If your product is only in the B2C segment and it is not subject to special regulation (such as jewelry, pharmaceuticals, etc.), you can already sell it on Chinese marketplaces by yourself. The only requirement is that your product must be a registered trademark and already be selling in another country. Also, you must also have an active company that owns the trademark.
Advantages of this sales method include:
Essentially, all you need to do is deliver your product to the location specified by the marketplace! The rest is handled by the marketplace.
This is known as a "Cross-border store" (跨境店铺), and many platforms offer such services. However, this article focuses on the two largest Chinese marketplaces: Tmall and JD.
To start, you need to register as a seller on the platform. For JD, for example, at https://cooperation.jd.com/, and provide basic company information. You’ll also need to designate a Chinese guarantor company that will act as your communication point and return address. You can select this company yourself or use services provided by JD or third parties.
After the basic registration—which includes submitting company incorporation documents and bank account information (apostille or consular legalization may be required)—you must pay a security deposit to JD or Tmall. The deposit amount depends on the product category and ranges from USD 5,000 to 10,000 for JD and USD 10,000 to 20,000 for Tmall. The deposit is refundable after the store is closed and cooperation with the marketplace ends.
Next steps include:
Registering a store. Initially, foreign sellers can choose:
Both are part of the POP (Platform Open Plan), meaning the seller manages the store independently.
Later, if your sales volume grows, you can apply for 海外京东(天猫)自营旗舰店 (Foreign Flagship JD(Tmall)-Operated Store): JD/Tmall buys the goods entirely or partially and manages the store under its conditions (e.g., mandatory stock, promotional requirements, etc.).
The store type determines the commission rate. For self-managed stores, the rate is 2–6%, depending on the product category. If marketplace manages the store, commissions may go up to 8–10%.
Trademark ownership verification. After opening the store, you must prove ownership of the trademark. Submit company documents and the trademark certificate. In some cases, translations or document legalization may be required. If your trademark isn’t registered in China but the product under the same TM is already on the marketplace, you won’t be able to prove ownership and will need to file a dispute with China’s Copyright Office. It's strongly advised to register your trademark in China before launching or use a new one if the original is unavailable.
Signing the logistics services contract. Foreign sellers cannot choose their own logistics provider. Marketplaces assign one: Tmall uses Cainiao and JD uses JDL. After selecting your store type, sign a logistics services contract (done in the same admin panel as store registration).
Warehouse selection. Decide where your warehouse will be:
The first option is more expensive—on average about USD 5 more per unit, not counting other fees.
Selecting warehouse conditions. You must specify product weight/volume per unit, estimated number of SKUs required, storage conditions (e.g., refrigeration, are the goods hazardous) and other conditions.Not all warehouses support all conditions, so options may be limited depending on your product. You’ll also provide detailed product descriptions and sales conditions, like:
Labeling. Sellers cannot access warehouses, and JD staff cannot independently handle the goods. The only way to manage inventory is through a unique product label. When creating a product page, specify the minimum unit (e.g., 1 box). A sticker with a unique serial number will be attached to each unit(in this case - box). If 1 box contains 6 cans, selling just 1 can won’t be possible—only 1 box.
Conversely, if 1 can is the unit with the unique serial number, then the box will be opened and each can will be sold individually, even if customer orders 6 cans. This can greatly affect warehousing and shipping costs. It’s strongly recommended to provide clear unpacking and labeling instructions for JD workers (this can be done in the admin panel when selecting the warehouse).
After the product has been received at the warehouse and labeled, it is accessible in the seller’s admin interface and ready to be published for sale.
Product requirements. Products must be sold under the trademark indicated during registration. If packaging lacks Chinese-language information, each item must have a sticker in Chinese showing manufacturer, Chinese product name and ingredients. If the product’s remaining shelf life is over 50%, it is accepted without restriction. If less than 50%, a special request is needed. Products are automatically delisted when shelf life is below 20%.
Product returns. Foreign sellers are marked as such on marketplaces.Their products cannot be returned without cause (e.g., dissatisfaction), only quality-related returns are accepted, handled through dispute resolution involving the platform’s support team.The return address is that of the Chinese guarantor. If you lack funds in your account, refunds are covered using your security deposit.
Promotion and advertising.All foreign sellers have access to the same marketing tools as local sellers, including platform-provided tools (banners, keywords, livestreams) and third-party advertising services.