The cross-border e-commerce landscape is witnessing a seismic shift as Luo Yonghao, China's pioneering internet personality and entrepreneur, makes a high-profile entry into international markets with his "Make Friends" team. This move represents more than just another player joining the field—it signals a potential transformation in how global e-commerce might operate.
Luo's Strategic Blueprint: Education First, Ecosystem Dominance
Luo's entrepreneurial journey reads like a modern business epic—from English instructor to smartphone entrepreneur to livestreaming sensation who famously repaid millions in debt through e-commerce. His latest venture follows this pattern of ambitious reinvention.
The "Make Friends" team's international strategy focuses on two core initiatives:
1. "Make Friends Overseas Academy": Knowledge Monetization
This educational platform offers structured courses tailored for cross-border sellers, covering everything from TikTok e-commerce fundamentals to advanced marketing strategies. The academy's curriculum, which completed beta testing recently, spans:
- Marketing strategy development
- Influencer matching services
- Third-party operations management
- Market analytics
Particular attention centers on TikTok livestream training—a domain where Luo's domestic success (with beginner courses selling over 10,000 units) suggests strong potential for international adaptation. However, Luo acknowledges significant differences in overseas market maturity compared to China's established livestream commerce ecosystem.
2. "Make Friends Overseas Division": Ecosystem Construction
The long-term vision extends beyond education to creating a comprehensive "cross-border e-commerce matching platform." This ecosystem would provide end-to-end solutions—from seller education and incubation to influencer partnerships and marketing resources—mirroring successful domestic models like "NewRank."
This integrated approach could potentially reshape the currently fragmented TikTok training market, weeding out substandard providers while establishing quality benchmarks. In an era of rising customer acquisition costs on traditional platforms like Amazon, Luo's venture offers sellers alternative growth channels—though success remains contingent on market readiness and execution.
TikTok Shop: Assessing the Opportunity Spectrum
TikTok's commercial potential continues expanding globally, with eMarketer projecting 23.7 million U.S. buyers in 2023—a 72.3% growth rate surpassing Instagram and Facebook. Yet seller opinions diverge sharply on its immediate viability:
The Skeptical Perspective
Some merchants report disappointing early results, citing:
- Low conversion rates from entertainment-focused users
- Cultural adaptation challenges in Western markets
- Regulatory uncertainties and data privacy concerns
One UK-based seller noted minimal returns after four months of TikTok livestreaming, hampered by logistical complexities and platform immaturity.
The Optimistic Outlook
Conversely, other sellers view overseas livestream commerce as relatively untapped territory compared to China's saturated market. TikTok's young, engaged user base represents significant potential for brands establishing early footholds.
ByteDance appears committed to addressing infrastructure gaps, recruiting Amazon and Meta veterans to build U.S. logistics teams and partnering with local firms like Talkshoplive for live commerce operations. Early successes in markets like Indonesia—where TikTok Shop ranks as the third-most-popular social commerce platform—suggest the model's transferability.
Strategic Recommendations for Cross-Border Sellers
In this evolving landscape, merchants should consider:
- Monitoring Luo's initiatives and TikTok Shop developments closely
- Conducting controlled pilot tests before major commitments
- Continuously upgrading operational capabilities to match market evolution
- Balancing caution with willingness to explore emerging opportunities
The intersection of Luo's ecosystem-building approach and TikTok's global expansion creates both disruption and possibility. While challenges around platform maturity and cultural adaptation persist, the combined forces of entrepreneurial innovation and social commerce growth may well redefine international e-commerce parameters in coming years.