Web offers vendors a world of choices

"Overseas warehouses have enabled retailers in China to ship locally, accelerate sales and increase their click-thru rates," said Li Lie, a Shanghai-based eBay merchant who specializes in vehicle parts.

The improved logistics infrastructure allows Chinese retailers to export large and heavy items and complements local product returns and replacements, he noted.

Li Yi / China Daily

Mobile technology is driving market demand and providing opportunities for cross-border retailers. About 40 percent of eBay's gross merchandise volume in the fourth quarter of 2013 was generated via mobile devices.

Lin said that omnichannel commerce, which guarantees online browsing, seamless logistics and multiple screens for purchase, will enable consumers to shop anywhere at any time.

Alibaba Group Holding Ltd, China's e-commerce giant, aims to take a larger share of cross-border transactions through a system upgrade that will provide better matches between international merchants and buyers, said Wu Minzhi, president of the company's international business.

It collects data from overseas buyers to locate the right Chinese suppliers through AliSourcePro, a new initiative that shares key business information and enhances transaction efficiency by 28 percent, Wu said.

Lin said he welcomes more competitors, but eBay will leverage its global presence to better satisfy consumers' needs.

A MasterCard survey in March found that Chinese customers are the most frequent online shoppers in the Asia-Pacific region, with close to 97.8 percent of Chinese respondents having made at least one online purchase in the previous three months.