E-COMMERCE

By Kawal Preet | First published: July 14, 2022  Updated: May 27, 2025

The rise of tech-driven e-commerce platforms has ushered in a new era of online retail. Welcome to the omnichannel age of total e-commerce integration.

• On the back of tech leaps and shifting consumer behaviors, online retail has transformed at lightning speed in just a few short years.
• Smart e-tailers are building omnichannel strategies to win big, integrating platforms, marketplaces and e-commerce enablers.
• At FedEx, we’re helping APAC small businesses scale and expand seamlessly through our FedEx Compatible Solutions program.

When transformation happens, it can be swift, dramatic, and far-reaching. The e-commerce landscape started out simple, with single-vendor online shops offering basic functionality and slow fulfillment.

Today’s e-commerce ecosystems have evolved remarkably. These sophisticated, complex networks now encompass enablement platforms, marketplaces, social commerce, subscription models, and innovations like buy now, pay later.

Never before have customers enjoyed such choice and convenience.

Unprecedented growth means transformation is happening even faster

Post-pandemic consumer behavior was a vast accelerator for online transactions and cross-border e-commerce. In Southeast Asia alone, an estimated 70 million more people began shopping online at the beginning of the pandemic. Right now, e-commerce users in Asia are projected to increase by half a billion between 2025 and 2029. That’s a steep incline at 30% growth.

Smartphone and internet adoption, with key investments in fintech enabling online payment gateways and seamless spending, continues to fuel this growth.

All of this is accelerating the growth of omnichannel e-commerce – with Asia at the epicenter.

Omnichannel refers to a multichannel sales approach that provides a seamless customer experience across mobile, desktop, and physical retail locations. The rise of omnichannel has been powered by API-led connectivity, which allows third parties to integrate their platforms smoothly.

Time to shift – and integrate

The way we shop and sell has revolutionized. Legacy e-commerce stores realized long ago that website upgrades and product reorganization aren’t enough.

Consumers and businesses are unanimously choosing e-commerce marketplaces over websites. With the e-commerce marketplace model expanding seven times faster than traditional e-commerce, marketplaces are now essential to the purchasing mix.

To enhance every customer touchpoint, integration is now a top priority for many e-tailers. Merchants need to provide a premium delivery experience as part of an end-to-end e-commerce strategy. But greater opportunities to win customers also bring added complexities in running a business and managing and fulfilling online sales.

As more platforms, marketplaces, and payment systems are created, e-tailers face increasing processes and complications in managing cross-border e-commerce.

In this context, forging the right alliances will drive SMEs forward in this fast-paced landscape. At FedEx, we’ve seen how strategic partnerships accelerate business growth, from integrated marketplaces like eBay, Lazada and Taobao, to payment gateways like Airwallex, Payoneer and PingPong.

Innovation in this space doesn’t stop with small businesses

It’s been a real coming-of-age moment. SMEs and e-tailers are on a continuous digital journey to make sure their business is primed for the new e-commerce landscape. And so are we.

At FedEx, we’re enabling regional e-commerce growth through our global network, supporting businesses of all sizes to scale and thrive. In the last five years, we’ve integrated with numerous e-commerce tech platforms across Asia Pacific, seeking out compatibilities and forging alliances.

Our growing list of alliances ranges from software providers to e-commerce platforms, including Allroot, Easyship, Floship and Ship&Co.

Our goal: A win-win e-commerce experience

Local language e-commerce platforms are vital for traditional SMEs to market their products globally. That’s why we provide our customers with localized solutions that work for their business.

For instance, we teamed up with Ship&Co – a Japanese startup and one of the largest e-commerce shipping enablers in APAC – through our FedEx Compatible Solutions program. This partnership helps e-commerce merchants automate shipping processes, including the generation of shipping documents and synchronization of tracking data. It also gives Ship&Co customers one-stop access to FedEx services.

In China, our recognized solutions providers include Ruiyun, Mabang and ECPP, enabling quick and easy integration to popular local platforms for customers. We’ve also joined forces with leading platform BigCommerce to empower SMEs across the region to harness e-commerce opportunities.

With over 40,000 online stores in over 150 countries, BigCommerce offers comprehensive tools for launching and scaling e-commerce operations. This includes store design, catalog management, hosting, checkout, order management, and reporting, as well as third-party services like payments and shipping.

The benefits for small businesses: From enablement to ease of operations

At the heart of these partnerships are clear benefits, including:

• Highly competitive discount rates for merchants
• Simple, streamlined access to our shipping services
• Enhanced shipping opportunities thanks to a vast portfolio of e-commerce solutions, including FedEx Electronic Trade Documents

Programs like these simplify billing, streamline operations, and help businesses respond faster to customer needs. The bottom line? Smaller businesses can now punch above their weight.

A brave new world of integration

Albert Einstein once said: “You can’t use an old map to explore a new world.”

Today’s consumers expect more channels, more convenience, and a more personalized experience. If they don’t get it, they’ll take their business elsewhere. One report shared that more than half of B2C customers engage with about three to five channels when moving through their purchasing journey. The demand for integration and multi-vendor collaboration is only growing.

By integrating e-commerce ecosystems, we’re powering business growth and fueling economies. The power of collaboration brings not only exponential growth, but also seamless delivery and simplicity in doing business.

For more support and advice, visit our e-commerce page to get your cross-border business moving.

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A version of this article first appeared on Tech Wire Asia on 12 July 2022.