Over the past year, every Wednesday afternoon, I have hosted a cross-border tea gathering in the Seller Home tea room. Some attendees were seasoned sellers, while others were simply curious about cross-border e-commerce.

Some asked whether Amazon is still viable, some wondered if TikTok Shop represents a new opportunity, and others questioned whether platforms like Temu, Etsy, and independent sites are suitable for beginners. On the surface, these seem like platform-choice questions, but beneath them lies the same anxiety: Is it too late to start cross-border e-commerce now?

As we pass the midpoint of 2026, many sellers are feeling conflicted about their experience this year.

On one hand, platforms are still telling stories of growth. Names like TikTok Shop, Temu, Amazon, and Shein continue to dominate industry news. On the other hand, what sellers feel on the ground is a different reality: higher traffic costs, thinner profit margins, tighter overseas policies, and more cautious consumers. In the past, people asked whether there were still new platform dividends. By mid-2026, the question has become: “Can I survive in an environment of higher costs, stricter rules, and lower margins?”

This is why, when discussing cross-border e-commerce today, we can no longer just look at which platform is hot. Instead, we need to see whether sellers themselves have the ability to navigate a complete business cycle.

My assessment is this: Cross-border e-commerce is still doable, but it’s no longer suitable for impulsive entries.

It’s not a question of “Is there still opportunity?” but rather “Are you the right fit?” In recent years, many have been conditioned to understand cross-border e-commerce through platform dividends—chasing wherever the traffic is high, subsidies are plentiful, and orders come easily. But looking at it now, platforms are still growing while seller sentiment worsens. The reason is straightforward: traffic is more expensive, margins are thinner, platform rules are more intricate, and compliance and fulfillment costs are higher.

Growth remains, but easy money has dwindled.

The Industry Is Still Growing,

But Sellers’ Experience Has Changed

Looking at the bigger picture, cross-border e-commerce is not in decline. China’s supply chain still has an edge, and overseas consumers continue to shop online. Platforms like Amazon, TikTok Shop, Temu, Shein, Shopee, Etsy, and eBay are all competing for users and supply across different markets.

But for the average seller, what truly matters isn’t how much the platform’s GMV has grown, but whether they themselves can still make a profit.

A clear shift has occurred in recent years: The dividend from low-price, small-package direct shipping is shrinking. Both the U.S. and Europe are tightening oversight of low-value parcels. The EU’s discussion of adding fees for packages under €150 is a direct response to the rapid growth of low-cost cross-border parcels from platforms like Shein, Temu, and AliExpress. Similarly, the U.S.’s adjustments to its de minimis exemption policy are directly affecting many sellers reliant on direct shipping from China.

This means that the old model of “sourcing domestically, listing overseas, shipping small parcels, and profiting from information asymmetry” will become increasingly difficult. It won’t disappear entirely, but both profitability and stability are declining.

Cross-border e-commerce is shifting from a “traffic-dividend game” to an “operational-capability business.”

Amazon Remains the Foundation,

But Not a Quick-Profit Machine

If a newcomer asks me today whether Amazon is still worth exploring, my answer is still yes.

Amazon remains one of the most important cross-border platforms. Its user trust, logistics system, search-driven transaction model, and platform rules are relatively mature. For many Chinese sellers, Amazon is still one of the best entry points for understanding cross-border e-commerce.

The problem, however, is that Amazon is no longer the platform where simply listing a product guaranteed success.

Now, selling on Amazon means confronting advertising costs, FBA fees, storage charges, return rates, compliance reviews, review systems, and homogenized competition. Many categories don’t lack orders—the issue is that after an order is fulfilled, profits are slowly eaten away.

So Amazon is viable, but you can’t approach it with a quick-profit mindset. It has become more like a mature retail platform, suited for long-term operation, continuous optimization, and gradual product refinement. If a newcomer only wants to list quickly, sell quickly, and profit quickly, Amazon will likely disappoint them.

It’s a foundation, not a cash machine.

TikTok Shop Is Worth Focusing On,

But You Can’t Rely Only on TikTok

TikTok Shop is the platform that has generated the most excitement in recent years.

I believe it deserves serious attention and, for some sellers, even significant investment. The reason is simple: it represents a new way of transacting. Traditional e-commerce is largely search-driven—users first have a need, then look for a product. TikTok Shop is more content-driven; users may not initially intend to buy, but can be prompted to make an instant purchase through short videos, influencers, live streams, comments, and price triggers.

This is no small change.

According to TikTok Shop’s official mid-year promotional data for the U.S. market, the POP model’s first-day GMV grew over 2.2x year-on-year. Super-product live streams surpassed $1 million in cumulative sales, and the number of “10,000-unit” live sessions more than tripled year-on-year. Trending categories like sports merchandise, holiday items, and summer goods also saw over 2x year-on-year growth during the promotion.

These figures confirm at least one thing: TikTok Shop is no longer just a “product discovery” platform. In certain markets, categories, and promotional windows, it has developed genuine transaction capacity.

But this data also highlights the barrier to entry. A mid-year promotion doesn’t just test listing capability; it tests whether a seller can orchestrate content, influencers, live streaming, inventory, pricing, fulfillment, and after-sales service all at once. For sellers accustomed to Amazon’s shelf-style logic, this is not just opening another store—it’s adopting an entirely different operational model.

So, I don’t think newcomers should ignore TikTok Shop. On the contrary, if a product is suitable for content presentation and your team is willing to learn short-video strategies, influencer collaborations, and live-stream operations, TikTok Shop can become a crucial growth channel.

But you can’t rely solely on TikTok Shop.

The practical reasons: TikTok Shop’s regional development is uneven, market maturity varies by country, and platform policies shift quickly. Content virality carries an element of luck, influencer partnerships are uncertain, and live-streaming doesn’t suit every category. If a newcomer places all their bets on TikTok Shop alone—and their content fails, influencers don’t convert, or fulfillment can’t keep up—they will face immense pressure.

A safer approach is to view TikTok Shop as part of a mix. It can drive content-based discovery, trend testing, and explosive growth, while marketplaces like Amazon handle search-driven demand and long-term sales. Independent sites, in the later stages, help with brand building and repeat purchases.

In short, TikTok Shop is worth focusing on, but don’t put all your eggs into TikTok alone.

Temu Can Be Explored,

But Keep Expectations Low

Temu appeals to newcomers because it seems easy to start, has massive platform traffic, and offers a relatively straightforward process. Many first-time cross-border sellers view Temu as a quick entry point.

This judgment isn’t entirely wrong.

Temu can indeed help beginners understand foundational steps in cross-border e-commerce—like product selection, supply, pricing, platform rules, and fulfillment rhythm. For someone without experience, it can serve as a window to observe how a platform works and to get familiar with the pace of cross-border business.

But if you view Temu as a high-margin platform, you need to be very cautious.

Feedback from many merchants is not pleasant: prices are squeezed extremely low, margins are razor-thin, and the platform exerts strong control. Sellers are more like nodes in a supply chain than independent business owners. For ordinary sellers without extreme cost advantages, earning a stable profit on Temu is not easy.

So my advice for Temu: Get to know it, test it on a small scale, use it to observe how low-price platforms operate—but don’t set high expectations.

It might work as a channel for initial learning, inventory digestion, or supply chain testing, but it’s rarely suitable for newcomers to consider as their “main profit battlefield.”

Lowering your expectations will actually bring you closer to reality.

Etsy Is Small and Beautiful,

But Doesn’t Suit a Mass-Listing Mindset

Etsy is an often-overlooked but highly distinctive platform.

Its logic is entirely different from Amazon and Temu. Etsy’s core isn’t low prices or mass listings, but rather uniqueness, handmade goods, vintage items, customization, design aesthetics, and giftability. It suits original jewelry, wedding products, home decor, pet memorials, illustrated merchandise, journaling stationery, and niche gifts.

The issue is that Etsy isn’t particularly friendly to Chinese sellers, and it’s not straightforward for average sellers to simply open a store. More importantly, it isn’t suitable for the “1688-copy-paste” approach. Without original design, distinct expression, or a product story, simply relisting generic goods under a new title rarely leads to real success.

Etsy’s value lies in reminding us that not all cross-border platforms compete solely on price. A segment of overseas consumers is still willing to pay for personalization, aesthetics, and emotional value.

But this path suits only a few, not everyone.

Independent Sites Should Not Be

a Beginner’s First Step

Many beginners have a misconception about independent websites, thinking they represent freedom, freedom from platform constraints, and a path to branding.

This is only half true.

Independent sites offer greater freedom, but the flip side is having to solve all problems yourself. Where does traffic come from? Why should users trust you? How do you handle payments? Logistics? Returns? How much advertising loss can you endure? How do you continuously produce content and build repeat purchases?

Platforms at least provide part of the transaction scenario; with independent sites, you must build even that yourself.

So I don’t recommend beginners invest heavily in an independent site from day one. Unless you already have a mature product, stable content channels, an existing overseas user base, or a very clear customer acquisition model, an independent site can easily become a black hole for ad spending.

A more realistic path: First, validate your product and target audience on existing platforms, then use an independent site to solidify your brand, drive repeat purchases, and accumulate user data.

An independent site is not the starting point; it’s more like an amplifier for later stages.

The First Question for Beginners

Shouldn’t Be “Which Platform Is Best?”

Many newcomers enter cross-border e-commerce with one immediate question: “Which platform should I start on?”

This question isn’t wrong, but it’s too early.

A better first question is: “What is my capability model?”

If you have a factory and supply chain, can you endure low margins and high turnover?

If you have design and aesthetic ability, can you create differentiation?

If you have content skills, can you consistently produce videos, find influencers, and test creative materials?

If you’re just an ordinary individual seeking a side income, can you accept seeing no clear results for three to six months?

If you’re transitioning from another industry, are you ready to learn logistics, customer service, platform rules, and advertising from scratch?

Cross-border e-commerce is not about registering a store and immediately making money. The real beginning is completing a full transaction loop: product selection, listing, exposure, order, shipping, after-sales, and review. Without mastering this loop, discussing which platform to use is premature.

Training and AI Are Useful,

But They Can’t Replace Real Participation

Today, there are many cross-border e-commerce courses and AI tools available—product research tools, translation tools, image tools, advertising tools, and customer service tools. They can genuinely lower some barriers to entry.

But tools only improve efficiency; they can’t make judgments for you.

The same goes for training. Good courses can help newcomers avoid detours and quickly grasp platform rules and industry fundamentals. But don’t expect a single course to solve all problems. Many of the truly difficult aspects of cross-border e-commerce only emerge during real transactions.

For example, a product might seem to have demand but gets no traffic after listing. Ads generate clicks but no conversions. Orders come in, but return rates are high. The price seems profitable, but after accounting for logistics, commissions, storage, and after-sales, there’s no profit left.

These issues are very difficult to fully understand through courses alone. You have to experience them firsthand.

Entering Cautiously

Doesn’t Mean Not Entering at All

I don’t believe that ordinary people can’t do cross-border e-commerce at all right now.

On the contrary, as the industry matures from rough-and-tumble growth, it will weed out many impulsive entrants while retaining those genuinely willing to study products, respect rules, and commit to long-term operations.

But newcomers must adjust their expectations downward.

Don’t try to scale too big too soon.

Don’t spread across multiple platforms at the start.

Don’t commit heavily to inventory right away.

Don’t pour money into an independent site initially.

Don’t bet everything on TikTok Shop just because it’s trending.

And don’t assume Temu’s low entry barrier means easy profits.

A better approach: Choose a primary platform, select a small number of SKUs, and run the real process on a small budget. Real listing, real shipping, real customer interactions, real profit calculations. First, validate whether you can successfully complete a small, closed loop. Only then consider scaling up.

If your product is suited for content, you can focus on TikTok Shop. If it’s better suited for search and stable repeat purchases, you shouldn’t abandon marketplace platforms like Amazon. If you just want to first understand cross-border workflows, you can observe through platforms like Temu—but keep expectations in check.

If you can’t close even a small loop, switching platforms is unlikely to solve the core problem.