Cross Border Trade on eBay

each 182 million active buyers worldwide!

Ever thought about selling your products internationally? eBay offers you Cross Border Trader (or CBT) opportunities which enable you to penetrate key global markets such as the United States, United Kingdom, Australia and Germany

More markets, more opportunities, more profit.

In fact, 86% of sales made by Southeast Asian eBay sellers are from the US, UK and Australian sites. Then there’s the niche market opportunities from FRITES countries which comprise of France, Italy and Spain.

Hey, people all over the world love our trade.  Little wonder that there are now 51 eBay millionaires (That’s USD millionaires) in South East Asia.

Here’s another fun fact - the biggest SEA eBay seller turned out a whopping USD26 million GMV in 2017. Inspired yet?

Do not bypass SEAPaSS.

Shipping is one of the biggest challenges when selling internationally. The cost can be prohibitive, items can get lost, delivery can get delayed. It’s the seller’s and buyer’s greatest nightmare.

Fortunately for you, SEAPaSS or South East Asia Parcel Shipping Solutions is another one of eBay's initiatives conceived to help you penetrate the lucrative international market from the comfort of your living room.

SEAPaSS is a shipping fulfilment platform that helps sellers like you handle and ship your order easily. It’s FREE, simple and secure.

You can get more assistance from the eBay Seller Centre or your local customer support team.

CBT facts, like hips, don't lie!

Check out the exciting figures and get an idea on what you should be selling to maximise your income.

A watch is purchased every 5 sec

A camping & hiking item is purchased every 6 sec.

A smartphone is purchased every 5 sec.

A TV, video or home audio item is purchased every 3 sec.

A pair of women’s shoes is purchased every 5 sec

A make up product is purchased every 2 sec.

A women’s necklace is purchased every 9 sec.

An appliance is purchased every 5 sec.

A Lego set is purchased every 13 sec

A ladies fashion accessory is purchased every 14 sec.

A pair of boots is purchased every 20 sec.

A video game is purchased every 11 sec.

A smartphone is purchased every 1 min

A wedding item is purchased every 25 sec.

A home decor item is purchased every 12 sec.

A car or truck part is purchased every 4 sec.

CBT Challenges

It’s not a get-rich-quick scheme. Understand the business risks and challenges before you dive right in.

 

Each country is different. Take the time to learn and understand the different systems, laws and practices.

As a seller, it is your responsibility to know and adhere to all import & custom laws. For example, all food imported into the USA must be FDA-approved. [Unless you have the proper approvals, maybe save yourself the headache and not sell food to the USA.
Familiarise yourself with each country’s Custom duties and taxes including VAT and GST. As a seller, you should always aim for smooth delivery to buyers. But if you are unwilling to cover the tax(es), make certain your buyers are aware they will be required to pay the import taxes to avoid any disputes.
There are over 1.1 billion active listings on eBay. How can you stand out and compete? Take it easy and start selling in one market. The USA is the easiest but also the most competitive. Niche markets such as FRITES have high import volume and less competition but there’s the language challenge. Start small and get a feel of the best markets for you.
Buyers from western countries such as the US, UK, Australia and Germany are accustomed to good Customer Service, Free Shipping and 30-day free Returns. Are you prepared to compete against the domestic sellers and match their service offerings?

Get started

1. Each country has different eBay site policies, rules and regulations. Do take the time to learn and comply.  A good place to start is the eBay Seller Centres:

eBay USA 

eBay UK 

eBay AU 

eBay DE 

2. The sooner you open your account, the sooner you can start making money. We’ve made it easy for you with step-by-step tutorials. 

Set up your eBay Seller Account

What to sell on eBay

Whatever you want, really. New, used, unique or niche items; the seven blenders you got at your wedding, the ugly sweater you got for your birthday – you can sell just about anything on eBay except for prohibited and restricted items in eBay’s selling policy. Again, each country is different so do your homework first.

Learn More