Traditional e-commerce transforms into imported cross-border e-commerce: strategies and paths

Under the dual promotion of globalization and the Internet, cross-border e-commerce has become an important part of international trade. Traditional e-commerce companies, faced with increasingly fierce market competition and diversified consumer demands, are seeking transformation and upgrading, and have set their sights on the vast blue ocean of imported cross-border e-commerce.

1. The necessity of transforming traditional e-commerce into imported cross-border e-commerce

The transformation of traditional e-commerce into imported cross-border e-commerce is not only an inevitable trend in market development, but also an important measure for enterprises to enhance their competitiveness and expand business channels. Imported cross-border e-commerce has huge market potential and profit margins, and can bring more sales and growth opportunities to enterprises. At the same time, by transforming import cross-border e-commerce, companies can better meet consumer needs, improve customer experience, and enhance brand influence.

2. Strategies for transformation of traditional e-commerce into imported cross-border e-commerce

1. Improve product quality and procurement flexibility

Import cross-border e-commerce has higher requirements for product quality and procurement flexibility. Traditional e-commerce companies need to strengthen cooperation with high-quality suppliers to ensure reliable and stable product quality. At the same time, companies also need to improve procurement flexibility and adjust procurement strategies in a timely manner according to market demand and consumer preferences to meet the rapid changes in the market.

2. Establish a joint operation model

Establishing a joint operation model with high-quality distributors is an effective way for traditional e-commerce to transform into imported cross-border e-commerce. Through division of labor, cooperation and resource sharing, companies can reduce costs, improve efficiency, and quickly enter the import cross-border e-commerce market. At the same time, the joint operation model can also help companies accumulate experience and resources to lay the foundation for independent operations in the future.

3. Self-built team to operate import cross-border e-commerce

Building a self-built team to operate imported cross-border e-commerce requires enterprises to have rich cross-border e-commerce experience and a professional operations team. Enterprises need to have an in-depth understanding of the rules and gameplay of imported cross-border e-commerce, master the operational rules of cross-border retail, and formulate product and customer service strategies that meet market demand. At the same time, companies also need to strengthen team building and cultivate a professional team with cross-border e-commerce operation capabilities.

3. The path for traditional e-commerce to transform into imported cross-border e-commerce

1. Maintain product acumen and create popular products

In the imported cross-border e-commerce market, product selection and quality are crucial. Enterprises need to remain sensitive to the market and promptly discover and seize changes in consumer demand. By creating popular products, we attract consumers’ attention and desire to purchase, and increase the company’s sales and market share.

2. Optimize customer service experience

The customer service experience of imported cross-border e-commerce is crucial to the success of the company. Enterprises need to formulate product and customer service strategies that comply with retail regulations and provide high-quality pre-sales, sales and after-sales services. Improve consumer satisfaction and loyalty by responding to consumer needs and questions in a timely manner.

4. Avoid transformation misunderstandings

1. Not all categories are suitable for cross-border e-commerce

Taking into account the advantages of my country’s large labor force, products suitable for cross-border e-commerce must reflect the characteristics of “Made in China”. For example, mass-produced electronic products and related accessories, or low-priced clothing accessories, etc. These products can reflect unique advantages and have the characteristics of low cost and high profit.

2. Choose a suitable trade model

At present, my country’s cross-border e-commerce trade models mainly include B2B model and B2C model. The B2B model is more suitable for cross-border e-commerce in the start-up stage. When the enterprise develops to a certain scale and has a strong financial and resource base, the B2C model can be adopted.

3. Comprehensive use of online and offline channels

For merchants, in addition to promoting products on the Internet and e-commerce platforms, they should also focus on promoting products offline, integrating the online and offline battlefields to jointly promote the development of the enterprise.

4. Face up to the complexity of cross-border logistics

Cross-border logistics is a complex link that needs to solve problems such as long delivery times, inability to track in real time, and customs clearance obstacles. For this reason, many businesses have begun to establish logistics centers overseas to store goods.

5. Choose a suitable cross-border e-commerce platform

Traditional enterprises must also solve the problem of platform selection when transforming into cross-border e-commerce. Among the three major cross-border e-commerce platforms, AliExpress is developing rapidly, but it is increasingly falling into a vicious price war; eBay has always maintained a strong position although it has lost some market share to Amazon in the past two years; Amazon has a relatively high threshold, but its advantages in brand accumulation have attracted more and more sellers.

6. Step-by-step and trend driven

Traditional foreign trade companies need to pay attention to the principle of step-by-step when transforming into cross-border e-commerce. Whether you are choosing a platform, building a website, or launching products and communicating with customers, you must develop a complete and effective foreign trade marketing service plan based on the characteristics of the target market and customer demands.

7. Platform selection and corporate positioning

The core issue and appeal for traditional enterprises when choosing a cross-border e-commerce platform is: which platform can allow sellers to obtain long-term and stable income. At the same time, the self-positioning of traditional enterprises also affects platform selection.

8. Opportunities for traditional foreign trade to transform into cross-border e-commerce [[6]

Traditional foreign trade companies have experienced the OEM order-taking model for many years and have very strong product research and development capabilities. Through the new channels of cross-border e-commerce, we can closely integrate with the terminal retail market and conduct more research on product performance and customer experience. It is easy to make a product popular in the cross-border market and obtain very good market returns.