In recent years, cross-border e-commerce has emerged as a pivotal force in the global economic integration processThis development has also become an essential breakthrough for China in cultivating new driving forces for foreign trade and achieving high-quality economic growth.

As the overseas "Black Friday" shopping season approaches, major domestic cross-border e-commerce platforms are gearing up for an influx of orders, launching various promotional activities aimed at overseas consumersThis period marks a significant surge in the logistics and delivery sectors as retailers prepare for a flood of international orders.

The day known as "Black Friday" signals the beginning of a month-long holiday shopping spree in Europe and North AmericaOn this day, merchants across the region offer significant discounts to entice consumers into buying affordable and desirable products, thereby kickstarting the holiday season.

On November 14th, TikTok Shop, the overseas version of the popular short-video platform, commenced its "Black Friday" promotional season

Different countries are launching a slew of pre-heating activitiesTake, for example, the TikTok Shop in the United States, where consumers are presented with brand-exclusive discounts of up to 55%. The participating brands span categories from beauty and fashion to home goods and electronics, creating an enticing environment for online shoppers.

Similarly, SHEIN, a prominent cross-border e-commerce platform, has initiated several pre-Black Friday promotional campaignsThe company is also offering free access to its European and American warehouses for sellers operating under its bannerThis innovative service model, termed "Overseas Local Operation," is designed to enable sellers to stock efficiently for local markets, enhancing logistics delivery speeds and offering consumers a superior shopping experience.

From Alibaba's cross-border platform AliExpress, reports indicate a marketing blitz across popular metro stations and renowned landmarks in the UK, South Korea, and Spain

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Huge advertisements have spread awareness just in time for Black Friday, aiming to spread the shopping fervor around the globeNotably, AliExpress has recently secured the top spot in app downloads in the UK, highlighting its growing popularity among international shoppers.

As the excitement builds for the Black Friday shopping season, factories in various Chinese cities are overwhelmed with an unending stream of orders pouring in.

"This year, our company's order peak arrived earlier than in past years—before the overseas Black Friday sales even began, we had already logged 8.5 million orders related to our promotional activities," shared Zhang Ting, a representative from Xiamen Mo Yu Cheng He E-Commerce Co., LtdThe products are set to be dispatched to consumers worldwide from Xiamen Airport shortly thereafter.

Since November, the cross-border e-commerce export zone at Xiamen Airport has seen its 14 inbound channels operating at full throttle, with forklifts moving briskly among countless boxes ready for dispatch

Benefiting from the combined momentum of "Double 11" and Black Friday promotional activities, Xiamen Airport's logistics hub is experiencing a peak in cross-border package exports.

Similarly, at the Chengdu Airport International Express Center, a substantial increase in cross-border e-commerce cargo has been recorded, with clearance document volumes surging by 302% in the first three quartersStaff anticipate explosive growth in cargo volume as Q4 unfoldsKong Shu, the deputy general manager of Chengdu Airport Modern Services Company, stated, "Black Friday is a large-scale promotional festival in Europe and America, clearly stimulating cross-border e-commerce exportsThe market has already been vibrant in the first three quarters; Q4 is expected to be even more robust."

The rise of cross-border e-commerce as a transformative trading model is reshaping the global trade landscape

Preliminary estimates from the General Administration of Customs show that in the first three quarters of 2024, China's cross-border e-commerce imports and exports reached 18.8 trillion yuan, marking an 11.5% year-on-year increase that surpasses the overall growth rate of foreign trade by 6.2 percentage points during the same period.

To further energize this new engine of foreign trade, a series of policies have been implemented this year in ChinaThese initiatives include the establishment of comprehensive pilot zones for cross-border e-commerce, enhancing the positive list for retail imports, and continuously innovating customs supervision for cross-border e-commerce, thereby promoting it as a new driving force for foreign trade growth.

The recent conference underscored the importance of stabilizing foreign trade and providing strong support for sustained economic recovery