In terms of interaction types, the current mainstream cross-border e-commerce business models are mainly B2B (Business to Business), B2C (Business to Customer) and C2C (Customer to Customer). Under the B2B model, enterprises usually post advertisements and information online, and complete transactions and customs clearance offline. In essence, they still belong to traditional trade and have been included in the customs general trade statistics. Under the B2C model, enterprises directly face consumers and mainly sell personal consumer goods through logistics methods such as air parcels, mail and express delivery. Most of them are not currently included in customs registration.
In terms of business entities, cross-border e-commerce can be mainly divided into three types: platform type, self-operated type and mixed type. Among the well-known platforms at home and abroad, cross-border B2B (export) includes Alibaba International Station, Made-in-China.com, Global Sources.com and other platforms; cross-border B2B (import) includes Haidai.com and other platforms; cross-border e-commerce retail (export) includes AliExpress, eBay, Amazon, Wish and other platforms, as well as self-operated platforms such as LightInTheBox, DX, and Milan.com; cross-border e-commerce retail (import) includes Tmall Global, Taobao Global Shopping, Yangmatou and other platforms, as well as self-operated platforms such as NetEase Kaola, JD Global Shopping, and Xiaohongshu.
From the perspective of the cross-border e-commerce export process, the producer or manufacturer will display the goods produced on the platform of the cross-border e-commerce enterprise. After the goods are selected and ordered and the payment is completed, the cross-border e-commerce enterprise will hand over the goods to the logistics enterprise for delivery. After two customs clearance inspections (in the exporting country and the importing country), they will finally be delivered to consumers or enterprises. The process of cross-border e-commerce import is basically the same as that of the export process, except that the direction is opposite to that of the export process. Some cross-border e-commerce enterprises also directly cooperate with third-party comprehensive service platforms to let the third-party comprehensive service platforms handle a series of links such as logistics, customs clearance and commodity inspection, thereby completing the entire cross-border e-commerce transaction process.
The development of cross-border e-commerce can not only drive the growth of my country’s foreign trade and national economy, but also promote the transformation and upgrading of my country’s economy. In promoting the transformation and upgrading of my country’s economy, the development of cross-border e-commerce can play an important role in three aspects:
First, the development of cross-border e-commerce helps Chinese companies meet the needs of international customers and adapt to the international competitive environment. Cross-border e-commerce is a typical “Internet +” industry. Chinese companies rely on fast and efficient Internet platforms and international logistics to directly face customers from all over the world, display products on e-commerce platforms and communicate with overseas customers. They can more fully and timely understand the development trends of the international market and quickly capture and respond to customer needs, continuously enhance product innovation capabilities, and enhance the international competitiveness of “Made in China” and “China Services”.
Second, the development of cross-border e-commerce helps promote the transformation and upgrading of my country’s foreign trade industry. Since the outbreak of the international financial crisis in 2008, overseas importers tend to transform large-scale purchases into small and medium-sized purchases, and transform long-term purchases into short-term purchases. Traditional foreign trade container-style large-scale transactions have gradually been replaced by small-volume, multi-frequency “fragmented” import and export trade. my country’s foreign trade companies can adapt to this new development trend in the international market by developing cross-border e-commerce and expanding and deepening e-commerce applications.
Third, the development of cross-border e-commerce helps to cultivate the brands of Chinese enterprises. Cross-border e-commerce reduces the middle links, allowing a large number of Chinese enterprises to step forward, master sales channels, develop independent brands, directly connect foreign trade enterprises and end customers, change the OEM processing model, and create better opportunities and ways to improve brand awareness and reputation.