"Independent Station" Cross-border E-commerce Consumer Rights Protection Costs Are High and Difficult

On April 22, the China Consumers Association released the "Annual Report on the Status of Consumer Rights Protection in China (2021)".

In terms of cross-border e-commerce, the report points out that the "independent station" cross-border e-commerce model has many problems such as evading domestic supervision, difficulty in consumer rights protection, and relatively low level of independent station supply chain management .

" Independent Station " cross-border e-commerce is popular among Chinese sellers

Independent stations first appeared around 2004. As a type of online store, independent station e-commerce can make independent decisions , freely connect to third-party software tools, publicity and promotion media and channels , and can also shape corporate brands. By saving bidding advertising costs and giving benefits to buyers, they can expand orders and increase profits.

With the tightening of supervision on third-party e-commerce platforms such as Amazon and fierce competition in the same industry , many manufacturers and retailers in mainland China have begun to deploy multiple channels and not put all their eggs in one basket. They not only sell goods on third-party cross-border e-commerce platforms, but also do cross-border e-commerce by establishing independent websites.

At present, many independent sites have emerged in China. In addition to SHEIN, which has targeted the independent site track from the beginning , many platform sellers’ independent site businesses are also booming, such as Anker Innovations, Savi, etc.

Problems with "Independent Station" Cross-border E-commerce

However, while “independent station” cross-border e-commerce is popular among Chinese sellers, it also has many problems.

First, the source of goods is complex and the supply chain is long, which increases the compliance risk of independent stations ;

Second, some independent sites have problems such as mismatched goods, price fraud, false advertising , and the sale of "high-quality imitations" ;

Third, some independent sites only have offline warehouses in mainland China, no registered company entities , and only push product links on social networking sites, leaving some overseas consumers with no way to complain.

These problems emerge one after another in the development of independent cross-border e-commerce and need to be solved urgently.

As an emerging foreign trade format, cross-border e-commerce has become an important force in stabilizing foreign trade during the epidemic . As a type of cross-border e-commerce, independent sites should promptly solve existing problems, improve the supervision mechanism, and improve the complaint channels for consumers at home and abroad, so as to contribute to the long-term development of independent cross-border e-commerce.

Independent website

China Consumers Association