Shift 1: Chinese Consumer Trust in Foreign Brands Recovers
From 2022-2023, overseas luxury brand consumption cooled due to a domestic Chinese economic slowdown, but a recovery trend emerged from 2025. Trust in “Japanese quality” remains strong, with continued growth in cosmetics, daily goods, and health food exports to China.
Shift 2: Amazon FBA Direct Shipping from China Becomes Realistic
Previously “FBA shipping from China carries quality risk,” but in 2026:
- US Prime shipping from Chinese Amazon warehouses (FBA China) is now standardized
- Lead time 7-10 days (down from the previous 30 days)
- Tariffs and VAT are auto-calculated and collected by Amazon
Implication for Japanese brands: Rather than shipping Japanese-made goods to Amazon US, the China OEM + quality control + Amazon US model achieves 2-3x higher profit margins in growing case counts.
Shift 3: TikTok Shop “Live Commerce” Goes Mainstream
On Chinese Douyin / TikTok Shop, short-form live commerce led by KOCs (Key Opinion Consumers) is growing rapidly. Sales of millions of RMB in a single evening are no longer rare. The new standard for Japanese brands entering the Chinese market is a dual approach: Tmall Global + TikTok Shop.
3 Actions Japanese Brands Should Take
- Try Chinese OEM at least once — domestic production limits (cost, lead time) make Chinese manufacturing unavoidable
- Start with Amazon US + FBA China as the initial channel — low inventory risk, validates the US market
- Enter Chinese e-commerce with “quality appeal × KOC live” — don’t compete on price, differentiate on quality
Summary
Structural changes in cross-border e-commerce are an opportunity for Japanese brands. Toei Sosan provides one-stop services responding to all 3 shifts (China OEM + Amazon operations + China e-commerce entry support).
For cross-border e-commerce strategy consultation, please visit Contact.