Entering the Chinese e-commerce market is an exciting but complex step for global brands — and Tmall Global is the premier platform to make it happen. As China’s largest cross-border B2C marketplace, Tmall offers access to hundreds of millions of consumers who actively seek out premium international brands.

But for companies considering a Tmall presence, the big question is:

Should you open and operate your own Tmall store, or work with a distributor/operator who manages it on your behalf?

In this post, we break down both approaches — their pros, cons, and what makes the most sense for your business goals.

Option 1: Brand-Operated Tmall Store

This means you — the brand owner — open, fund, and operate the store on Tmall Global yourself, either through an in-house team or by hiring a Tmall Partner (TP) to manage operations.

Pros:

· Full control over brand messaging, pricing, promotions, and customer experience.

· Build long-term brand equity and customer relationships in China.

· Access to Tmall’s full suite of tools (analytics, ads, influencer campaigns, etc.).

· Flexibility to test and scale multiple SKUs, bundles, or product lines.

Cons:

· High startup costs: Tmall Global requires a deposit, annual fees, commissions, and platform onboarding (can easily exceed 

  $15,000+).

· Requires a Chinese-speaking operations team or TP to manage customer service, logistics, marketing, and compliance.

· Complex regulatory and logistics setup — especially for cross-border trade and bonded warehouse fulfillment.

· Risk is 100% on the brand — you fund inventory, ad campaigns, and store operations upfront.

Option 2: Partner with a Tmall Distributor (Like Us)

As a full-service Tmall operator and distributor, we take on the responsibility of launching, funding, and operating your official store on Tmall — so you don’t have to.

You sell your products to us at wholesale, and we handle the rest.

What We Do:

· Set up and manage your branded Tmall Global store.

· Handle cross-border logistics and fulfillment.

· Run all paid ads, promotions, and live streaming.

· Manage customer service in Chinese.

· Invest in marketing, content, and store growth.

· Share full performance reporting and analytics with you

Pros:

· Zero upfront investment from the brand — no fees, no store setup costs.

· Quick market entry with no legal entity or TP hiring needed.

· We carry the inventory risk and invest in the store’s success.

· Faster scaling through our operational infrastructure and experience.

· Maintain brand consistency and reputation in China

Cons:

· You won’t directly control daily store operations (though you'll have full visibility).

· You sell at wholesale pricing instead of retail (but with no risk or expense).

· You rely on the distributor to represent your brand properly (this is why choosing the right partner is critical)