Cross-border E-commerce Weekly: US Tightens Low-Value Cargo Clearance Rules; TikTok Shop Launches AI Shopping Assistant

Platform Updates

Amazon

1. Amazon Global Logistics Expands China-to-US Air Freight with Two New Service Types

Amazon Global Logistics (AGL) has expanded its China-to-US air freight services, adding Air SMP and Economy Air. Air SMP supports inventory splitting at Chinese shipping origins, delivering to designated fulfillment centers across five US regions in 7–10 days, with no FBA inbound placement fees and no surcharges for apparel, electronics, or lithium batteries. Economy Air offers transit from Shanghai or Shenzhen to Los Angeles in 11–15 days at a lower cost than standard air freight. Starting in Q4 2026, the $0 FBA inbound placement fee will extend to air freight shipments, reducing seller restocking costs.

2. Amazon Claims Top Spot as Germany's Largest E-commerce Platform with ?69.1 Billion in Sales

According to a report by the Cologne Institute for Economic Research and General Evidence, Amazon maintained its leading position in German online retail with a 63% share in 2025, generating ?69.1 billion in sales, a 5% year-over-year increase. Third-party sellers contributed 46.1% of total sales, while first-party sales accounted for only 17.2%. 97% of German online shoppers purchase on Amazon, with 59% being Prime members. OTTO and Zalando together added ?1.4 billion, while SHEIN and Temu combined added approximately ?1 billion—lower in absolute terms but growing faster.

TikTok Shop

1. TikTok Launches AI Shopping Assistant

TikTok introduced an AI shopping assistant and Buy Direct one-click checkout on October 5, marking its first agentic commerce features. The shopping assistant is a conversational AI agent embedded across multiple scenarios, capable of understanding context, remembering user preferences, answering questions about product details, shipping, sizing, and inventory, and guiding purchases. Buy Direct is built on the Universal Commerce Protocol (UCP), allowing users to purchase directly from recommendation feeds without leaving TikTok.

2. TikTok Shop Indonesia Opens Pre-Order Feature

TikTok Shop by Tokopedia announced that its pre-order feature will be available to all eligible sellers starting November 2026. Sellers can mark products as pre-order items from November onward. The pre-order option allows sellers to set a fulfillment period of 3–15 days after customer purchase, suitable for customized items, pre-launch products, and items slated for relaunch. Once a product is marked as pre-order, buyers can see the estimated delivery time; if the order is not fulfilled within the set period, it will be automatically canceled and refunded to the buyer.

3. TikTok Shop Mexico Daily GMV Grows 133-Fold in One Year

According to the platform, TikTok Shop has been in the Mexican market for over a year, with daily gross merchandise value (GMV) growing 133-fold compared to its February 2025 launch, product catalog expanding 174-fold, active sellers increasing 59-fold, and the signed creator network growing 42-fold. In consumer data, 65% of users who discover products on TikTok make purchases through TikTok Shop.

Alibaba

1. AliExpress Testing Elite Membership Program, Targeting 1 Million Members by Year-End

AliExpress is testing a VIP membership program called Elite, targeting customers with annual spending over $800 in specific countries or regions. It operates on an invitation basis and is free to join. Members enjoy 5% discounts on numerous products, 24/7 customer service, and hassle-free returns. Currently testing in Australia, the UK, Germany, and Spain, the program is expected to expand to other European countries and South Korea in October, with a goal of reaching 1 million members by the end of the year.

2. Lazada: Nearly 10,000 Tmall Brands Enter Southeast Asia

Lazada, Alibaba's Southeast Asian e-commerce platform, disclosed that since the launch of Tmall's "One-Click Light Export" program less than a year ago, nearly 10,000 Tmall brand merchants have joined as of the end of H1 2026. Participating merchants have consistently achieved double-digit quarter-over-quarter transaction growth.

SHEIN

1. SHEIN UK Revenue Surpasses ￡2.5 Billion in 2025

According to The Guardian, SHEIN's UK operations generated ￡2.58 billion in revenue in 2025, with pre-tax profit up 18% year-over-year to ￡45 million, surpassing UK online fashion retailer ASOS in revenue. During the reporting period, SHEIN UK conducted various marketing activities, including partnering with the Wireless music festival, opening a pop-up store on London's Oxford Street, and launching a Christmas advertising campaign. The group's operating expenses in the UK, including administrative and distribution costs, more than doubled to ￡27 million last year.

Temu

1. Temu Poland Traffic Drops by Approximately 4.2 Million Visitors in Four Months

According to Mediapanel data for September, Temu Poland attracted 12.44 million visitors with an average session time of 25 minutes and 54 seconds, a significant decline from 16.68 million visitors and 51 minutes 28 seconds in June before customs tightening—a reduction of about 4.2 million visitors over four months. Allegro Group remained stable, with 21.81 million visitors in September and an average session time of 1 hour 32 minutes.

More

1. Shopee Launches Latin American Export Platform for Brazilian Sellers

Shopee announced the expansion of the 'Shopee International Platform' in Brazil, enabling small and medium-sized Brazilian sellers to reach consumers in Argentina and Mexico, with no additional fees on the platform. During the pilot phase, over 19,000 Brazilian sellers have joined, listing more than 1.4 million products. The goal is to cover 150,000 Brazilian sellers.

2. Shopify Expands European Logistics Services

Shopify announced the expansion of its logistics services for European merchants, alongside a series of new order fulfillment features to help merchants prepare for the upcoming holiday shopping season. The updates focus on batch order processing, printing shipping labels, picking and packing, and shipment management, allowing merchants to handle more logistics operations directly within the Shopify admin without frequently switching systems.

3. JD.com's Acquisition of German Ceconomy Expected to Receive EU Approval

A formal decision on JD.com's voluntary public takeover offer for German consumer electronics retailer Ceconomy is expected to be approved by the European Commission by November 4. JD.com has offered ?4.60 per share in cash, valuing Ceconomy at approximately ?2.2 billion. The European Commission launched an in-depth investigation under the Foreign Subsidies Regulation in May, issued a statement of objections in July, and JD.com subsequently submitted and refined remedies. The Commission is expected to rule officially before the legal deadline of November 4. Upon completion, JD.com is expected to hold approximately 85.2% of Ceconomy's equity.

Cross-Border Service Provider Highlights

1. Instagram Launches Live Video Ads in Brazil

Instagram has launched Live Video Ads in Brazil, allowing broadcasters to repurpose completed live streams as ads targeting audiences beyond existing followers, with support for external links to websites, apps, or WhatsApp. Professional accounts with over 1,000 followers can use the feature. Conversion tests among Brazilian businesses showed a median incremental ROAS of 3.3x and a median lift of 19%. Early adopters include beauty, home, and retail merchants; Grupo Lupo reported that a single live stream generated the equivalent of a month's revenue in 48 hours.

2. YunExpress (Under Zongteng Group) Becomes Amazon FIST-Certified Carrier

YunExpress, a subsidiary of Zongteng Group, has officially become an Amazon FIST-certified carrier. Its first-leg logistics now integrates with Amazon's official logistics management system, and it has launched ShipTrack, a full-chain shipment tracking feature that synchronizes logistics data with seller backends. FIST is Amazon's certification system for FBA first-leg carriers, designed to improve inbound shipment tracking and logistics management efficiency.

3. Meta Collaborates with Shopify, Walmart, and Others to Set New AI Agent Standards

Meta, Sierra, Shopify, Stripe, Walmart, and four other companies jointly announced the development of an open standard called the Personal Agent Protocol (PAP), designed to help businesses identify AI agents that visit websites or perform actions on behalf of consumers and manage their access permissions. The new standard is expected to be released by the end of October. Amazon has not yet joined the protocol. The announcement states that PAP is built on existing OAuth authorization technology, enabling AI agents to interact with merchants via business websites, APIs, or their own AI agents, and plans to introduce payment-related features that allow agents to complete purchases without directly providing consumer credit card information to merchants.

4. Meta Blocks ByteDance Ad Placements Across Seven Markets Including US, Canada, Japan, South Korea, and Vietnam

Meta has imposed a comprehensive restriction on ByteDance's ad placements and paid marketing content across its platforms, effective October 8. The initial markets include the United States, Canada, Egypt, Indonesia, Japan, Thailand, and Vietnam. Additionally, third-party advertisers in these markets placing ads that direct traffic to TikTok or other ByteDance products are also subject to the restriction.

Trade Policy and Data

1. US Proposes Changes to Low-Value Cargo Clearance Rules: Tighter Declaration Timelines and Postal Channel Management

The US Customs and Border Protection (CBP) has issued a Proposed Rule on Low-Value Cargo, planning to comprehensively adjust informal entry procedures for goods valued at $2,500 or less. The $2,500 threshold is the general value limit distinguishing formal from informal entries. Under current rules, Type 11 informal imports can typically be declared within 15 days of arrival in the US. Under the proposed rule, the declaration deadline would be moved to before arrival or on the day of arrival. Declarants must also transmit relevant information to the Automated Commercial Environment (ACE) via CBP-approved electronic data interchange systems. Additionally, postal channels are affected. CBP plans to establish a new Type 13 electronic entry type for international mail valued at $2,500 or less. Most information required is similar to Type 11, but with the addition of sender identity, sender address, and package tracking number. Carriers must also provide the same tracking number in the import manifest. If declarations are not completed within the specified timeframe, packages will not be released upon arrival in the US. If a valid declaration is not filed within 15 days of entry, the package will be considered voluntarily abandoned and may be returned or destroyed.

2. NielsenIQ: Latin American FMCG E-commerce Exceeds $8 Billion, Online Growth Four Times Faster Than Offline

NielsenIQ data shows that the e-commerce market for fast-moving consumer goods (FMCG) in Latin America has exceeded $8 billion, with online growth of 26.7%, roughly four times the offline growth rate of 6.6%. Mexico and Brazil together account for 74% of Latin American FMCG online consumption. Mexico's FMCG online sales grew 35% year-over-year in 2025, with fresh groceries up 29.4%. Food products drive transaction volume, while health and beauty categories have an average order value more than double that of other categories. Seasonal products contribute 63% of sales, and promotions can influence up to 25% of online orders.

3. Bernstein: US E-commerce Growth in First Three Quarters of 2026 Exceeds Expectations, Led by Shopify

Bernstein data shows that US e-commerce grew by approximately 10% year-over-year in the first nine months of 2026, higher than the original forecast of 8%. Q3 growth was approximately 8.4%. Excluding the impact of Prime Day being moved earlier, combined Q2-Q3 growth was approximately 10.4%. According to the analysis, AI-driven advertising on Google and Meta improving conversion rates is the core driver of this year's e-commerce growth. By platform, Temu and Shein have slowed due to new tariffs. Shopify holds a 14.2% share, Walmart 8.7%, while Amazon holds a 42.9% share but is growing more slowly.

4. DHL: AI-Related Products Contribute 76% of Global Trade Growth

DHL and NYU Stern School of Business released the 'DHL Global Trade Tracker,' reporting that AI-related products contributed 76% of global merchandise trade growth in Q1 2026, up from 42% in 2025. In H1 2026, global merchandise trade growth hit its highest level for the same period in 15 years. The report projects average annual growth of 3.4% for global merchandise trade through 2029.

5. Shopify: AI-Powered Shopping to Be a Mainstream Trend This Holiday Season

Shopify recently released its '2026 Global Holiday Retail Report.' Data shows that agentic shopping is becoming a mainstream trend for the first time this holiday season, with 65% of consumers planning to use AI-assisted shopping, primarily for finding discounts, seeking inspiration, and discovering new products. Consumers are willing to let AI recommend and add products to carts, but their willingness to delegate checkout authority remains low, with only 29% trusting AI agents to handle payments. Insights reveal a strong correlation between AI shopping behavior and age/income: younger and higher-income consumers use AI for shopping more frequently. These consumers also tend to prefer independent niche brands, favoring personalized and thoughtfully designed products.

This article was originally published on the official Ebrun website.