In 2026, China’s e-commerce market continues to expand, with steady growth in domestic e-commerce penetration rate. Cross-border e-commerce has even ushered in a period of policy dividends, continuously simplifying the foreign-funded entry process, optimizing logistics links, and becoming a popular track for foreign travelers to do business in China. However, most foreign travelers face core confusions: they are not sure whether they are suitable for domestic e-commerce or cross-border e-commerce, do not understand the qualification requirements for platform entry, have no idea how to handle filing processes and logistics selection, and even miss opportunities due to compliance issues. Combined with the 2026 latest e-commerce policies, this article breaks down the entire process from three core dimensions: platform entry, compliant filing, and logistics strategies, with practical details and pitfall avoidance tips in plain language. With more than 700 words, it helps foreign travelers get started quickly and carry out e-commerce business in China compliantly.
First, clarify the core premise: For foreigners to do e-commerce in China, they must first complete subject compliance (linking to the previous guide on foreign-funded enterprise registration) — foreign travelers without a Chinese Green Card need to first register a foreign-funded enterprise (wholly foreign-owned or Sino-foreign joint venture) and obtain a business license and foreign investment filing receipt; those holding a Chinese Green Card can register as individual industrial and commercial households or enterprises in the same way as Chinese citizens, without additional foreign-funded filing. Whether doing domestic e-commerce or cross-border e-commerce, subject compliance is the foundation. Without a legal business entity, it is impossible to complete platform entry and filing, let alone carry out compliant operations.
I. Platform Entry: Domestic E-commerce vs. Cross-border E-commerce, Choose the Right Platform to Avoid Detours
For foreigners doing e-commerce in China, there are two core categories: domestic e-commerce (targeting Chinese domestic consumers, such as Taobao, JD.com) and cross-border e-commerce (import e-commerce targeting Chinese domestic consumers, export e-commerce targeting overseas consumers, such as AliExpress, Amazon Global Selling). The two types of e-commerce have different platform entry requirements and applicable scenarios, and you need to choose according to your own resources.
(I) Domestic E-commerce Platform Entry (for domestic sales, targeting Chinese domestic consumers)
The core requirements for domestic e-commerce platform entry are “subject compliance + complete qualifications”. In 2026, mainstream platforms have simplified the foreign-funded entry process, supporting Chinese and English bilingual operations, without the need to submit additional complex certificates. Below are detailed explanations of 3 mainstream platforms most suitable for foreign travelers:
1. Taobao Enterprise Store: The lowest threshold and most convenient operation, suitable for foreign travelers who are new to China’s e-commerce market, focusing on small and medium-sized batch domestic sales. Entry requirements: Foreign-funded enterprise business license, legal representative’s passport (completed notarization verification; notarization documents can be uploaded online in 2026), corporate bank account (supporting foreign-funded enterprise accounts), brand authorization documents (no brand required for drop-shipping mode, no brand authorization needed); Entry process: Log in to the Taobao Merchant Center, select “Enterprise Store Entry”, upload the above materials, fill in store information (supporting Chinese and English filling), platform review (2-3 working days, review efficiency shortened in 2026), after passing the review, complete store decoration and product listing to start operations. Advantages: No deposit (or a minimum of 1,000 yuan, refundable), strong traffic support, suitable for testing the domestic market; Notes: Prohibited from selling prohibited items (such as overseas unqualified health products, prohibited cosmetics), must comply with China’s Advertising Law, and avoid false propaganda.
2. JD International (Domestic Station): Positioned at mid-to-high-end consumer groups, suitable for foreign travelers with brands and stable supply chains, focusing on high-quality product domestic sales. Entry requirements: Foreign-funded enterprise business license, foreign investment filing receipt, legal representative’s identification, brand registration certificate (or formal authorization), product quality inspection report (required for some categories), corporate bank account; Entry process: Log in to the JD Merchant Entry Platform, select “International Merchant Entry – Domestic Station”, submit qualification materials, platform preliminary review (1-2 working days), re-review (3-5 working days), after passing the review, pay the deposit (10,000-50,000 yuan, depending on the category), and complete store opening. Advantages: Strong user consumption capacity, improved after-sales system, suitable for building brand image; Notes: Strict requirements on product quality, false propaganda and substandard quality will face high fines or even removal from the platform.
3. Pinduoduo Enterprise Store: High cost performance and large traffic, suitable for foreign travelers taking the affordable route and batch shipping, drop-shipping mode is also available. Entry requirements: Foreign-funded enterprise business license, legal representative’s passport, corporate bank account (supports overseas bank cards, newly added in 2026), product compliance certificate; Entry process: Log in to the Pinduoduo Merchant Entry Center, select “Enterprise Entry”, upload qualification materials, fill in store information, platform review (1-2 working days), after passing the review, the store can be opened for free without paying a deposit (except for some categories). Advantages: Low entry cost, sinking traffic, suitable for rapid bulk sales; Notes: The platform has strict price control, need to control supply chain costs to avoid low-price vicious competition.
(II) Cross-border E-commerce Platform Entry (two-way optional for import/export, strong policy support)
In 2026, China’s cross-border e-commerce policies continue to relax, no additional approval is required for foreign-funded entry, export e-commerce can enjoy tax rebate preferences, and import e-commerce can rely on bonded warehouses to achieve rapid customs clearance. Below are 4 mainstream cross-border e-commerce platforms, covering all import and export scenarios:
1. AliExpress: An export e-commerce platform under Alibaba, targeting more than 200 countries and regions around the world, suitable for foreign travelers to export Chinese products overseas, or import overseas products to China through AliExpress. Entry requirements: Foreign-funded enterprise business license, legal representative’s passport, bank account (supporting domestic and foreign corporate accounts), product compliance certificate (exports must meet the customs requirements of the destination country, imports must meet China’s customs requirements); Entry process: Log in to the AliExpress Merchant Entry Platform, select “Foreign-funded Merchant Entry”, upload qualification materials, select business categories, pay category deposit (5,000-20,000 yuan), and complete store opening. Advantages: Large traffic, wide coverage, the platform provides translation and operation guidance, suitable for beginners; Notes: Need to be familiar with the tariff policies and product compliance requirements of the destination country to avoid goods being detained.
2. Amazon Global Selling: Suitable for foreign travelers to export products to major global markets (North America, Europe, Japan, etc.) relying on China’s supply chain, or import overseas products to Amazon Overseas Purchase in China. Entry requirements: Foreign-funded enterprise business license, legal representative’s passport, corporate bank account (supports multi-currency), brand registration certificate (preferred, no brand can also enter but with less traffic support), product quality inspection report; Entry process: Log in to the Amazon Global Selling official website (supports Chinese and English), select the target market, submit qualification materials, complete store registration (3-5 working days), bind a collection account, and upload product information. Advantages: High unit price, large profit margin, improved logistics system; Notes: Strict platform rules, must comply with intellectual property regulations to avoid infringement, high after-sales costs.
3. JD International (Import Station): Targeting Chinese domestic consumers, focusing on imported products, suitable for foreign travelers to import overseas products (such as local specialties, cosmetics, health products) to China for sale. Entry requirements: Foreign-funded enterprise business license, foreign investment filing receipt, overseas brand authorization documents, import customs declaration form template, quality inspection report (complying with Chinese national standards); Entry process: Log in to the JD International Entry Platform, submit qualification materials, platform review (5-7 working days), after passing the review, pay the deposit, complete store opening, and choose bonded warehouse shipping or direct mail shipping. Advantages: High trust from Chinese consumers, fast delivery time from bonded warehouses; Notes: Imported products must meet China’s customs requirements, prohibited items are not allowed to be imported, and additional import licenses are required for some categories.
4. Lazada: A mainstream cross-border e-commerce platform in Southeast Asia, suitable for foreign travelers to export Chinese products to Southeast Asia (Thailand, Malaysia, Indonesia, etc.), with low threshold and rapid traffic growth. Entry requirements: Foreign-funded enterprise business license, legal representative’s passport, bank account, product compliance certificate; Entry process: Log in to the Lazada Merchant Entry official website, submit qualification materials, complete store registration (2-3 working days), bind logistics channels, and upload products. Advantages: Low entry cost, great potential in the Southeast Asian market, the platform provides operation training; Notes: Need to be familiar with the culture and product preferences of various Southeast Asian countries, control logistics timeliness to avoid negative reviews.
II. Compliant Filing: Simplified Process in 2026, Full Online Processing (Core Must-do)
Whether doing domestic e-commerce or cross-border e-commerce, compliant filing is the key. Failure to complete filing will face risks such as store removal, fines, or even expulsion from the platform. In 2026, China’s e-commerce filing process has been greatly simplified, canceling many redundant certificates and realizing full online processing. Foreign-funded enterprises can operate online throughout the process without going to offline windows. Below are detailed explanations of domestic e-commerce filing and cross-border e-commerce filing:
(I) Domestic E-commerce Filing (for domestic sales, must be completed after entry into all domestic e-commerce platforms)
Filing subject: Registered foreign-funded enterprise (or individual industrial and commercial household holding a Green Card); Filing department: Local Administration for Market Regulation (online filing portal); Filing time: Complete within 15 days after passing the platform entry review; Filing materials: Scanned copy of enterprise business license, scanned copy of legal representative’s passport, screenshot of platform entry, list of business categories, proof of registered address; Filing process: Log in to the official website of the local Administration for Market Regulation, find the “E-commerce Business Filing” entry (supports Chinese and English), fill in enterprise information and store information, upload filing materials, submit for review (1-2 working days), after passing the review, a filing number will be generated, upload the filing number to the e-commerce platform background to complete filing.
Key Reminder: In 2026, there is no need to submit offline paper materials for domestic e-commerce filing. Changes to filing information (such as business categories, registered address) must be completed within 10 days, otherwise a warning will be issued, and fines will be imposed for overdue changes.
(II) Cross-border E-commerce Filing (completed on demand for import and export)
1. Cross-border Export E-commerce Filing (exporting Chinese products overseas): Filing subject is a foreign-funded enterprise; Filing department: Local Bureau of Commerce + General Administration of Customs (online joint filing); Filing materials: Enterprise business license, foreign investment filing receipt, corporate bank account information, logistics cooperation agreement, list of export products; Filing process: Log in to the “Ministry of Commerce Cross-border E-commerce Comprehensive Service Platform”, complete enterprise registration and information filling, upload filing materials, submit to the Bureau of Commerce for review (2-3 working days), after passing the review, log in to the official website of the General Administration of Customs to complete customs filing (1-2 working days). After filing, you can enjoy export tax rebate preferences (the tax rebate rate for foreign-funded export e-commerce increased to 13%-17% in 2026), and bind logistics channels to start export business.
2. Cross-border Import E-commerce Filing (importing overseas products to China): Filing subject is a foreign-funded enterprise; Filing department: Local Customs + Administration for Market Regulation; Filing materials: Enterprise business license, foreign investment filing receipt, overseas brand authorization documents, import product compliance certificate, bonded warehouse cooperation agreement (if any); Filing process: Log in to the official website of the local customs, find the “Cross-border Import E-commerce Filing” entry, fill in enterprise information and imported product information, upload filing materials, customs review (3-5 working days), after passing the review, complete supplementary filing with the Administration for Market Regulation (1-2 working days). After filing, you can go through procedures such as product import customs declaration and bonded warehouse warehousing.
Supplementary Note: In 2026, cross-border e-commerce filing implements “one-time filing, long-term validity”, no annual inspection is required, filing information can be queried and changed online, and foreign-funded enterprises can entrust intermediary institutions to assist in filing without being present throughout the process.
III. Logistics Strategy: Accurate Matching of Domestic/Cross-border Logistics, Reduce Costs and Improve Timeliness
Logistics is the core competitiveness of e-commerce, directly affecting user experience and operating costs. Foreign travelers need to choose appropriate logistics channels according to their own business models (domestic e-commerce/cross-border e-commerce, batch shipping/single-item shipping). Combined with the 2026 latest logistics policies, this section provides accurate strategies for domestic logistics and cross-border logistics:
(I) Domestic E-commerce Logistics (for domestic sales, covering the whole of China)
The core of domestic e-commerce logistics selection is “timeliness + cost + after-sales”. In 2026, China’s domestic logistics system has been further improved, and foreign-funded e-commerce can enjoy the same logistics services as Chinese local e-commerce. Below are 3 mainstream logistics models, suitable for different business scenarios:
1. Platform-built Logistics (Recommended for Beginners): Taobao, JD.com, and Pinduoduo all have built-in logistics systems (Cainiao Guoguo, JD Logistics, Pinduoduo Electronic Waybill). After entering the platform, you can directly bind them without additional docking with logistics providers. Logistics costs are calculated by weight and distance, supporting door-to-door pickup and after-sales claims. Advantages: Convenient operation, stable logistics timeliness (3-7 days delivery except for remote areas in China), guaranteed after-sales service; Suitable for: Small and medium-sized batch shipping, novice merchants, no need to invest energy in docking logistics.
2. Third-party Logistics Cooperation (Suitable for Batch Shipping): Mainstream third-party logistics include SF Express, ZTO Express, YTO Express, Yunda Express. Foreign-funded enterprises can directly sign cooperation agreements with logistics providers to enjoy bulk shipping discounts (freight is 10%-30% lower than personal shipping). Advantages: Cost-effective freight, customizable logistics solutions (such as next-day delivery, two-day delivery), suitable for batch shipping; Suitable for: Merchants with stable orders and batch shipping; Notes: Need to choose qualified logistics providers, sign formal cooperation agreements, clarify freight, timeliness, and claim terms to avoid disputes.
3. Warehousing and Logistics Integration (Suitable for Brand Merchants): Such as Cainiao Cloud Warehouse, JD Cloud Warehouse. Foreign-funded enterprises can store products in platform-cooperative warehouses. After users place orders, the warehouse directly ships them without the need for self-stocking and packaging. Advantages: Save warehousing and labor costs, fast delivery timeliness (nearby shipping, high proportion of next-day delivery), improve user experience; Suitable for: Merchants with brands and large order volumes; Notes: Need to pay warehousing fees and operation fees, reasonably plan inventory to avoid inventory backlog.
(II) Cross-border E-commerce Logistics (divided into export and import, suitable for different scenarios)
The core of cross-border logistics is “compliance + timeliness + cost”. It is necessary to choose appropriate logistics channels according to the destination country (export) or source of goods (import). In 2026, China’s cross-border logistics links continue to be optimized, adding multiple international logistics routes, and the layout of bonded warehouses is further expanded. Below are detailed explanations of export logistics and import logistics:
1. Cross-border Export Logistics (exporting Chinese products overseas): 3 models, suitable for different order volumes and timeliness needs:
(1) Postal Parcel (Suitable for Small, Low-unit-price Products): Such as China Post Air Parcel, Singapore Post Parcel. Low freight, no minimum weight limit, suitable for small products (such as jewelry, accessories), covering more than 200 countries and regions around the world. Advantages: Low freight, low threshold; Notes: Slow timeliness (15-30 days delivery), relatively high loss rate, not suitable for fragile and valuable products.
(2) International Express (Suitable for Small, High-unit-price Products with High Timeliness Requirements): Such as DHL, UPS, FedEx, SF International. Fast timeliness (3-7 days delivery), low loss rate, supporting door-to-door pickup and after-sales claims. Advantages: Fast timeliness, good service; Notes: High freight, suitable for high-unit-price products (such as cosmetics, luxury goods), need to understand the tariffs of the destination country in advance to avoid users bearing high tariffs.
(3) Overseas Warehouse Shipping (Suitable for Bulk Export and Stable Orders): Such as Amazon FBA, AliExpress Overseas Warehouse, third-party overseas warehouses (such as GoodCang, Winitech). Foreign-funded enterprises can transport products to overseas warehouses in the destination country in batches. After users place orders, the overseas warehouse directly ships them, and the timeliness is consistent with local logistics (1-3 days delivery). Advantages: Fast timeliness, good user experience, can reduce logistics costs (bulk transportation is cheaper than single-item express); Suitable for: Merchants with stable orders and bulk exports; Notes: Need to pay overseas warehouse storage fees and operation fees, reasonably plan inventory to avoid inventory backlog, and be familiar with the rules of overseas warehouses in the destination country.
2. Cross-border Import Logistics (importing overseas products to China): 2 models, suitable for different sources of goods and timeliness needs:
(1) Bonded Warehouse Shipping (Recommended, Fast Timeliness and Low Cost): Foreign-funded enterprises can transport overseas products to China’s bonded warehouses (such as Ningbo, Hangzhou, Guangzhou bonded warehouses) in batches. After completing filing and customs clearance, after users place orders, the bonded warehouse directly ships them, with a timeliness of 2-5 days, no need to pay full tariffs (enjoy cross-border e-commerce retail import tax preferences). Advantages: Fast timeliness, tax preferences, good user experience; Suitable for: Bulk imported products with stable orders (such as cosmetics, health products, maternal and child products); Notes: Need to complete cross-border import filing, products must meet China’s customs requirements, and bonded warehouse inventory needs to be counted regularly.
(2) Direct Mail Shipping (Suitable for Small, Small-quantity Imported Products): Such as international express direct mail, postal direct mail. Products are directly mailed from overseas to Chinese users without being stored in bonded warehouses, with a simple process. Advantages: Low threshold, no need for bulk stocking; Notes: Slow timeliness (7-15 days), need to pay tariffs (exceeding the duty-free quota), relatively high loss rate, suitable for small, small-quantity imported products.
IV. High-Frequency Pitfall Avoidance Tips for Foreigners Doing E-commerce in China in 2026 (Must Read)
1. Carrying out platform entry without completing subject registration and filing: Without a legal foreign-funded enterprise subject or completing e-commerce filing, the store will be removed from the shelves or even fined after entering the platform. It is necessary to complete enterprise registration first, then handle e-commerce filing.
2. Confusing the qualification requirements of domestic e-commerce and cross-border e-commerce: Domestic e-commerce does not require customs filing, while cross-border e-commerce (import/export) must complete customs and commerce bureau filing, otherwise cross-border business cannot be carried out.
3. Ignoring product compliance: Imported products that do not meet Chinese national standards or exported products that do not meet the compliance requirements of the destination country will lead to goods being detained and stores being removed. It is necessary to verify product compliance in advance.
4. Blindly choosing logistics channels: Choosing international express for small products (too high cost) or postal parcels for bulk products (too slow timeliness). It is necessary to choose appropriate logistics according to product type and order volume to reduce costs and improve timeliness.
5. Not binding a compliant collection account: Foreign-funded e-commerce needs to bind a corporate account (supporting domestic and foreign multi-currency). Failure to bind a compliant account will lead to inability to collect payments. It is necessary to open a corporate bank account in advance.
Summary: For foreigners doing e-commerce in China in 2026, the core is “subject compliance + platform adaptation + complete filing + accurate logistics”. Beginners can first choose platforms with low thresholds (such as Taobao Enterprise Store, AliExpress), complete subject registration and filing first, then choose domestic e-commerce or cross-border e-commerce according to their own resources, reasonably match logistics channels, and avoid high-frequency pitfalls. If you are not familiar with the process, you can entrust a professional intermediary institution to assist you, save time and energy, and quickly seize the opportunities in China’s e-commerce market.
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