The indiscriminate application of tariffs by the United States disrupts the global trade order, and foreign trade enterprises bear the brunt. Recently, a number of domestic e-commerce platforms and large supermarkets collectively announced that they would support foreign trade enterprises to "export to domestic sales" and vigorously seize the domestic market.
According to incomplete statistics, nearly 20 platforms and enterprises have publicly stated that they will launch assistance programs. For foreign trade enterprises in trouble, this is a timely rain, showing the firm will of China society to meet the challenges together.
"Export to domestic sales" is not a brand-new topic for most domestic foreign trade enterprises. In the past, whenever there were fluctuations in the external market, such as the international financial crisis in 2008 and the three-year epidemic, many foreign trade enterprises had "exported to domestic sales" to tide over the difficulties temporarily. This time, under the chaos of American tariffs, foreign trade enterprises once again turned to the domestic market, which led to the "breakthrough in domestic sales" of foreign trade enterprises in different ways.
However, under the fine products, today’s "export to domestic sales" has some different meanings. This is not only an emergency, but also a long-term development plan.
On the one hand, "export to domestic sales" is even more urgent.
From the impact on global trade caused by the indiscriminate tariff policy of the United States, it can be seen that the uncertainty of the external world is increasing day by day, and the road of foreign trade will become more and more unsustainable. For most foreign trade enterprises, it is time to take action, while exploring diversified international markets, to further dig deep into domestic demand and seek a more certain market.
On the other hand, the conditions for "export to domestic sales" are more mature.
countryStatistics from the Bureau of Statistics show that in 2024, the total retail sales of consumer goods in China was about 48.8 trillion yuan, an increase of 3.5% over the previous year. At the same time, this year’s government work report lists "vigorously boosting consumption, improving investment efficiency and expanding domestic demand in an all-round way" as the primary task, and various policies to expand domestic demand are intensifying and expanding, which has opened up a broader space for foreign trade enterprises to "break through domestic sales".
"Export to domestic sales" can not only help foreign trade enterprises to open up the domestic market and tide over the difficulties, but also bring more high-quality and diversified good things to consumers, and at the same time, it is conducive to accelerating the construction of a new development pattern of "double circulation". Of course, "exporting to domestic sales" is by no means easy. As a "new recruit" in the domestic market, it is difficult for foreign trade enterprises to expand sales channels, turn production lines and build brands, all of which are realistic problems.
The e-commerce platform and the collective action of large-scale supermarkets focus on the difficulties in the transformation of foreign trade enterprises, give full play to their respective advantages, and introduce convenience measures such as direct purchase of orders, foreign trade zones and green channels, which will help high-quality foreign trade goods to enter the domestic market more smoothly.
In addition, the government is also taking active actions to get through the policy of "exporting to domestic sales". Recently, the Ministry of Commerce said that it will steadily promote the integration of domestic and foreign trade, continue to hold the activity of "Excellent Foreign Trade Products in China", build a platform for foreign trade enterprises to expand domestic sales, and promote the docking of domestic and foreign trade channels, brands, production and marketing, and standards. Local governments have also launched practical measures. For example, Zhejiang will launch the "Foreign Trade and Domestic Products in YEATION" campaign. All parties should take immediate action to help unblock the channel of export to domestic sales, play a leading role, and unite the forces of upstream and downstream and platform to attack with one heart. The joint efforts of government and enterprises will surely strengthen confidence for the better development of foreign trade enterprises.
Of course, whether it can turn better or not depends on enterprises to make more efforts in accelerating transformation and upgrading and tapping new consumption potential. "Export to domestic market" is not simply clearing up inventory. Enterprises should not hold the concept of "selling whatever they have", but adjust their strategies according to local conditions, accurately position themselves, introduce more good products, cultivate and develop new consumption hotspots, and prevent "involution competition". With concerted efforts from Qi Xin, we can fully estimate the difficulties and act more quickly, which will definitely open up new space for development.