Rise of Cross-border E-commerce Independent Site Model

1. From the Amazon ban wave to the independent station mode

In recent years, with the vigorous development of the cross-border e-commerce industry, more and more cross-border sellers are considering switching to the independent station mode. Platforms such as Amazon and other cross-border e-commerce platforms have increasingly strict rules and constraints on third-party sellers, triggering sellers' concerns about platform constraints, making the independent station mode popular.

The independent station mode is a way for sellers to detach from third-party platforms such as Amazon and independently build and sell products through a self-built website. With the development of the independent station market, more and more sellers are shifting towards this more free and personalized mode of operation.

2. Development trend of independent station mode

According to research data, the scale of the independent station market in Chinese cross-border e-commerce is continuously growing, and it is expected that the future market share will rise significantly. Independent stations can not only avoid the constraints of platform rules but also achieve more personalized operation, improve brand loyalty, and conversion rate.

Once brands and sellers reach a certain business volume, they often switch to the more imaginative and expansive independent station model. Especially with the development maturity of mobile payments, live streaming sales, international logistics, etc., Chinese sellers are more inclined to establish independent stations to showcase their brands.

3. Capital Focuses on Independent Station SaaS Track

The huge potential of the independent station market has attracted capital's attention, and it is expected that the future independent station market size will increase significantly. Policies are also beginning to support the development of independent stations, providing funding support to eligible enterprises to further promote the development of the independent station model.

Companies providing independent station SaaS services for cross-border e-commerce enterprises will also usher in new development opportunities. The future independent station market will have broader development space.

In general, the independent station model of cross-border e-commerce is emerging and will become the main trend of future development. With the continuous expansion of the market and the investment of capital, independent station SaaS service providers and brand sellers will have more development opportunities.

Independent Station Development Trends

The success of independent stations lies in the emergence of a behemoth SHEIN. It is reported that the company's current valuation has reached $100 billion, surpassing the total market value of fast fashion giants H&M and Zara. This validates the viability of the independent station business model, making Chinese small and medium-sized sellers eager to build an independent station that is self-controlled, and at the same time hope to become the next SHEIN.

Independent Station Revenue Data

Independent stations have become a key business layout for many major sellers, and some leading sellers have achieved good results. According to the 2021 financial report, last year, Anke Innovation's independent station revenue reached 390 million yuan, accounting for 3.13% of total revenue; Ze Bao Technology's independent station revenue was 120 million yuan. Independent stations have become one of the main revenue channels for many sellers.

Various marketing strategies solve the pain points of traffic diversion

The construction of the station itself does not have significant technological barriers. It takes about a month for a customer from confirming the need to build a station to accepting the results. However, the traffic operation ceiling of independent stations is very high. If you want to play it differently from others, there are many things to learn.

Among them, the biggest pain point of independent websites is to solve the difficulty of acquiring traffic from multiple channels. Helping sellers obtain higher quality and cheaper traffic is the most urgent issue facing every SaaS website building platform. Currently, the strategy for independent websites is to attract consumers to the independent website through various channels such as search engines, social media, email, promotion alliances, internet celebrities, etc., and then promote conversion.

There are various marketing strategies for independent websites, including DTC model, subscription-based e-commerce, etc. Different outbound roles face different challenges and blind spots, and service providers need to provide accurate marketing solutions according to the seller's different growth stages to achieve accurate traffic acquisition. By recording users' browsing paths and data, continuously conducting A/B testing, independent websites can become an excellent base for brand aggregation of user data and building private domain.

Challenges and Solutions

Although the independent station mode appears to be perfect, there are still many challenges in actual operation. Sellers at different stages will also face different pain points. From new overseas sellers starting up to domestic top brand merchants, they have different difficulties and needs. Solutions include building warehouse logistics system, defining brand user profiles, and achieving the integration of product and brand effectiveness.

The greatest value lies in providing fast, high-quality, and cost-effective services. Cross-border e-commerce sellers should leave professional matters to professionals, freeing up time and energy to focus on product strength and channel development. This collaborative approach will help enhance brand competitiveness, while reducing operational risks and costs.