User number of cross-border import e-commerce trade in China 2013-2023

In 2023, around 189 million Chinese customers had engaged in cross-border import e-commerce, growing from 167 million the previous year. The trade value of cross-border import business reached approximately 3.6 trillion yuan that year. “Daigou” in ChinaWhile the market size of cross-border online retail exceeded 551 billion yuan in 2023, China’s “daigou” industry appeared to slow down considerably after thriving for two decades. “Daigou” is a unique Chinese term for an overseas shopping agent and is well known by most Chinese online shoppers. “Daigou” purchase goods in physical stores overseas and sell them to Chinese buyers online. The craze for imported products among Chinese has increased along with their disposable income. However, the “daigou” industry hit a snag when China’s first e-commerce law was published in January 2019. With the tightening of customs regulations, it is hard for “daigou” to keep making a profit. “Haitao” in ChinaThe fast-growing international logistics service industry allows Chinese consumers to shop directly from overseas-based online retailers and ship their orders home. Known as “haitao”, this cross-border shopping trend has become increasingly popular among Chinese consumers. China’s leading e-commerce platforms have also expanded their business to overseas shopping. The range of products accessible in the overseas shopping market has evolved from primarily diary and cosmetic items to encompass various facets of daily life.

于2023年，约1.89亿中国消费者参与了跨境进口电商活动，较上一年增长至1.67亿。当年，跨境进口贸易的总额达到了约36万亿元。在中国，‘代购’这一独特的术语，为广大在线消费者所熟知，指的是海外购物代理。‘代购’在海外实体店购买商品，并通过网络销售给中国消费者。随着中国消费者可支配收入的增加，对进口产品的热情也随之高涨。然而，当2019年1月中国首部电子商务法颁布后，‘代购’行业遭遇瓶颈。随着海关监管的加强，‘代购’行业盈利变得越来越困难。‘海淘’在中国，国际物流服务行业的快速发展使得中国消费者能够直接从海外在线零售商处购物，并将订单邮寄回国。这一被称为‘海淘’的跨境购物趋势在中国消费者中越来越受欢迎。中国领先的电商平台也将其业务扩展至海外购物。海外购物市场的商品种类已从最初的日化和化妆品扩展到日常生活的各个方面。