Technology and Puyuan Software, providing supply chain management, store operation, and other solutions to improve cross-border e-commerce operational efficiency.
- Introduces industry media such as Chuanglan Forum and 41 Finance, as well as browser tools such as Feikua Browser and Zinia Browser, providing knowledge sharing, information dissemination, and secure operation guarantees for cross-border e-commerce practitioners.
