For overseas independent store sellers not located in Chinese mainland, “sourcing from the mainland” is the key to controlling costs and enriching product selection. However, due to geographical and language barriers, they often encounter many pitfalls when trying to accurately find high-quality sources of goods and successfully complete procurement and delivery: not understanding the Chinese platform interface, unable to inspect goods on-site, complicated payment processes, and poor connection of goods transportation… In fact, as long as you choose the right mainland supply platform and pair it with a reliable purchasing and freight forwarder, all these problems can be easily solved.
- Must-read for Overseas Sellers: 5 Major mainland Supply Platforms, Covering All categories of procurement needs
As the “world’s factory”, the Chinese mainland has a rich variety of supply platforms with obvious price advantages. Overseas independent station sellers with different needs can all find suitable procurement channels
- 1688 (Alibaba) : The “main force” of cross-border procurement, covering all categories such as 3C, home furnishings, clothing, and beauty products. It supports small-batch wholesale (many merchants have a minimum order quantity of one piece) and can also directly connect with factories for customized products. For instance, independent store sellers selling pet supplies can find a complete supply chain from pet toys to smart feeders on 1688, and the prices are 30% to 50% lower than those of local overseas purchases. However, the platform is mainly in Chinese, and some merchants do not support communication in English, which is not very friendly to overseas sellers.
- Taobao/Tmall: Suitable for purchasing personalized and niche categories, such as handcrafted accessories, custom home furnishings, etc. Small and medium-sized merchants on Taobao are good at rapidly iterating styles and can meet the “differentiated product selection” needs of independent websites. Tmall mainly features brand flagship stores and is suitable for purchasing standard products with quality guarantees (such as home appliances and skin care products). However, Taobao mostly offers retail or small-batch shipments. For bulk purchases, separate negotiations with merchants are required, and the logistics is mostly domestic express delivery, which needs to be transferred and connected.
- Jd.com: Its advantages lie in standard products such as 3C digital products, home appliances, and daily necessities. It strictly guarantees genuine products and offers fast logistics (next-day delivery to many domestic locations). For independent store sellers selling high-end home appliances and electronic accessories, JD.com can ensure the authenticity of the goods and prevent the reputation of the independent store from being affected by “counterfeit goods”. However, the prices are slightly higher than those on 1688, making it more suitable for sellers who focus on quality rather than extremely low prices.
- Pinduoduo: Focusing on “low-priced bestsellers”, it is suitable for purchasing low-cost traffic-driving items, such as stress-relieving toys priced at 9.9 yuan and home storage boxes priced at 19.9 yuan. Pinduoduo’s supply chain centers on “ultimate cost performance”, which can help independent store sellers control procurement costs and is suitable for the “low-price volume-selling” model. However, it should be noted that the quality of some products varies greatly and strict inspection is required.
- Detu: Focusing on trendy items such as trendy shoes, trendy brand clothing, and niche accessories, it emphasizes “authenticity verification” and is suitable for independent store sellers targeting young people. The supply sources of Detu inherently possess “trendy attributes”, which can meet the “differentiated product selection” demands of independent websites. However, they are relatively expensive and have a relatively limited range of categories, making them more suitable for sellers in vertical fields.
II. Procurement Agency Freight Forwarding: Addressing the “5 Major Pain Points” of Overseas Sellers’ Procurement
Even if the right supply platform is chosen, overseas sellers still face many problems: language barriers and incorrect communication of order details with merchants; It was impossible to inspect the goods on the spot. The defect was only discovered after receiving the goods. Domestic logistics is scattered, and one has to handle multiple express delivery services by oneself. I don’t know how to transfer the goods from the domestic warehouse to overseas… And the freight forwarder for purchasing on behalf of others was precisely developed to address these pain points. Its core benefits are reflected in five aspects:
- Break down language and communication barriers The freight forwarder has a professional Chinese purchasing team that can help you communicate smoothly with merchants on 1688 and Taobao, confirm product details (such as size, color, and customization requirements), and avoid order errors caused by translation errors – for example, if you want to purchase “red XL size sports sweatshirts”, the freight forwarder can accurately convey your requirements. It will also help you confirm whether the merchant has stock available and how long it will take to ship.
- On-site inspection to control quality: The freight forwarder has warehouses in China. The purchased goods will first be delivered to the warehouse, where professional quality inspection personnel will check whether the appearance, function and packaging meet the requirements. For instance, if you purchase stress-relieving toys from Pinduoduo, the freight forwarder can test the “resilience” and “whether there is any unpleasant smell”, preventing defective products from flowing to overseas customers and reducing negative reviews on the independent website.
- Integrate logistics and reduce costs: Freight forwarders can integrate domestic logistics (such as ZTO and YTO) and international logistics (such as dedicated lines and sea freight), which is more cost-effective than you separately dealing with logistics providers. For instance, if you purchase 100 beauty products from 1688, the domestic logistics fee you have to pay yourself might cost 200 yuan, while the bulk transfer by the freight forwarder might only cost 50 yuan. For international shipments to the United States, freight forwarders can get wholesale prices for dedicated lines, which are cheaper than individual shipments via DHL.
- Simplify processes and save time: From “placing an order on the platform” to “delivering goods to overseas warehouses”, the freight forwarder takes full responsibility for the entire process. We can help you make payments to domestic merchants, follow up on the shipping progress, and integrate goods purchased from multiple platforms (for example, if you buy 3C products from 1688 and home furnishings from Taobao at the same time, the freight forwarder can package and ship them uniformly). You no longer need to keep an eye on multiple orders and multiple logistics tracking numbers. The time saved can be focused on the operation of your independent website.
- Handle after-sales service and avoid risks: If the purchased goods have quality issues, the freight forwarder can help you negotiate returns or exchanges with domestic merchants without you having to communicate across time zones. In case of lost items or customs detention during international transportation, the freight forwarder has a dedicated channel to follow up and handle the situation, which is 10 times more efficient than your own connection with foreign logistics providers and avoids affecting customer trust due to after-sales issues.
III. The “Mainland Purchasing Partner” for Overseas Independent Station Sellers
Among the numerous purchasing agents and freight forwarders, SmartDropping is particularly suitable for overseas independent store sellers. Its core advantage lies in “full-chain adaptation” :
- Full platform procurement coverage: Supports mainstream supply platforms such as 1688, Taobao, JD.com, Pinduoduo, etc. Whether you are purchasing 3C products directly supplied by factories or niche handcrafted items on Taobao, you can handle it all in one stop without having to switch between multiple freight forwarders.
- Customized services: We can provide you with exclusive services and personalized packaging.
- Seamless integration of logistics and procurement: After the purchased goods arrive at the warehouse, they will be packed as per your requirements (such as attaching independent station brand labels and attaching thank-you cards), and then sent overseas through dedicated channels to Europe, America, Southeast Asia, etc. The logistics trajectory is synchronized in real time to your independent station backend, allowing customers to check the progress at any time.
For overseas independent store sellers, “mainland procurement” should not be a burden but an advantage to enhance their competitiveness. By choosing SmartDropping as your purchasing and freight forwarder, you no longer have to be bound by region, language or logistics. You can truly understand the supply chain advantages of Chinese mainland. After all, with lower product selection costs and more controllable quality, your independent website can have more confidence in overseas markets.
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