Zo begin je met grensoverschrijdende e-commerce: een gids voor beginners
Een praktische gids in 5 stappen om je eerste grensoverschrijdende winkel te lanceren — platform kiezen, account openen, producten inkopen, verzenden en betaling ontvangen.
What is cross-border e-commerce?
Selling products to customers in another country through online platforms. Chinese sellers most commonly sell to the US, Europe and Southeast Asia via Amazon, Shopee, TikTok Shop, or their own Shopify store. Done well, margins are far higher than domestic e-commerce because the same product can sell for 3-10× overseas.
Step 1 — Pick a platform
| Platform | Best for | Difficulty | Upfront cost |
|---|---|---|---|
| Amazon (US/EU/JP) | Branded products, FBA fulfillment | High | $$ (inventory + FBA) |
| Shopee (SEA) | Low-priced volume, SEA market | Low-Med | $ |
| TikTok Shop | Viral / impulse products, live selling | Med | $ |
| Shopify (own store) | DTC brands, full control | Med-High | $$ (ads) |
Beginner tip: Start with one platform. Shopee or TikTok Shop have the lowest barrier; Amazon has the highest ceiling but needs real capital.
Step 2 — Register & open your store
- Business license — a Chinese business license (营业执照) is required for Amazon, Shopee cross-border, and TikTok Shop. Individual accounts are limited.
- Platform account — register on the seller portal (Amazon Seller Central, Shopee Seller Center, TikTok Seller). Prepare: license, legal representative ID, a dual-currency credit card, bank statement.
- KYC / verification — submit documents, wait for review (1-7 days). Amazon may require a video verification call.
- Store setup — name, logo, brand registry (optional but protects against copycats).
Step 3 — Source products
1688.com and Alibaba for factory sourcing; Yiwu for small commodities. Key principles: pick products with light weight + high perceived value + low return risk. Avoid electronics with certification headaches for your first product. Order samples before bulk.
Step 4 — Logistics & fulfillment
- FBA (Fulfillment by Amazon) — ship inventory to Amazon warehouses; they pack & ship. Best conversion, costs ~30% of price.
- Overseas warehouse (海外仓) — bulk-ship to a local warehouse, fulfill locally. Good for Shopee/Shopify volume.
- Direct shipping (直邮) — ship from China per order. Lowest risk, slowest delivery, fine for testing.
Step 5 — Get paid
Platforms pay in USD/EUR/etc. Use a cross-border收款 account to receive funds and convert to RMB at better rates than banks: Payoneer, PingPong, Lianlian, Airwallex. Setup is free; fees ~0.5-1% per withdrawal.
Compliance essentials
- VAT/EORI — needed to sell into the EU above thresholds.
- Product certification — CE (EU), FCC (US), FDA for health/cosmetics.
- IP — don't sell trademarked/copyrighted products you don't own; Amazon bans fast.
Hulp nodig om te starten?
Boek een gratis 1-op-1 adviesgesprek — platform instellen, product inkoop of complete winkel-opzet. We chatten via WeChat of telefoon.
Gratis advies (WeChat)