(Source: https://pltfrm.com.cn)
Introduction
China’s e-commerce market is projected to reach US$3.8 trillion in 2025, growing 50% faster than the rest of the world combined. Yet only a small fraction of overseas brands manage to capture meaningful share. Here’s exactly how the winners are unlocking this massive opportunity right now.
1. Choosing the Fastest-Growing Channels
1.1 Douyin E-commerce Exploded to RMB 2.8 trillion in 2024 Interest-based algorithm drives impulse purchases — beauty, fashion, and snacks categories grew 300%+%.
1.2 Xiaohongshu as the New Search Engine Over 70% of Gen-Z now search for products on Xiaohongshu before buying — making it the #1 pre-purchase platform.
2. Building Trust at Lightning Speed
2.1 KOL + Live Streaming First Strategy Top overseas brands now allocate 40–60% of first-year budget to KOLs and live rooms instead of traditional ads.
2.2 Official Flagship Store Effect Having a Tmall Global or JD Worldwide flagship increases perceived trustworthiness by 400% vs third-party sellers.
3. Mastering Cross-Border Logistics & Duties
3.1 Bonded Warehouse Model Ningbo, Guangzhou, and Zhengzhou bonded warehouses cut delivery to 2–4 days and reduce import duties by up to 60%.
3.2 Cainiao Global Supply Chain One-stop solution now used by 80% of successful overseas brands for inventory forecasting and fulfillment.
4. Data Ownership & Private Traffic
4.1 WeChat Mini-Programs + Private Domain Brands building membership systems inside WeChat keep 100% customer data and achieve 5–8× higher repurchase rates.
Case Study: Spanish Olive Oil Brand Grows from $0 to RMB 240 Million in 13 Months
A family-owned Spanish extra-virgin olive oil brand partnered with PLTFRM in 2024. We launched on Tmall Global + Douyin Shop, ran 180 live sessions with food KOLs, placed products in 2,000+ Xiaohongshu lifestyle notes, and built a 380,000-member WeChat private domain. Result: RMB 240 million GMV in first 13 months and #1 imported olive oil on Tmall.
PLTFRM is an international brand consulting agency that works with companies such as Red, TikTok, Tmall, Baidu, and other well-known Chinese internet e-commerce platforms. We have been working with Chile Cherries for many years, reaching Chinese consumers in depth through different platforms and realizing that Chile Cherries’ exports in China account for 97% of the total exports in Asia. Contact us, and we will help you find the best China e-commerce platform for you. Search PLTFRM for a free consultation!
