A cross-border e-commerce company based in east China's Hangzhou City is exploring new strategies by hiring foreign livestreaming hosts and expanding into new product categories, responding to shifting consumer demands in global markets.
In the live studios of the company, livestreaming hosts from Southeast Asia, Japan, South Korea and other countries were busy promoting Chinese products among the viewers in their home countries, with order numbers surging.
"Chinese products have good quality and diverse styles. I hope to share these products with my Malaysian friends through livestreaming from China," said Malaysian host Huang Yutong.
Originally targeting Western markets, the company has shifted its strategies, recruiting a number of foreign employees and expanding into emerging markets. Through market research, it found that consumer preferences in Southeast Asia have diversified beyond cosmetics and home health care products.
"We've indeed made some adjustments to our product categories and direction. For us, this is essentially like finding a new track and opening up new opportunities," said Liu Zhuo, director of the company's product selection department.
To open new markets, the team leader led the live-stream hosts to visit manufacturers in person. At a circuit board factory, Bati, a South African livestreamer with a background in electrical engineering grilled the manufacturer on technical specifications to better explain the product to potential buyers.
"Now I've gained a better understanding of and grew stronger interest in this product. This helps me introduce it better to customers and makes my livestreaming go smoother," said Bati.
Beyond hardware, the company has also partnered with cultural product manufacturers to test overseas demand for goods featuring traditional Chinese elements.
"These developments are creating new avenues for service expansion. We're highly confident about securing more partnerships and client opportunities moving forward," said Deng Yahui, CEO of the company.
The pivot reflects a broader trend among Chinese e-commerce firms adapting to shifting global demand and rising uncertainties by leveraging localized talent and diversified product offerings.
Chinese cross-border e-commerce firm explores new strategies to tap fresh markets
