Global Selling Derivative Business Guide: 4 Directions, 14 Opportunities
众所周知，跨境电商链路长，信息差较大，入门门槛相对也较高。只要你真正去趟一遍路，去真正做一轮并且沉下心来解决你在这个链路上遇到的问题，你自己都能在实操过程中，观察到很多这个链路上有很多的赚钱的节点。
As we all know, global selling has a long chain, large information gaps, and relatively high entry barriers. So I often say that if you truly walk the path yourself, really do a round and settle down to solve the problems you encounter in this chain, even if you don't make money from global selling itself, rest assured that you'll observe many money-making nodes throughout this chain during practical operations. The rest depends on your execution and moral bottom line.
Today, let me share with you the various "business opportunities" I've observed.
Infrastructure Services
1. Payment and Collection Solutions
Helping with account setup, helping with unblocking. Photoshopping a KYC document can earn you tens of yuan. Funny thing is, when I started last year, a Taobao seller charged me 50, now they charge 10. It's getting competitive, really competitive.
2. Accounting and Business Services
Helping register UK and US company entities - official cost is 120, they charge 2000. Annual review official cost is 120, they charge 500. Zero-declaration tax filing has no cost, they charge 100 per month.
3. Environment Solutions
Creating anxiety then providing various "professional" solutions that you could actually set up yourself for free for life, with minimum cost of just 20 per month.
4. Account and Store Data Solutions
Various account sellers, data sellers. The TikTok accounts that our little leeks love - one accu store costs tens of thousands plus commission. Fresh little leeks feel bad, think about finding cheaper ones to try, end up paying hundreds or thousands and crying when scammed. Who else would they scam? Then there are FB accounts, PP accounts, etc.
5. Account Unblocking Solutions
GMC unblocking assistance, Payments, PP unblocking assistance. The trick is like expensive cram schools - charge you 100k to guarantee you get into a top university, if you don't, refund 50k. In the end, whether you get in or not, they net 50k. Think about it yourself.
These infrastructure services mostly profit from information asymmetry. If you're willing to spend time researching, many can be done yourself, saving quite a bit of money.
Operations Services
1. Store Building Services
"I helped a fan build a global selling independent store for 500 yuan, and the fan made 100k in the first month." I almost threw up hearing this AI-voiced video on social media. Pirated template on Taobao costs 9.9, whether Shopify or WP, they just mindlessly apply this pirated template, 1 minute delivery, angrily making 490 profit.
2. GTIN Codes
Similar to the KYC document photoshopping. Last year a GTIN code averaged 0.3 yuan, when I checked recently, 0.06 yuan each, 3 yuan for 50. The guy probably just started competing, not familiar with the business, didn't submit shipping or something, ended up getting fined by Taobao, losing me 5 yuan. I quickly asked him what happened, should I send it back? You lost 2 yuan on this trip. He said no need, just buy from him more in the future.
3. Product White Background Photos
The worst photographers and photo editors in the country are almost all concentrated in the Amazon white background photo industry. Not exaggerating, in ten years, I've never seen Amazon product white background photos so ugly with aesthetics that haven't changed in a decade. Real product photo editing level - cats, dogs, or a foreign model just floating on the layer surface. Amazon sellers won't even spend 1 extra yuan to shoot real lifestyle photos + model photos. All relying on Amazon photo editors charging tens to hundreds per photo.
I reflected on this later - maybe Amazon audiences just like this style? Or maybe Amazon isn't competitive enough, you can produce garbage and still sell. This is also where many big Amazon sellers struggle when transitioning to independent stores - I spent tens per photo, why doesn't it work for your independent store?
4. Operations Outsourcing, SEO, Ad Management, Social Media, Influencer Management
This requires some professional capability, after all you need real delivery ability. But it's mixed with good and bad. Expensive ones are ridiculously expensive, service is just okay, at a level without obvious errors. Cheap ones, you think about it yourself. Think about it - adjust your expectations, they're just working for a living. If they make you money, are you going to give them extra commission?
5. Group Buying, Pirated Tools and Templates
More legitimate ones, like buying a 50 USD premium plan that supports unlimited accounts, then reselling to others.
6. Various Niche Services
Fake Trustpilot reviews, fake Amazon reviews, Amazon review manipulation, affiliate marketing guaranteed orders, KOL collaboration guaranteed orders. The most ridiculous are these guaranteed order services. You think if you lose a few hundred, so what? What if it's real and I get 10 orders, wouldn't I make a fortune? Just treat it as buying a lesson! Well, they're making money from your "lesson money."
7. Inventory, Overseas Home Warehouse Services
Many overseas Chinese or people with overseas resources also do derivative businesses - like getting goods overseas so TikTok people can sell you; or if you have a warehouse, helping people receive and ship goods, transfer, returns, labeling, etc.
Operations services require some professional ability, but are also easiest to fall into traps. Recommend learning the basics first before considering outsourcing.
Other Categories
Developers doing Shopify Partner and plugins; or making custom applications for global selling clients. This trend has been especially obvious in the past year or half year (maybe due to big tech layoffs).
In terms of user need understanding, delivery efficiency, user interaction experience, and cost-effectiveness, only Indian developers can compete with Chinese developers, because Indian developers have the language advantage. If you look at plugin makers, most are from India or Southeast Asian countries like Vietnam and Philippines.
But, I've seen countless Chinese developers (many independent developers) making Shopify plugins - low prices, full features, mainly spreading the "competitive culture" globally.
Content Creation and Training
I won't say much about this, those who know, know. Various "teach you to make money" courses are essentially "making money from you."
Remember: No one will teach you methods that actually make money. Those who teach you are trying to make money from you.
Summary
There are many opportunities in global selling derivative businesses, but the core is still:
- Information Asymmetry: Use the information you have to help others solve problems
- Execution: Watching without doing is useless, you only know after actually doing it
- Bottom Line: Some money can be made, some can't - make your own judgment
