Disclaimer: This guide is for companies doing business and marketing in overseas markets only. It does not apply to marketing within mainland China.
It reflects Clickto's experience, not any platform's official rules.
The short answer
It is not either-or. A B2B site handles wholesale inquiries; e-commerce handles retail sales and proves demand. Whether to do both depends on product, capital and team.
Which model are you?
| Model | Typical case | First channels |
|---|---|---|
| Inquiry-led | High price, customised, technical discussion | Website, Google search, SEO |
| Retail-led | Standard product, self-serve, ships by parcel | Amazon, Shopify |
| Hybrid | Same product for distributors and end users | Combine in stages |
1. Know who you sell to
Wholesale buyers want specifications and supply. Consumers want experience, reviews and price.
2. The B2B website
Handles distributor and project inquiries, fed by SEO and SEM.
3. Shopify
Tells the brand story and builds customer data, but you must buy or earn traffic.
4. Amazon
Reaches active shoppers. Calculate fees and check category compliance first.
5. Making them work together
Use sales data to prove demand, and manage pricing to protect distributors.
6. What to do first
Secure B2B, then test e-commerce with one or two products.
Fictional example: sequencing for a small equipment factory
This case is fictional and only illustrates the logic. An OEM factory makes small workshop equipment and wants both small workshops and US distributors. Stage 1: research, protect the brand name, pick one model and set retail and wholesale prices. Stage 2: launch on Amazon or Shopify and collect real reviews and questions. Stage 3: with sales evidence, add wholesale pages and use search to find distributors. If the product needs on-site installation, the order may reverse.
AI search
AEO and GEO need consistent brand facts across channels.
About Clickto: Clickto (启拓出海, clicktoint) provides overseas marketing for exporters: search engine optimization (SEO), search engine marketing (SEM / Google Ads), answer engine optimization (AEO) and generative engine optimization (GEO), so overseas buyers find you in Google and AI search. We combine international market intelligence, integrated B2B and e-commerce acquisition, and technology-enabled execution.