In the current era of booming cross-border e-commerce, independent websites have become an important way for many sellers to expand their overseas markets. So, what exactly is an independent website and how does it operate?
In simple terms, an independent website is a form of website that enables sellers to break free from the constraints of third-party platforms and operate independently. It is a type of website that contrasts with traditional e-commerce platforms. For cross-border e-commerce, an independent website refers to a website that has its own domain name, server and website program, can display products to users through online means, facilitate selection and payment of orders, is completely independently operated by website managers, and is not restricted by platforms to achieve cross-border transactions.
For instance, if you want to sell factory-produced yoga pants to the United States, the process of achieving this through an independent website is as follows: First, purchase a domain name, let’s say abcyugopants.com. Next, through a website-building platform, build a website using a template, bind the domain name, and at the same time bind a payment tool, such as PayPal (similar to Alipay in China). After that, place advertisements on platforms such as Facebook or Google, allowing consumers who are interested in the product to see the ads. When they click on the ads and enter your website, if they are satisfied with the product, they will place an order directly. After you receive the order, you will express the product to the customer via international logistics, thus completing a transaction process.
I.There are three essential differences between independent websites and e-commerce platforms:
1.Ownership of traffic acquisition: When selling on the platform, the traffic is allocated by the platform. The platform holds the ownership of the traffic and formulates rules and traffic allocation mechanisms. Independent websites, on the other hand, require sellers to develop their own traffic diversion channels and direct traffic to their own e-commerce websites. Sellers own all the traffic and can manage and analyze different traffic channels and marketing data in the background.
- Controllability and ownership of customer experience: The platform solidifies the display structure of products. The display methods of brands and goods, browsing experience, and shopping process design are all controlled by the platform. The purpose is not to highlight the brand of a certain seller. However, on the independent website, merchants can decide for themselves how to display their brands and products most appropriately, control the shopping process independently, and browse the data of the conversion process. All designs are aimed at better showcasing the characteristics of the store and attracting customers to place orders.
- Customer Ownership: The customer ownership of the platform belongs to the platform. Sellers find it difficult to contact customers directly and cannot obtain first-hand customer data, which has a direct impact on demand analysis and customer retention. Independent store sellers can obtain all customer information, analyze customer needs, interact with customers, and increase the repurchase rate.
Of course, independent websites are not without challenges. On the one hand, independent websites have certain entry barriers, requiring sellers to possess basic website-building and operation capabilities. Although Saas website-building tools like Shopify have become widespread nowadays, creating an independent website no longer requires front-end and back-end technical development as before. However, sellers still need to have a certain foundation in aspects such as user experience, shopping process design, and product detail pages of the website.
On the other hand, the biggest problem for independent websites is the lack of direct natural traffic. Sellers need to explore their own traffic diversion channels and also do a good job in user retention, conversion and value exploration. Unlike platforms such as Amazon and eBay, which display the product information of numerous sellers on each page like a huge market. Therefore, after the website goes live, sellers need to proactively showcase their brands and products to potential customers through SEO, social networks, paid advertising and other promotion methods; otherwise, it will be difficult to obtain natural traffic, let alone sales.
II.In the operation of an independent website, there are many benefits to freight forwarding for shipping.
- Freight forwarders can integrate logistics resources, reduce logistics costs, and obtain logistics services at more favorable prices, avoiding sellers paying excessive freight charges due to their lack of understanding of the logistics market.
- Freight forwarders are familiar with international logistics processes and customs clearance policies of various countries. They can prepare customs clearance documents in advance, assist in handling customs clearance matters, reduce the risk of goods being detained at customs, and ensure the smooth delivery of goods to customers.
- Freight forwarders can also offer value-added services such as warehousing, sorting, and packaging, saving sellers’ time and energy and allowing them to focus more on store operation and marketing.
Among the numerous freight forwarders, Smartdropping is particularly worth recommending. Smartdropping has good compatibility with major mainstream platforms and can be seamlessly integrated with independent websites to automatically synchronize order information. The operation is simple and fast. It supports purchasing on mainstream Chinese e-commerce platforms such as 1688 and Taobao, with a wide coverage, allowing sellers to easily obtain a rich source of goods.
Its professional purchasing team can promptly respond to sellers’ purchasing demands and follow up on order progress. In terms of logistics, Smartdropping collaborates with multiple high-quality logistics providers, offering a variety of logistics channel options to ensure the safe and timely delivery of goods to their destinations. At the same time, it also offers customized services, such as customized packaging and brand label processing, to help sellers build a unique brand image. Sellers can entrust the cumbersome matters of procurement and logistics to professional teams and fully devote themselves to the core operation of their independent websites, promoting the rapid development of their businesses.
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