Chapter 1　Concept and Characteristics of Cross-border E-commerce

【PPT】Unit 1-Chapter 1 Concept and Characteristics of Cross-border E-commerce

【视频】The Characteristic of Cross-border E-commerce

【视频】The Modes of Cross-border E-commerce

Learning Goals

　　After studying this chapter, you are expected to:

　　■　Acquire basic knowledge about the definition and characteristics of Cross-border E-commerce

　　■　Know the difference between traditional foreign trade and

　　■　Cross-border E-commerce

　　■　Understand the process of import and export of Cross-border E-commerce

　　■　Learn words and expressions concerning talking about above issues

　　■　Cultivate the spirit of patriotism

Part One　Warming-up

Task / Work in groups. Look at what the following people say or do and express your own opinions with your group members. Try to relate to your personal experience.

A. Since 2020, under the influence of COVID-19, global purchase has become more dependent on online, which has accelerated the online development of China's and even the world's foreign trade.

B. If you make customers unhappy in the physical world, they might each tell six friends. If you make customers unhappy on the Internet, they can each tell 6,000.

Part Two　Passage Reading

Knowledge pointCross-border E-commerce

　　Cross-border E-commerce refers to the international business activity that transaction subjects in different countries electronize the traditional trade in terms of exhibition, negotiation and transaction through the means of e-commerce, and deliver products through cross-border logistics or international warehousing services to complete the transaction.

　　In terms of business model, Cross-border E-commerce can be divided into Cross-border Retail E-commerce (B2C and C2C) and Cross-border B2B E-commerce. Cross-border B2B E-commerce not only includes online transactions through cross-border trading platform, but also includes the off-line transaction resulting from on-line activities. In terms of customs area, Cross-border E-commerce can be divided into export Cross-border E-commerce and import Cross-border E-commerce.

1. Cross-border Retail E-commerce

Knowledge pointCross-border Retail E-commerce

　　Cross-border B2C (Business-to-Consumer) E-commerce refers to the international business activities of companies in different customs areas, directly selling products or services to consumers through e-commerce platforms. The process includes reaching the transactions, completing payment and settlement, and delivering products through cross-border logistics, and completing the transaction. Cross-border C2C (Consumer-to-Consumer) E-commerce refers to the international business activities of individual sellers in different customs areas, selling products or services to individual buyers through third-party e-commerce platforms. Individual sellers publish product information, price and other contents, and individual buyers can find out the information.

2. Cross-border B2B E-commerce

Knowledge pointCross-border B2B E-commerce

　　Cross-border B2B (Business-to-Business) E-commerce refers to the international business activities between companies in different customs areas. The process includes reaching the transaction, completing the payment and settlement through e-commerce platform, and delivering products through cross-border logistics, and completing the transaction.

3. Cross-border import and export business process

　　From the process of import and export of Cross-border E-commerce, producers or manufacturers display the products information on the platform of Cross-border E-commerce business. After the products are ordered and the payment is completed, Cross-border E-commerce enterprises will deliver the products to logistics for shipment, after two (export and import countries) customs clearance & commodity check, the products are finally delivered to consumers or companies. Some Cross-border E-commerce companies directly cooperate with the third-party combined service platforms, and let the third-party combined service platforms deal with logistics, customs clearance & commodity check and so on, so as to complete the entire Cross-border E-commerce process. Cross-border E-commerce import is basically the same with export except for the directions of process.

　　Cross-border E-commerce covers logistics, information flow, capital flow, and document flow. With the continuous development of Cross-border E-commerce, cross-border electric business core enterprises attract and hatch out a number of complementary enterprises, including software companies, operation agencies, online payment companies, logistics companies and other supporting companies. They are beginning to gather focusing on Cross-border E-commerce. The services include online shop decoration, translation of description, shop operations, marketing, logistics, changing & refunding, financial services, quality check, insurance and so on.

　　Compared with traditional international trade models, Cross-border E-commerce is less dependent on geographical restrictions, less affected by national trade protection measures, and it involves fewer intermediaries. Thus the prices are lower, and profit margins are higher.

New Words

⑴ logistics /lɒˈdʒɪstɪks/ n. involving the planning and management of how things are moved 物流

　e. g. Ⅰ) In modern logistics business, the optimizing in the transportation routes has always been a focus problem.

　　　　　在现代物流中，配送运输路线优化一直是一个热点问题。

　　　 Ⅱ) A good logistics system can reduce the level of organization and encourage the team spirit.

　　　　　一个好的物流系统可以减少管理层次，并激发团队精神。

⑵ retail /ˈri:teɪl/ n. the selling of goods to consumers; usually in small quantities and not for resale 零售

　e. g. Ⅰ) He does wholesale business, while his brother is engaged in retail business.

　　　　　他经营批发生意，他弟弟则经营零售生意。

　　　 Ⅱ) Record profits in the retail market indicate a boom in the economy.

　　　　　零售市场上有史以来的最高利润显示出经济的突飞猛进。

⑶ settlement /ˈsetlmənt/ n. termination of a business operation by using its assets to discharge its liabilities 结算

　e. g. Ⅰ) The trade contract stipulates for the settlement of balances in RMB.

　　　　　贸易合同规定余额以人民币结算。

　　　 Ⅱ) Their accounts have run on a year or two without a settlement.

　　　　　他们的账目已有一两年没有结算了。

⑷ manufacturer /ˌmænjuˈfæktʃərə(r)/ n. a person or company that produces goods in large quantities 生产者；制造商；生产商

　e. g. Ⅰ) a car/computer manufacturer

　　　　　一家汽车/计算机制造商

　　　 Ⅱ) A manufacturer can amplify the demand of a product by advertising widely.

　　　　　厂商能用大规模做广告的方法来扩大人们对产品的需求。

⑸ shipment /ˈʃɪpmənt/ n. goods carried by a large vehicle; the act of sending off something 运输的货物；运输；装运

　e. g. Ⅰ) The sellers have to inspect the goods before shipment.

　　　　　在装运前，卖方须对货物进行检验。

　　　 Ⅱ) The goods are done up in bundles for shipment.

　　　　　货物已打包以备装船。

⑹ clearance /ˈklɪərəns/ n. permission to proceed 通关；放行；清关

　e. g. Ⅰ) The ship sailed as soon as it got clearance.

　　　　　那艘船一办好清关手续就立刻启航了。

　　　 Ⅱ) They have to wait for clearance from air traffic control.

　　　　　他们需要等待空中交通管制人员的放行。

⑺ commodity /kəˈmɒdəti/ n. articles of commerce 商品

　e. g. Ⅰ) There is an abundance of commodity supplies on the market.

　　　　　市场上商品供应充足。

　　　 Ⅱ) The authorities took measures to roll commodity price down.

　　　　　当局采取措施使物价全面回降。

⑻ core /kɔ:(r)/ n. the choicest or most essential or most vital part of some ideas or experiences 核心

　e. g. Ⅰ) The core of our appeal is freedom of speech.

　　　　　我们诉求的核心是言论自由。

　　　 Ⅱ) The core of the information safety is the password technology.

　　　　　信息安全的核心是密码技术。

⑼ complementary /ˌkɒmplɪˈmentri/ adj. acting as or providing a complement (something that completes the whole) 互补的

　e. g. Ⅰ) We two countries are mutually complementary in economy.

　　　　　我们两国的经济是互补的。

　　　 Ⅱ) A Sino-Foreign joint venture is a mutually complementary and beneficial partnership.

　　　　　中外合资是一种互补互惠的合作关系。

⑽ insurance /ɪnˈʃʊərəns/ n. protection against future loss 保险；保障

　e. g. Ⅰ) He's applying for two other jobs as an insurance against not passing the interview for this one.

　　　　　他还申请了另外两份工作，以防这份工作面试未通过。

　　　 Ⅱ) Unfavorable economic conditions were blocking a recovery of the American insurance market.

　　　　　不利的经济形势阻碍着美国保险市场的复苏。

⑾ geographical /ˌdʒi:ə'ɡræfɪkl/ adj. of or relating to the science of geography 地理的；地理学的

　e. g. Ⅰ) The geographical scope of product markets has widened since the war.

　　　　　战后，产品市场的地理范围扩大了。

　　　 Ⅱ) The current survey will have a wider geographical spread.

　　　　　当前的调查将在更广泛的地域范围进行。

⑿ intermediary /ˌɪntəˈmi:diəri/ n. a negotiator who acts as a link between parties中介；中间人

　e. g. Ⅰ) He is an intermediary on real estate deal.

　　　　　他是一名房地产交易中介。

　　　 Ⅱ) The company negotiated with their suppliers through an intermediary.

　　　　　这家公司通过中间人与其供应商协调。

⒀ margin /ˈmɑ:dʒɪn/ n. (business) the net sales minus the cost of goods and services sold 利润；［商］原价和卖价之差

　e. g. Ⅰ) The group had a net profit margin of 30% last year.

　　　　　去年，这个集团的净利率为30%。

　　　 Ⅱ) I don't have any margin with this price.

　　　　　以这个价格，我没有任何利润。

Phrases & Expressions

⑴ divide into 分成；分为

　e. g. Ⅰ) All things are invariably divided into two.

　　　　　事物都是一分为二的。

　　　 Ⅱ) We divide into pairs and each pair takes a region.

　　　　　我们分成两人一组，每一组负责一个区域。

⑵ in terms of 就……而言；在……方面

　e. g. Ⅰ) In terms of quantity, production grew faster than ever before.

　　　　　从数量上看，产量增长的速度比以往任何时期都要快。

　　　 Ⅱ) It cannot be measured in terms of money.

　　　　　这是不能用金钱衡量的。

⑶ refer to 涉及；指的是

　e. g. Ⅰ) Please refer to the description of the product.

　　　　　请参看产品详情页。

　　　 Ⅱ) That remark does not refer to her.

　　　　　那句话不是针对她的。

⑷ hatch out 策划；孵化

　e. g. Ⅰ) No one knows how the new plan will be hatched out.

　　　　　谁也不知道新方案将怎样被策划出来。

　　　 Ⅱ) The chicks will hatch out after fifteen days.

　　　　　小鸡过15天就会孵出来了。

Task 1 / Work in pairs. Read the above passage and answer the following questions.

　　⑴ What does C2C mean?

　　⑵ What are the two business models of Cross-border E-commerce?

　　⑶ What will the third-party integrated service platform do in order to cooperate with Cross-border E-commerce companies?

Task 2 / Complete the following sentences with the words or phrases in the box. Change the form if necessary.

　　retail　　　　　manufacturer　　divide into　　　 margin

　　settlement　　 refer to　　　　　clearance　　　　commodity

　　⑴ Thai Airways said the plane had been given ______ to land.

　　⑵ Don't ______ the matter again.

　　⑶ Over the past three years, the system has provided smooth and efficient ______ for inter-bank payments.

　　⑷ Have you ever worked in a ______ store before?

　　⑸ It leaves us almost no ______ of profit.

　　⑹ That ______ outstripped all his competitors in sales last year.

　　⑺ The students ______ several small groups to talk about the subject.

　　⑻ Many brokers were charged with cheating customers in ______ trades.

Task 3 / Translate the following sentences into English, using the expressions in brackets.

　　⑴ 请尽快通知装货日期。(shipment)

　　　 ________________________________________________________________________

　　⑵ 从科学的角度来解释它是很难的。(in terms of)

　　　 ________________________________________________________________________

　　⑶ 我何时可以拿到清关的记录？(clearance)

　　　 ________________________________________________________________________

　　⑷ 再额外付一些钱的话，你或许就能买到附加险。(insurance)

　　　 ________________________________________________________________________

　　⑸ 经济结构的互补为经贸合作提供了广阔的空间。(complementary)

　　　 ________________________________________________________________________

　　⑹ 该集团打算主营6种业务。(core)

　　　 ________________________________________________________________________

Part Three　Mini-Project

Suppose you are the marketing manager of a cloth company. Since your company is planning to export clothes into the overseas market by taking the advantage of the Cross-border E-commerce platform. What should you prepare before the export?

Chapter 2　The Significance of Cross-border E-commerce

【PPT】Unit 1-Chapter 2 The Significance of Cross-border E-commerce

【视频】The Significance of Cross-border E-commerce

Learning Goals

　　After studying this chapter, you are expected to:

　　■　Acquire basic knowledge about the significance of Cross-border E-commerce

　　■　Know the advantages and benefits of doing business on Cross-border E-commerce platforms

　　■　Learn words and expressions concerning talking about above issues in the significance of Cross-border E-commerce

　　■　Cultivate the spirit of professionalism

Part One　Warming-up

Task / Work in groups. Look at what the following people say or do and express your own opinions with your group members. Try to relate to your personal experience.

A. The State Council of China officially announced its plan to establish a “Cross-border E-Commerce Comprehensive Pilot Area” in Hangzhou in March 2015, featuring a lot of preferential tax policies and streamlined customs clearance procedures.

B. Li Yansheng, Senior Vice President of Shenzhen 4PX Information Technology said, “Chinese people are earning more and the standard of living is rising, the need and want of overseas high quality, high priced and safe products is increasing. So there are huge demands which prosper the development of international e-commerce. ”

Part Two　Passage Reading

　　The export by way of Cross-border E-commerce has increased by more than 30% year by year from 2015 onwards to promote the export business of many medium-sized, micro and small enterprises. Cross-border E-commerce has been a new growth point of foreign trade. The total scale of the import and export by way of Cross-border E-commerce in China reached $ 1. 98 trillion, and is expected to rise to $ 2. 46 trillion in 2022. In the context of global sluggish foreign trade and China's economic downturn, Cross-border E-commerce undertakes the mission of promoting the transformation and upgrading of China's open economy and building new economic growth points.

1. Speed up the efforts in building China as a strong trader

　　Cross-border E-commerce, being a new and developing form of global foreign trade, features “no border” and “globalization”. For enterprises, the open, multi-dimensional stereoscopic and multilateral trade cooperation mode arising from Cross-border E-commerce greatly widens the channels for entering international markets. On the basis, Cross-border E-commerce provides China a new way to address new trade patterns without being marginalized. In the global new trade pattern, expanding and strengthening Cross-border E-commerce are a new method by which new-type trade relations can form among major countries and regions. Such action is favorable to taking the initiative to address new trade patterns, as well as turning the scale that China has been persistently at the low end of the international trade chain. The globalized sales terminals ingeniously developed in process of the Cross-border E-commerce development will contribute to the transformation of China from a large trader to a strong trader.

2. Bring about new opportunities for establishing international brands

　　In the Internet age, brand and word of mouth play an important part in an enterprise's competitiveness, and act as a key contributor to popularity. At present, despite of high quality and performance, many Chinese enterprises' products and services are unknown to overseas consumers. Cross-border E-commerce can provide Chinese enterprises an effective way to establish brands and improve brand awareness by effectively breaking the channel monopoly, reducing intermediate links, saving the transaction cost and shortening the transaction period. In particular, it can create a new development space for “small but good” SMEs.

3. Promote the upgrade of China's industrial structure

　　The Cross-border E-commerce development directly promotes the development of modern services (e. g. logistics, information service) and electronic information product manufacturing. Now, there have been more than 5,000 e-commerce enterprises in China, and a range of local well-known e-commerce, express delivery and third-party payment enterprises are springing up. A more highlighted effect of Cross-border E-commerce is to arouse the reform of production and industrial organization modes. Faced with overseas consumers' diversified, multi-level, individualized demands, under the principle of “consumer-oriented”, an enterprise must enhance the cooperation and innovation, build a complicated and advanced service system, make more efforts in R&D and brand sales in addition to improvement in manufacturing process and quality, and restructure its value chain and industry chain, thereby maximizing the efficiency of resource allocation.

4. Promote the co-development of the countries along the Belt and Road (B&R)

　　As the world's longest economic cooperation belt and most promising economic corridor, B&R originates in China and runs through economic circles of Asia, Europe and Africa. In the B&R initiative, which is important for the future development of China, Cross-border E-commerce plays a unique role. Through e-commerce platforms, Chinese products are sold to 65 countries along B&R, such as Russia, Ukraine, Poland, Thailand, Egypt and Saudi Arab, and in turn, products from more than 50 countries along B&R enter China. On the basis, Cross-border E-commerce has expanded the scale of culture and commodity circulation, and been a supporter for the co-prosperity of all the countries along B&R.

New Words

⑴ sluggish /ˈslʌɡɪʃ/ adj. (of business) not active or brisk 萧条的；低迷的

　e. g. Ⅰ) After two decades of sluggish growth, output has soared since 1978.

　　　　　经过20年的停滞不前，1978年产量开始猛增。

　　　 Ⅱ) As the market is sluggish, please postpone the shipment of the order No. 203 goods to August.

　　　　　由于市场疲软，请将敝公司203号订单延迟至8月出货。

⑵ downturn /ˈdaʊntɜ:n/ n. a worsening of business or economic activity 低迷时期

　e. g. Ⅰ) They predicted a severe economic downturn.

　　　　　他们预言会有严重的经济衰退。

　　　 Ⅱ) America's current economic downturn is markedly different from previous recessions.

　　　　　美国目前的经济低迷与以往的经济衰退明显不同。

⑶ stereoscopic /ˌsteriəˈskɒpɪk/ adj. of or relating to stereoscopy 立体的

　e. g. Ⅰ) Avatar shows us exactly what stereoscopic cinema is capable of.

　　　　　《阿凡达》向我们完完全全地展示了立体电影能做什么。

　　　 Ⅱ) This autumn, mini books with stereoscopic covers and sound chips will be released.

　　　　　今年秋天，带立体封面的迷你书和有声迷你书都将进入市场。

⑷ multilateral /ˌmʌltiˈlætərəl/ adj. having many parts or sides 多国参加的；多边的

　e. g. Ⅰ) The two countries have maintained close consultation and coordination in bilateral and multilateral areas.

　　　　　两国在诸多双边和多边领域继续保持密切沟通与协调。

　　　 Ⅱ) China stands for active participation in international forums and multilateral cooperation.

　　　　　中国积极支持参与国际论坛和多边合作。

⑸ initiative /ɪˈnɪʃətɪv/ n. the ability to decide and act on your own without waiting for sb to tell you what to do 主动性；积极性

　e. g. Ⅰ) She was disappointed by his lack of initiative.

　　　　　她对他缺少进取心感到失望。

　　　 Ⅱ) There is little scope for initiative in this job.

　　　　　这项工作几乎没有发挥主动性的余地。

⑹ ingeniously /ɪn'dʒi:nɪəslɪ/ adv. in an ingenious manner 巧妙地

　e. g. Ⅰ) The Kindle 3 is ingeniously designed to be everything the iPad will never be: small, light and inexpensive.

　　　　　第三代Kindle的巧妙设计达到了iPad所无法做到的特点：小巧、轻便，而且便宜。

　　　 Ⅱ) The plot of the film is ingeniously conceived.

　　　　　这部电影的情节构思巧妙。

⑺ monopoly /məˈnɒpəli/ n. (economics) a market in which there are many buyers but only one seller 垄断

　e. g. Ⅰ) His monopoly of shipbuilding in that country has been established.

　　　　　他对那个国家造船业的垄断已经建立起来。

　　　 Ⅱ) Local protectionism and monopoly of industries must be eliminated.

　　　　　地方保护主义和行业垄断必须被打破。

⑻ arouse /əˈraʊz/ v. call forth (emotions, feelings, and responses) 唤醒；激起

　e. g. Ⅰ) Advertisement aims to increase people's awareness and arouse interest.

　　　　　广告的目的是增强人们的意识以及激发兴趣。

　　　 Ⅱ) The appointment of the new director arouse a lot of controversy.

　　　　　新负责人的任命引起了激烈的争论。

⑼ dense /dens/ adj. containing a lot of people, things, plants etc. with little space between them 密集的；稠密的

　e. g. Ⅰ) The area was covered in dense jungle.

　　　　　这个地区丛林密布。

　　　 Ⅱ) The path was completely covered by the dense foliage.

　　　　　小路被厚厚的树叶完全地盖住了。

Proper Names

　　⑴ SMEs: 中小型企业 (Small and Medium Enterprises)

　　⑵ R&D: 研究与开发 (Research and Development)

Phrases & Expressions

⑴ by way of 经过；用……方法

　e. g. Ⅰ) By way of introducing himself, he showed me his card.

　　　　　他把他的名片给我，以此来做自我介绍。

　　　 Ⅱ) He was dismissed by way of disciplinary punishment.

　　　　　他被开除以示惩戒。

⑵ in process of 在……的过程中

　e. g. Ⅰ) China is in process of establishing deposit insurance system.

　　　　　中国正在建立存款保险制度。

　　　 Ⅱ) In process of investment, many risky factors determine the uncertainty of investment efficiency.

　　　　　在投资过程中，众多的风险因素决定了投资效益的不确定性。

⑶ word of mouth 口口相传；口碑

　e. g. Ⅰ) I have informed them by word of mouth.

　　　　　我已经口头通知他们了。

　　　 Ⅱ) I think the best form of advertising is by word of mouth.

　　　　　我认为最好的广告方式是口口相传。

⑷ despite of 不管；尽管；任凭

　e. g. Ⅰ) Cooperation is always of the main theme of bilateral relations despite of some challenges that need to be handled properly.

　　　　　尽管有一些需要妥善应对的挑战，但合作始终是双边关系的主旋律。

　　　 Ⅱ) This year, despite of the impact of the international financial crisis on the world economy and international trade, the momentum of China-EU cooperation remains strong.

　　　　　今年以来，尽管国际金融危机对世界经济和国际贸易造成冲击，但中欧合作势头强劲。

⑸ consumer-oriented 消费者导向的

　e. g. Ⅰ) This fall, Palm, Inc. released two consumer-oriented smart phones: the Centro and the Treo 500v.

　　　　　今年秋天，Palm公司推出两款以消费者为导向的智能手机：Centro和Treo 500v。

　　　 Ⅱ) The Four C's model is more consumer-oriented and fits better in the movement from mass marketing to positioning marketing.

　　　　　4C模型更加面向客户，更适合由大众营销到定位营销的转变。

Task 1 / Work in pairs. Read the above passage and answer the following questions.

　　⑴ What are the features of Cross-border E-commerce?

　　⑵ What does “small but good” refer to in paragraph 3?

　　⑶ Why is B&R considered as an important role in the future development of China?

Task 2 / Complete the following sentences with the words or phrases in the box. Change the form if necessary.

　　by way of　　 multilateral　 　　　　monopoly　　　sluggish

　　arouse　　　　consumer-oriented　 downturn　　　word of mouth

　　⑴ Trading on the stock exchange has been ______ today.

　　⑵ There was a ______ in interest rates this week.

　　⑶ A ______ Nuclear Test Ban Treaty was to be signed.

　　⑷ I had better say a few words ______ explanation.

　　⑸ In many countries tobacco is a government ______.

　　⑹ We must ______ them to fight with enemies.

　　⑺ The company is “looking into developing ____________ products”, says CEO Bitte Hanell, though she declines to provide further details.

　　⑻ There was no TV, no newspaper or internet, just ____________ real communication between mankind.

Task 3 / Translate the following sentences into English, using the expressions in brackets.

　　⑴ 那座房子正在维修。(in process of)

　　　 ________________________________________________________________________

　　⑵ 房顶经过巧妙设计，可提供太阳能取暖。(ingeniously)

　　　 ________________________________________________________________________

　　⑶ 4个发动机全都在冒浓烟。(dense)

　　　 ________________________________________________________________________

　　⑷ 雇主说他缺乏进取心和干劲。(initiative)

　　　 ________________________________________________________________________

　　⑸ 尽管他们做了努力，却没有什么成就。(despite of)

　　　 ________________________________________________________________________

　　⑹ 除工资外，他每月还有1 000元的奖金。(in addition to)

　　　 ________________________________________________________________________

Part Three　Mini-Project

Work in groups and complete the following sentences with the help of the information given in brackets.

　　⑴ “The Belt” refers to ____________________________（丝绸之路经济带）, which extends into ____________________ （中亚国家）.

　　⑵ “The Road” refers to ___________________________（21世纪海上丝绸之路）, which seeks to extend China's trading power and infrastructure investment into ________________________________________________ （东南亚、南亚和非洲国家）.

　　⑶ The Belt and Road initiative focuses on promoting policy coordination, infrastructure connectivity, financial integration, and closer people-to-people ties through joint efforts, ________________________________（造福沿线国家和人民）.

Chapter 3　Cross-border E-commerce Development in China

【PPT】Unit 1-Chapter 3 Cross-border E-commerce Development in China

【视频】Professional Experience Sharing（1）

【视频】Professional Experience Sharing（2）

【视频】The Trends of Cross-border E-commerce

Learning Goals

　　After studying this chapter, you are expected to:

　　■　Acquire basic knowledge about the characteristics of Cross-border E-commerce in China

　　■　Know the trends of Cross-border E-commerce in China

　　■　Know the main problems in the development of Cross-border E-commerce in China

　　■　Learn words and expressions concerning talking about above issues in the current situation and development trend of Cross-border E-commerce in China

　　■　Cultivate the spirit of dedication

Part One　Warming-up

Task / Work in groups. Look at what the following people say or do and express your own opinions with your group members. Try to relate to your personal experience.

A. Jiang Yong, Lightinthebox's vice president said, “Our businesses cover scores of countries and we hired some local people in after-sales service. We also established local warehouses. For example, U. S. and European customers can have their purchased goods directly returned to local warehouses instead of to China. ”

B. In 2020, under the impact of the epidemic, live streaming has become a hot new outlet of flow. It not only affects people's consumption patterns, but also helps enterprises expand overseas markets.

Part Two　Passage Reading

　　At present, there are mainly three characteristics of the Cross-border E-commerce development in China: the scale of Cross-border E-commerce continues to expand, and the proportion to import and export trade continues to rise; Cross-border E-commerce mainly relies on export business; Cross-border E-commerce is B2B-dominated, and B2C is gradually emerging and developing well.

1. The scale of Cross-border E-commerce continues to expand, and the proportion to import and export trade continues to rise

　　As the current world trade tends to tighten, more and more enterprises and businesses are beginning to reduce circulation and its cost, shorten the distance between foreign consumers to open up international markets, and improve economic benefits. Cross-border E-commerce exactly provides a favorable channel to that. In 2021, China's total import and export transaction volume was 39. 1 trillion yuan. By 2021, there are more than 29,000 Cross-border E-commerce related enterprises nationwide. According to the estimates of Ministry of Commerce, the overall transaction volume of Cross-border E-commerce is expected to reach 15. 7 trillion yuan in 2022. It is estimated that the compound growth rate of China's Cross-border E-commerce will reach 25% from 2021 to 2025.

2. In terms of import and export structure, the development of Cross-border E-commerce export business is rapid, and the proportion of import business rises steadily

　　In 2020, the total value of China's trade in goods was 32. 16 trillion yuan. As a new form of foreign trade, the epidemic accelerated the rapid development of Cross-border E-commerce, with the annual import and export volume of Cross-border E-commerce reaching 1. 69 trillion yuan, that is an increase of 31. 1% from 2019. Among which, Cross-border E-commerce exports reached 1. 12 trillion yuan, increased by 40. 1%. It is estimated that in 2024, the total export volume of China's Cross-border E-commerce will exceed 2. 95 trillion yuan. It can be seen that the development of Cross-border E-commerce exports in China has more advantages than that of imports. The strategy of “the Belt and Road” will play a more significant role in promoting China's import and export trade in the future. Exporters are expected to export products to “the Belt and Road” cities and regions more conveniently, and the trade map will gradually expand. With the opening and expansion of online shopping market, as well as the gradual forming and maturing of consumer online shopping habits, the import of Cross-border E-commerce will have a large room to develop in the future. The proportion of Cross-border E-commerce imports is expected to gradually increase in the next few years.

3. In terms of business model, Cross-border E-commerce is B2B-dominated, and B2C gradually develops

　　Taking the operating model as the criterion, Cross-border E-commerce can be divided into general trade (cross-border B2B) and cross-border online retail (cross-border B2C and C2C). The transaction subject of cross-border trading orders tend to be small and the channels of products from factory to consumers are becoming increasingly diverse, thus the B2C transaction share is predicted to further increase in the future. However, B2B business of Cross-border E-commerce still occupies a dominant position in the structural development of China's Cross-border E-commerce with its advantages of large volume of B2B transactions and stable long-term orders. In 2020, B2B transactions accounted for 77. 3% and B2C transactions accounted for 22. 7% of China's Cross-border E-commerce transactions. From the perspective of the structure trend of Cross-border E-commerce transaction mode, B2C transaction mode continues to expand. In the future, due to the formation of consumers' online shopping habits, China's Cross-border E-commerce B2C market will continue to develop well.

New Words

⑴ scale /skeɪl/ n. the ratio between the size of something and a representation of it 规模

　e. g. Ⅰ) We're enlarging the production scale to produce more and better computers.

　　　　　我们正在扩大生产规模以便生产出更多、更好的计算机。

　　　 Ⅱ) We should consider the problem on a global scale.

　　　　　我们应该从全球视角考虑这个问题。

⑵ proportion /prəˈpɔ:ʃn/ n. the relationship of one thing to another in size, amount, etc.  比例；倍数关系

　e. g. Ⅰ) The proportion of imports to exports is worrying the government.

　　　　　进出口比例令政府担忧。

　　　 Ⅱ) The proportion of women in the profession had risen to 17. 3%.

　　　　　从事该职业的女性比重已升高至17. 3%。

⑶ circulation /ˌsɜ:kjəˈleɪʃn/ n. the spread or transmission of something (as news or money) to a wider group or area 流通；循环

　e. g. Ⅰ) The supply of money in circulation was drastically reduced overnight.

　　　　　流通中的货币供应量一夜骤减。

　　　 Ⅱ) The circulation of the magazine has been bumping along for some time at around 30,000.

　　　　　一段时间以来，该杂志的销量一直在3万份上下浮动。

⑷ insider /ɪnˈsaɪdə(r)/ n. an officer of a corporation or others who have access to private information about the corporation's operations 局内人；知情人

　e. g. Ⅰ) The insider trading undermined investors' confidence in the stock market.

　　　　　内幕交易削弱了投资者对股市的信心。

　　　 Ⅱ) Those people are all in trouble because it's illegal to trade on insider information.

　　　　　这些人都有麻烦了，因为内幕交易是违法行为。

⑸ estimate /ˈestɪmət/ n. a judgment of the qualities of something or somebody 评估；估价

　e. g. Ⅰ) A conservative estimate of the bill, so far, is about £22,000.

　　　　　到目前为止，这笔账单保守估计为大约2. 2万英镑。

　　　 Ⅱ) It's very difficult to give a reliable estimate.

　　　　　要给出可靠的估计非常困难。

⑹ stabilize /ˈsteɪbəlaɪz/ v. to become or to make sth become firm, steady and unlikely to change；to make sth stable （使）稳定；（使）稳固

　e. g. Ⅰ) Officials hope the measure will stabilize exchange rates.

　　　　　官员们希望此举将稳定汇率。

　　　 Ⅱ) We must take urgent measures to stabilize and repair the financial system.

　　　　　我们必须采取紧急措施以稳定和修复金融体系。

⑺ dominated /'dɒmɪneɪtɪd/ adj. controlled or ruled by superior authority or power 主导的；受控的

　e. g. Ⅰ) These two questions dominated the discussion.

　　　　　这两个问题主导了讨论。

　　　 Ⅱ) European business dominated world trade and finance.

　　　　　欧洲企业主导着世界贸易和金融。

⑻ criterion /kraɪˈtɪəriən/ n. a basis for comparison; a reference point against which other things can be evaluated 标准；准则

　e. g. Ⅰ) Practice is the sole criterion for testing truth.

　　　　　实践是检验真理的唯一标准。

　　　 Ⅱ) The main criterion is value for money.

　　　　　主要标准是性价比。

⑼ diverse /daɪˈvɜ:s/ adj. very different from each other and of various kinds 不同的；多种多样的

　e. g. Ⅰ) India has always been one of the most religiously diverse countries.

　　　　　印度一直都是宗教信仰最多元的国家之一。

　　　 Ⅱ) Davies has managed to pursue his diverse interests in parallel with his fast-moving career.

　　　　　戴维斯在事业突飞猛进的同时并未放弃自己多元的兴趣爱好。

⑽ share /ʃeə(r)/ n. assets belonging to or due to or contributed by an individual person or group （参与、得到的）股份；（分享到的或贡献出的）一份；市场占有率

　e. g. Ⅰ) The company has steadily been losing market share to Boeing and Airbus.

　　　　　这家公司的市场份额不断被波音公司和空客公司抢走。

　　　 Ⅱ) Share prices continued to tumble today on the Tokyo stock market.

　　　　　东京股市今天继续暴跌。

⑾ occupy /ˈɒkjupaɪ/ v. be present in; be inside of 占据

　e. g. Ⅰ) We occupy a quality position in the market place.

　　　　　我们在市场上居于高端地位。

　　　 Ⅱ) Men still occupy more positions of power than women.

　　　　　担任要职的男性仍然比女性多。

⑿ foreseeable /fɔ:ˈsi:əbl/ adj. capable of being anticipated 可预见到的

　e. g. Ⅰ) Foreseeable costs were well within the budget.

　　　　　可预见的费用完全在预算之内。

　　　 Ⅱ) Online marketing revenue is expected to continue for the foreseeable future.

　　　　　在可预见的未来，网络营销收入有望持续增长。

Phrases & Expressions

⑴ rely on  依赖；依靠；信赖

　e. g. Ⅰ) Most poultry farmers have to rely on commercially manufactured feeds.

　　　　　大多数家禽养殖户不得不依赖商业化生产的饲料。

　　　 Ⅱ) Don't always rely on others to understand and sympathize.

　　　　　不要总是依赖别人的理解和同情。

⑵ open up 打开

　e. g. Ⅰ) These programs will open up markets for farmers.

　　　　　这些项目将为农民打开市场。

　　　 Ⅱ) They decided to open up a business in the town.

　　　　　他们决定在镇上开办一家企业。

⑶ account for （在数量、比例上）占

　e. g. Ⅰ) They account for less than five percent of the population together.

　　　　　他们总共占不到总人口的5%。

　　　 Ⅱ) These products, in total, account for about 80% of all our sales.

　　　　　这些产品总共约占我们全部销售额的80%。

⑷ be expected to 期待；预计；被期望做某事

　e. g. Ⅰ) They are expected to make an announcement later today.

　　　　　预计今天晚些时候他们会发表声明。

　　　 Ⅱ) She is expected to be a good doctor.

　　　　　人们期望她成为一名好医生。

⑸ due to 因为；由于

　e. g. Ⅰ) The boss gave him the push due to his careless work.

　　　　　由于他工作粗心，老板解雇了他。

　　　 Ⅱ) Due to low investment, industrial output has remained stagnant.

　　　　　由于投资少，工业生产一直停滞不前。

Task 1 / Work in pairs. Read the above passage and answer the following questions.

　　⑴ What kind of channel does Cross-border E-commerce provide in order to open up international market?

　　⑵ Why will the strategy of B&R be so important in promoting China's import and export trade?

　　⑶ What can we know about Cross-border E-commerce B2B in China from the last paragraph?

Task 2 / Complete the following sentences with the words or phrases in the box. Change the form if necessary.

　　due to　　　　criterion　　　estimate　　foreseeable

　　circulation　　proportion　　open up　　diverse

　　⑴ Their way of life is rich, ______ and rooted.

　　⑵ Their most important ______ for buying a car is fuel efficiency.

　　⑶ This new job could ______ whole new vistas for her.

　　⑷ The lowest ______ would put the worth of the jewel at $200.

　　⑸ We must constantly adjust the amount of money in ______.

　　⑹ The team's success was largely ______ her efforts.

　　⑺ In the ______ future, our mining activities would possibly be focused out of China.

　　⑻ The ______ of women in the profession had risen to 17. 3%.

Task 3 / Translate the following sentences into English, using the expressions in brackets.

　　⑴ 这种心态容易引发一场大规模的消费高潮。(scale)

　　　 ________________________________________________________________________

　　⑵ 他们声称占有全球40%的市场。(share)

　　　 ________________________________________________________________________

　　⑶ 该公司允诺就其扩张计划广泛征求意见。(expansion)

　　　 ________________________________________________________________________

　　⑷ 你们有没有特别的计划帮助他们打开新的市场？(open up)

　　　 ________________________________________________________________________

　　⑸ 床似乎占去了大半个屋子。(occupy)

　　　 ________________________________________________________________________

　　⑹ 我们可以放心地让孩子们去做这样的工作。(rely on)

　　　 ________________________________________________________________________

Part Three　Mini-Project

It's important to deliver the product to the customer's hand quickly, however the timeliness of Cross-border E-commerce logistics is still a big problem at present.

Discuss with your partner about some main logistics problems in the development of the Cross-border E-commerce and try to make your suggestions.

Chapter 4　Customer Service of Cross-border E-commerce

【PPT】Unit 1-Chapter 4 Customer Service of Cross-border E-commerce

【视频】Customer Service Procedures

Learning Goals

　　After studying this chapter, you are expected to:

　　■　Acquire basic knowledge about customer service of Cross-border E-commerce

　　■　Know the importance of pre-sale services, on-sale services and after-sales services of Cross-border E-commerce

　　■　Know the professional abilities and skills required for the customer service staff of Cross-border E-commerce

　　■　Learn words and expressions concerning talking about above issues

　　■　Cultivate the professional spirit of customer service positions

Part One　Warming-up

Task / Work in groups. Look at what the following people say or do and express your own opinions with your group members. Try to relate to your personal experience.

A. Lucy has decided not to buy products again from the online shop which she used to visit often. Because when she asked some questions about the products she intended to buy, she would wait for more than two days to receive a reply. That makes her feel bad.

B. One of my friends who runs an online ship once said, “The cost of developing a new customer is five times as much as that of retaining an old one. ”

Part Two　Passage Reading

Knowledge pointCustomer Service

　　Customer service is the support you offer your customers both before and after they buy your product that helps them have an easy and enjoyable experience with you. It's more than just providing answers; it's an important part of the promise your brand makes to its customers. And it's critical to the success of your business. It is a position in the Cross-border E-commerce enterprise, where one can reach the most customers. The quality of customer service directly influences whether the consumers will buy or not.

　　The customer service of the Cross-border E-commerce involves:

Pre-sale customer service

　　Pre-sale customer service is sales-oriented and provided for the buyers who make inquiries about products before placing orders. Pre-sale customer service gives information about purchase procedures, product introductions, payment methods, logistics modes and shipping charges etc. , all of which have a great deal to do with the transaction conversion rate.

After-sales customer service

　　After-sales customer service is provided for customers who, after having placed orders, make inquiries about orders, the anticipated arrival time of parcels, and product service etc. It has much to do with the improvement of product category and quality, the customer experience, the repeat purchase rate, the returned purchase rate, the dispute rate etc. The problems faced in the after-sales customer service are mainly the delay of goods, the inconformity between goods and its description, and the moderate and bad comments.

Initiative after-sales inquiry

　　Take the initiative to keep customers informed, after sales, of some important information, for example, to tell customers whether the payment is successful or not, whether their orders have been confirmed or processed, where their goods have been sent, what new and best-selling products are put on shelves, and what marketing activities will be launched in the shop.

　　In the aspect of customer service, both AliExpress and DHgate have the complete protocols and disputes handling systems, helping settle the disputes between sellers and buyers. In the aspect of pre-delivery protocol, AliExpress allows the buyers to cancel the orders after the orders paid successfully and before the sellers deliver the goods, it is more favorable for buyers. But the buyers of the DHgate just can cancel the orders after 24 hours they pay the orders successfully, and it is more favorable for sellers. In the aspect of delivery protocol, if the sellers' promising-delivery-time is less than 5 days, buyers can apply for refunds as soon as the sellers deliver goods; if the sellers' promising-delivery-time is no less than 5 days, buyers can apply for refunds after 5 days after the sellers deliver goods. DHgate allows the buyers to apply for refunds in 4-120 days after the sellers deliver the goods. Both of AliExpress and DHgate assure the rights of the buyers. In the aspect of platforms intervening disputes, under the circumstance of both of buyers and sellers cannot reach an agreement, the system will commit the disputes to the AliExpress to adjudicate 16 days after the dispute rose automatically, AliExpress will handle the disputes in 2 working days. But the DHgate disputes-automatic-commit-time is 11 days after the dispute arose, it is more efficient than the AliExpress. In terms of customer communication channels, the AliExpress provides the station letter, email and the instant chatting software Trade Manager, the DHgate provides the station letter, email and the DHgate Communication software. DHgate also can set sub-accounts based on the main account, and give them different rights, so they can help the main account serve the customers better. In terms of the shop credit rating system, the credit level of AliExpress is divided into 15 levels, and each level is clearly represented by the rating signs combined by medal, diamond or crown. The credit level of DHgate is divided into 4 levels: top, perfect, standard and lower-standard, only the top and the perfect level has the appropriate sign. Therefore the AliExpress has more complete credit system. In addition, DHgate has the Foreign Buy block, and it can display the requests of the customers and connect the customers with the sellers.

New Words

⑴ conversion /kənˈvɜ:ʃn/ n. a change in the units or form of an expression 转化；转换

　e. g. Ⅰ) Currency-conversion costs remain one of the biggest obstacles to cross-border trade.

　　　　　货币兑换成本仍是跨境贸易的最大障碍之一。

　　　 Ⅱ) Waste conversion is a part of the production process.

　　　　　废物处理是生产过程的一部分。

⑵ anticipate /ænˈtɪsɪpeɪt/ v. regard something as probable or likely 预期

　e. g. Ⅰ) I anticipate deriving much instruction from the lecture.

　　　　　我期望从讲座中获得很多指导。

　　　 Ⅱ) The company neglects to focus on the customer and does not anticipate what will be needed in the future.

　　　　　这家公司忽视了对客户的关注，并且没有预测未来的需求。

⑶ parcel /ˈpɑ:sl/ n. a wrapped container 包裹

　e. g. Ⅰ) The parcel was sent express.

　　　　　这件包裹是以快递邮寄的。

　　　 Ⅱ) Has the parcel been cleared with the border police yet?

　　　　　这个包裹通过边防警察的检查了吗？

⑷ inconformity /'ɪnkən'fɔ:mɪtɪ/ n. lack of conformity; irregularity 不一致

　e. g. Ⅰ) The plan was made inconformity with his views.

　　　　　这个计划和他所想的不一致。

　　　 Ⅱ) The term “sales return” refers to the return of goods sold by an enterprise because of the goods' poor quality or inconformity with the required type, or for other reasons.

　　　　　销售退回是指企业售出的商品由于质量低劣、品种不符合要求或其他原因而发生的退货。

⑸ moderate /ˈmɒdərət/ adj. being within reasonable or average limits; not excessive or extreme 适度的；中等的

　e. g. Ⅰ) The hotel consists of 25 comfortable guest rooms each representing excellent value at a very moderate price.

　　　　　这家酒店由25间舒适的客房组成，每间客房的价格都非常实惠。

　　　 Ⅱ) The company is willing to provide customers with quality products and services, as well as moderate price.

　　　　　这家公司愿为客户提供优质的产品和服务，以及适中的价格。

⑹ protocol /ˈprəʊtəkɒl/ n. code of correct conduct 协议

　e. g. Ⅰ) They will decide on the protocol relating to the exchange of commodities for the year.

　　　　　他们将决定有关这一年的商品交换议定书。

　　　 Ⅱ) This is a very secure and reliable protocol that provides end-to-end security sessions between two parties.

　　　　　这是一项非常安全、可靠的协议，它为双方提供了端对端安全会话。

⑺ intervene /ˌɪntəˈvi:n/ v. get involved, so as to alter or hinder an action, or through force or threat of force 干预；介入；调停

　e. g. Ⅰ) The government is doing nothing to intervene in the crisis.

　　　　　政府在这场危机中没有采取任何干预措施。

　　　 Ⅱ) Don't intervene in the affairs of another country.

　　　　　不要干涉他国事务。

⑻ adjudicate /əˈdʒu:dɪkeɪt/ v. bring to an end; settle conclusively 判决；裁定

　e. g. Ⅰ) The International Court of Justice might be a suitable place to adjudicate claims.

　　　　　国际法庭或许是对所有权做出裁决的合适之地。

　　　 Ⅱ) The minister could not adjudicate in such an issue.

　　　　　部长不能对这样一个问题做出裁决。

⑼ crown /kraʊn/ n. an object in the shape of a circle, usually made of gold and precious stones, that a king or queen wears on his or her head on official occasions 王冠

　e. g. Ⅰ) The crown was set with precious jewels—diamonds, rubies and emeralds.

　　　　　王冠上镶嵌着稀世珍宝——钻石、红宝石和绿宝石。

　　　 Ⅱ) Your clothes, your pearls and your jewels, or even your golden crown, are nothing to me.

　　　　　你的衣服，你的珍珠、宝石，甚至金冠，对我来说都毫无意义。

⑽ block /blɒk/ n. the act of obstructing or deflecting someone's movements 阻碍；障碍物

　e. g. Ⅰ) The question of quality proved a major stumbling block to agreement.

　　　　　结果证明质量问题是达成协议的主要障碍。

　　　 Ⅱ) There is a block in the pipe and the water cannot flow away.

　　　　　管子里有阻塞物，水流不出去。

Phrases & Expressions

⑴ pre-sale 预售；售前

　e. g. Ⅰ) The pre-sale of commercial housing becomes the primary form of transaction.

　　　　　商品房预售成为主要的交易方式。

　　　 Ⅱ) Our company has strict management system, complete quality guarantee system and fine pre-sale system.

　　　　　我们公司有严格的管理制度、完善的质量保证体系和精细的售前制度。

⑵ have a great deal to do with 和……有很大关系

　e. g. Ⅰ) His success has a great deal to do with his hard work.

　　　　　他的成功与他的努力工作有很大关系。

　　　 Ⅱ) The customer satisfaction has a great deal to do with the logistics speed.

　　　　　客户满意度与物流速度有很大关系。

⑶ after-sales 售后

　e. g. Ⅰ) The after-sales service worker will arrive at the destination within 24 hours.

　　　　　售后服务人员将于24小时内到达目的地。

　　　 Ⅱ) The after-sales service network of the company has spread nationwide.

　　　　　公司售后服务网络遍布全国。

Task 1 / Work in pairs. Read the passage and answer the following questions.

　　⑴ What are involved in the customer service of Cross-border E-commerce?

　　⑵ What are the main problems that the after-sales customer service may face?

　　⑶ In which aspect is DHgate more efficient than AliExpress?

Task 2 / Complete the following sentences with the words or phrases in the box. Change the form if necessary.

　　crown　　parcel　　　　after-sale　　moderate

　　block　　 anticipate　　intervene　　 protocol

　　⑴ The ______ was enchased with gold and silver.

　　⑵ Denmark is a party to the Kyoto ______ and will remain so.

　　⑶ He had a large brown paper ______ under his left arm.

　　⑷ The security forces had to ______ to prevent the situation worsening.

　　⑸ However the industry often concentrates on the improvement of productivity and sales but neglect the maintenance of customers, namely the ______ services.

　　⑹ I ______ his arrival at four o'clock.

　　⑺ The Wall Street is expecting a ______ sales increase this season.

　　⑻ The car successfully bypassed the ______.

Task 3 / Translate the following sentences into English, using the expressions in brackets.

　　⑴ 货币兑换不会收取费用。(conversion)

　　　 ________________________________________________________________________

　　⑵ 凯尔森为纯粹法学贡献了毕生精力，尽管他的学术观点前后并不一致。(inconformity)

　　　 ________________________________________________________________________

　　⑶ 我们将为您提供便捷的售前与售后服务。(pre-sale, after-sales)

　　　 ________________________________________________________________________

　　⑷ 这里有你的一个包裹和几封信。(parcel)

　　　 ________________________________________________________________________

　　⑸ 他要求政府进行干预，以防止出现罢工。(intervene)

　　　 ________________________________________________________________________

　　⑹ 委员会表示今年上半年经济增长是适度的。(moderate)

　　　 ________________________________________________________________________

Part Three　Mini-Project

Customer loyalty exists when a customer chooses to do business with a company even when a less expensive, more convenient, or higher quality alternative is available somewhere else.

Discuss with your partner and put forward some suggestions on how a company can build customer loyalty.