Cross-border e-commerce is also a “double-edged sword”, which can be said to have both advantages and disadvantages, opportunities and challenges. At present, there are still many unresolved problems in the cross-border e-commerce.
1. Online payment requires a safe environment
Electronic payment is a necessary condition for international e-commerce and an important link in the realization of transactions. Without third-party payment, there would be no e-commerce industry today. Cross-border e-commerce is also inseparable from third-party payment. Therefore, the internationalization of third-party payment has become an important condition for occupying the future consumer market.
At present, overseas buyer fraud is a major concern for China’s small and medium-sized foreign trade merchants. Regarding transaction security issues, a survey shows that more than half of the merchants interviewed are worried about being defrauded when trading with overseas customers, and 27% of merchants are worried that the payment system they are currently using is not safe enough for cross-border transactions. In addition, 25% of merchants believe that the risk of overseas buyers refusing to pay will increase in the next three months.
2. Logistics problems become a shortcoming of cross-border transactions
It usually takes at least 7 to 15 days to ship from China to the world, and some even take 1 month. At present, the logistics model from China to the world is still extensive. my country’s cross-border e-commerce still mainly wins customers with low prices, and expensive logistics is a big challenge for cross-border e-commerce. Only by improving logistics can we grasp the initiative in competition; only in this way can Chinese companies that can truly compete with world-class e-commerce companies emerge in this industry.
3. From “Made in China” to “Created in China”
According to the data analyzed by some e-commerce platforms, most of the products sold by my country’s cross-border e-commerce are accessories, and most of the products sold are marginalized and non-mainstream. They rely on such products to win customers and gain the market through price advantages. However, with the continuous development of the industry, high-quality products and better services are the core of competition. In the long run, the creation of branding is the future path for Chinese manufacturers. Chinese manufacturers must have their own design and connotation, representing the image of China, which is the path to branding. How to move from “Made in China” to “Created in China” is a problem that cross-border e-commerce companies should focus on.
4. Taxes and counterfeit goods
On the one hand, there are taxes: there are certain limits on the amount of cross-border B2C transactions, and customs duties must be paid if the amount exceeds the limit; and transactions completed by overseas buyers using Visa and MasterCard credit cards cannot be written off and tax refunded. There is a certain time difference between collection and settlement, and sellers may face exchange rate fluctuations or losses.
On the other hand, there are counterfeit goods: B2C platforms have a large number of products and are under great pressure to review products. Although each platform will increase the control and review of counterfeit goods and intellectual property rights, once there is a counterfeit transaction, it may face the risk of being complained and confiscated by customs.
5. Lack of cross-border e-commerce talents
Unlike using e-commerce in China, cross-border e-commerce payment and logistics are much more complicated, and small and medium-sized foreign trade enterprises also face many risks when developing e-commerce. Due to their small scale, weak strength and small development space, my country’s small and medium-sized foreign trade enterprises find it difficult to attract relatively scarce senior e-commerce talents with high technology and strong capabilities. The shortage of e-commerce talents has seriously hindered the development of my country’s small and medium-sized foreign trade e-commerce.