The traffic on international platforms is like the soaring price of seafood – it gets higher every year, leaving us small and medium-sized sellers struggling to cope. Deep down, we can’t help but wonder: can this business still go on? As a manager who has been navigating the import-export industry for over seven years, I must admit that the pressure in recent years has been greater than ever. However, crisis often brings opportunity, and we must not be intimidated by the difficulties in front of us.

When traffic gets expensive, we must learn to use it wisely

Why is international platform traffic becoming more and more expensive? Simply put, it's because competition is fierce and resources are scarce. In the past, you could upload a few products and inquiries would come in easily; now, without paying, it's nearly impossible to survive. It's just like Yiwu's Beixiazhu livestreaming village back in the day – the place was overcrowded, rents skyrocketed, and in the end, many sellers were essentially working for the landlords. International platforms work the same way. Platforms need to make profits, and naturally, they will keep looking for ways to “extract revenue” from sellers.

But complaining doesn’t help. Life goes on, and so must business. Looking back at the sellers who survived in Beixiazhu, they all relied on accumulating their own loyal customers, then moved to lower-rent areas – and their customers followed. What does this tell us? Your own customers are your most valuable asset. If you want to grow sustainably, you must learn to find import-export customers yourself, instead of relying solely on platforms.

Today, Alibaba International Station is also building its own private traffic ecosystem, strictly limiting third-party contact information, and keeping all customer data within the platform. In the future, you might not even be able to find international platform products on Google; you’ll have to search inside the platform itself. We can no longer assume “customers belong to the platform.” In the eyes of the platform, sellers are just “products” that can be replaced at any time.

Therefore, we need to shift our mindset. As the famous quote goes:

"If you want to build a ship, don't just gather men to collect wood and assign them tasks and work, but rather teach them to yearn for the endless immensity of the sea."

Instead of waiting passively for platform traffic, we should actively explore a broader “ocean” and take the initiative to find import-export customers. The resources you control yourself are always the safest.

Don’t put all your eggs in one basket – being proactive is the key to survival

We small and medium-sized sellers have limited budgets and can’t compete with big companies that spend millions on Alibaba ads every year. Careful planning and finding the right direction are the only sustainable ways forward.

Say goodbye to “waiting to be fed” and learn to “fish proactively”

In the past, we thought that opening a store on an international platform meant inquiries would naturally come in. That approach no longer works. Traffic costs are rising, and inquiry quality varies greatly. We must learn to take the initiative and find import-export customers ourselves.

1. Independent websites + Google Ads

This is a direction well worth trying. I have friends who initially spent hundreds of thousands on third-party agencies with poor results, but later figured out how to build and run their own sites – and their results improved significantly. Why? Because no one knows your products and market better than you. Building an independent site isn’t that difficult, and Google’s algorithm is mature. The key is to focus on quality content and user experience. When you provide real value, Google will send you traffic. What’s more, the cost per click on Google Ads is often only 10%–30% of what you’d pay on international platforms – far more cost-effective. The process of building your own website is essentially about accumulating your own customer base and laying the foundation to find import-export customers in the future.

2. Use trade data to find blue ocean markets

Many sellers are used to focusing on the US and European markets, but there are still many high-potential markets around the world – such as Southeast Asia – where competition is lower. Using trade data to analyze and select markets can help you avoid homogeneous competition and stand out more easily. Some of these smaller, overlooked markets may become your next growth drivers. This approach can also help you accurately find import-export customers instead of waiting passively.

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3. Social media marketing

As another quote says:

"The future belongs to those who learn more skills and combine them in creative ways."

Social media is not just about posting product photos and adding friends; it’s an excellent place to “nurture fish.” Most customers spend the majority of their time on Facebook, LinkedIn, WhatsApp, and other platforms – not on international platforms. You need to learn how to interact with customers on these platforms, providing value instead of just pushing sales. If you can help customers solve problems and build trust before they send out inquiries, your success rate in finding import-export customers will rise significantly – and they won’t just treat you as a “quote machine” anymore.

Finally

The era of relying solely on platforms is over. International platform traffic is becoming increasingly expensive, and a single channel can be cut off at any time. For small and medium-sized sellers, the only way to take control of your future is through multi-channel strategies and proactively finding import-export customers on your own.