Guide · Cross-Border E-Commerce

Selling on China's Marketplaces: Tmall Global, JD Worldwide and Douyin

How international brands sell to Chinese consumers without a Chinese company: cross-border e-commerce rules, the main marketplaces, costs, the 2026 rule changes for supplements — and how to bring buyers to your store.

Published: 2026-09-28
Updated: 2026-09-28

By the Jademond Digital team. Jademond Digital markets international consumer brands on China's marketplaces and platforms. Fees, rules and categories change often; check the current terms of each platform and customs regulations before you plan. This guide is not legal or customs advice.

The Short Answer

Cross-border e-commerce (CBEC) lets international brands sell to Chinese consumers without a Chinese company — and, for many products, without the Chinese product registration that normal imports require.
The main cross-border marketplaces are Tmall Global, JD Worldwide and Douyin Global Shopping, with Rednote and others as additional channels.
Opening a store is the easy part. Deposits, annual fees and commissions are predictable; the real cost is bringing buyers to the store with ads, content, creators and search.
Rules are getting stricter. In 2026 Douyin and Tmall Global tightened proof-of-origin requirements for cross-border brands, especially for supplements and nutrition products.
Plan around the calendar. Sales peaks such as 618 and Double 11 shape budgets, stock and ad prices.

Cross-Border E-Commerce vs. General Trade

Two Ways to Sell Online in China

Cross-border e-commerce (CBEC): Products are sold to Chinese consumers as personal imports, shipped from a bonded warehouse in China or directly from abroad. No Chinese company is needed, and many products can be sold without Chinese product registration.
General trade: Products are imported normally by a Chinese importer or entity, registered where required, labelled in Chinese and sold in domestic stores on Tmall, JD, Douyin and offline. More effort and cost, but no CBEC limits.
Typical path: Many brands test demand through CBEC, then add general trade once sales justify registration and a local setup.

Key CBEC Rules

Transaction limits: RMB 5,000 per transaction and RMB 26,000 per person per year for preferential treatment (as summarised by ChemLinked)
Taxes: No import tariff within the limits; VAT and consumption tax are charged at 70% of the normal rate
Positive list: Only product categories on China's CBEC positive list can be sold this way — check your products' HS codes
Registration: Products are supervised as personal-use goods; cosmetics sold via CBEC, for example, are exempt from NMPA registration or notification
Fulfilment models: Bonded warehouse (faster delivery, stock in China) or direct mail from abroad (less stock risk, slower delivery)
Consumer information: Product pages must include risk notices and e-labels

The Main Marketplaces

Cross-Border Marketplaces Compared

Related platforms include Tmall and JD domestic stores (general trade), Taobao and Pinduoduo.

Tmall Global: Alibaba's cross-border marketplace and the most established one for international brands. Strong for brand building, beauty, health, food and baby products. Stores include brand flagship stores and authorised franchise stores.
JD Worldwide: JD's cross-border marketplace. Trusted for authenticity and fast logistics; strong in electronics, health, food and premium consumer goods.
Douyin Global Shopping: Douyin's cross-border store programme. Sales are driven by short videos, livestreams and Qianchuan ads rather than search — fast growth for brands that can produce content.
Rednote stores: Cross-border stores on Rednote, well suited to products that users research and review on the platform.
Direct purchase models: Tmall Global and JD also buy products directly from brands and sell them as self-operated — less work for the brand, but less control over price and presentation.

What a Store Costs

Reported Marketplace Fees

As reported by TMO Group (2025). Fees change and depend on category and store type.

Tmall Global: Deposit generally RMB 50,000 (up to RMB 100,000 or 300,000 in some categories); annual fee RMB 30,000 to 60,000; commission mostly 2% to 5%
JD Worldwide: Deposit about USD 5,000 to 30,000 depending on category; commission about 2% to 8% plus a transaction service fee
Rednote cross-border stores: Deposit reported at about USD 3,500; commission mostly 2% to 5% plus a payment fee
Douyin Global Shopping: Deposits and commissions depend on category; check current terms

On top of platform fees come store operations, logistics and bonded warehousing, customer service in Chinese, content and — the largest item for most brands — marketing to bring buyers to the store. Many brands work with a TP (Tmall Partner) or similar operator for store operations. Our China marketing costs guide explains the marketing side.

2026: Stricter Rules for Supplements and Nutrition

Cross-border platforms are cracking down on "pseudo-imports" — products made in China but sold as foreign goods. According to ChemLinked, Douyin Global Shopping introduced stricter requirements from 11 May 2026, and Tmall Global introduced similar ones. Health supplements, food for special medical purposes and nutrition products face particular scrutiny.

What Brands Now Need to Prove

Overseas production: Factory licences, production agreements, certificate of origin and recent customs documents
Overseas sales: A certificate of free sale plus proof of real sales outside China — for example retail presence in several physical stores or active listings with sales and reviews on established international platforms
Who is affected most: Smaller brands and brands working with contract manufacturers (OEM/ODM) — prepare documents before applying

Bringing Buyers to Your Store

A marketplace store without traffic sells nothing. Chinese consumers discover products on social platforms, research them on Rednote, Baidu and in AI assistants, and buy on the marketplace — often during sales events.

Traffic Sources

On-platform ads: Search and display ads inside Tmall, JD and Douyin — essential for visibility in the marketplace's own search
Douyin content and livestreams: Short videos and livestreams, boosted with Qianchuan, drive most Douyin sales. See how to livestream to promote your brand.
Rednote research: Notes and creator collaborations that answer users' questions before they buy. See our Rednote marketing guide.
Search and AI answers: Users check brands on Baidu and in AI assistants; accurate information there protects conversion. See our Chinese GEO guide and Baidu ads guide.
Paid social: Ads on Douyin, Rednote and WeChat that lead to the store. See our paid social guide.

Plan Around China's Shopping Calendar

Key Sales Events

Presales, ad prices and stock planning start weeks before each event. Our China marketing calendar lists the dates by industry, including cross-border supplements.

Chinese New Year: Gifting season before the holiday; logistics stop around the holiday itself
Women's Day (8 March): A major beauty, health and fashion event
618 (June): The mid-year shopping festival, started by JD — see 618 shopping festival
Double 11 (November): China's largest shopping festival, with presales starting weeks earlier
Double 12 (December): A smaller year-end sales event

Mistakes to Avoid

Opening a store before checking the CBEC positive list and documents for your products
Expecting organic traffic in the marketplace without ads, content or creators
Launching right before Double 11 without time for presales and reviews
Different prices and product information across marketplaces, Rednote and your website
Health claims that break advertising rules — cross-border status does not exempt marketing from them
Underestimating Chinese customer service and review management

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I sell in China without a Chinese company?: Yes. Cross-border e-commerce lets international brands sell to Chinese consumers through marketplaces such as Tmall Global, JD Worldwide and Douyin Global Shopping without a Chinese entity.
What are the CBEC limits for Chinese consumers?: RMB 5,000 per transaction and RMB 26,000 per person per year for preferential treatment. Within these limits there is no import tariff, and VAT and consumption tax are charged at 70% of the normal rate.
Do cross-border products need Chinese registration?: Products sold via CBEC are supervised as personal-use goods, so many do not need the registration required for general trade — cosmetics, for example, are exempt from NMPA registration. Products must be on the CBEC positive list.
How much does a Tmall Global store cost?: Reported figures are a deposit of generally RMB 50,000, an annual fee of RMB 30,000 to 60,000 and commissions mostly between 2% and 5%, depending on category. Operations and marketing cost more than the store itself.
Which marketplace is best for supplements?: Tmall Global and JD Worldwide are established for health products, and Douyin drives fast sales through content and livestreams. Since 2026, all require strong proof of overseas production and sales for supplements.
What changed for cross-border supplements in 2026?: Douyin Global Shopping (from 11 May 2026) and Tmall Global introduced stricter documentation of overseas production and overseas sales to stop pseudo-imports, with particular scrutiny for supplements and nutrition products.
How do I get traffic to my marketplace store?: Through on-platform ads, Douyin content and livestreams, Rednote notes and creators, paid social, and accurate information in Baidu and AI answers. Plan campaigns around 618 and Double 11.
Should I start with cross-border or general trade?: Many brands start with cross-border to test demand without registration and a local entity, then add general trade once sales justify it.