Referring to the summit as the ‘new Silk Road’ of cross border exports, speakers referred to the cultural significance of Xi’an as the starting point of the ancient Silk Road – a network of trade routes linking east and west – and the city’s fascinating history as an economic, political and cultural metropolis.
Vice President and Managing Director of eBay Greater China, John Lin, opened the conference, reminding guests how sellers can now use eBay’s investments in CBT – advanced IT systems, improved logistics, overseas warehousing – to increase site traffic, develop their supply chains and provide smoother transactions. “Thanks to the fact that more and more sellers are embracing overseas warehouses, Chinese sellers can sell products in more categories, as well as make deliveries faster and provide a better user experience with efficient return services."“Thanks to the fact that more and more sellers are embracing overseas warehouses, Chinese sellers can sell products in more categories, as well as make deliveries faster and provide a better user experience with efficient return services,” he said.
Extending the metaphor, Lin also talked about the ‘road’ Greater China sellers must travel to sustainably develop their businesses and how China’s cross-border trade has matured over the years. With the support of eBay, Lin Suggested that sellers should reinvest profits to upgrade infrastructure and processes and subsequently grow their enterprises.
A guest speaker, Dr. Yuan Yue, founder and chairman of LingDian Consulting Company, spoke about the importance of product quality and the value of the ‘Made in China’ label. “The mission and role of the CBT seller is not just to be a good seller making money, but reformers who are revolutionizing the process and model of manufacturing,” he said.
Quality, meeting customers’ demands and efficient delivery have never been more important for sellers and manufacturers seeking to win global consumers, Yue added.
Following the speeches, sellers participated in a team-building event, with the day concluding with a grand awards ceremony. It celebrated great achievements from the past year and awards were handed out to elite sellers. Prizes were presented to top performers in merchandise categories (Fashion, Electronics, House and Garden, Parts & Accessories) as well as those who had taken the initiative in warehousing, expanding into emerging European markets and providing an excellent customer experience.
Concluding the summit, Lin observed that one of his main goals now was to encourage more Chinese enterprises to participate in the cross-border retail revolution. “We can use the internet business to change the world,” he said.