Alibaba International Station releases digital foreign trade annual report predicting eight blue ocean tracks for digital foreign trade in 2024

On December 27 , Alibaba International Station released its digital foreign trade annual report, predicting eight blue ocean tracks for digital foreign trade in 2024. New energy vehicles , niche sports, smart hardware, "lazy" smart homes, green and environmentally friendly products, green energy equipment, hardware tools, and flexible production small machinery are on the list.

(Picture: Alibaba International Station predicts eight blue ocean tracks for digital foreign trade in 2024)

The reporter observed this prediction list and found that "new energy", "green environmental protection", "personalization" and "intelligence" have become the four key words.

In the field of "new energy", China's new energy vehicles are far ahead of others in overseas markets, and have achieved "overtaking on the curve" in terms of industrial chain and technology. China's independent brands have already surpassed the product strength of traditional European and American manufacturers. Data from Alibaba International Station shows that as of now, the sales volume of smart driving electric vehicles made in China has increased by 97% year-on-year . New energy passenger cars, golf carts, electric motorcycles and electric tricycles have become hot-selling trend categories in 2024 .

In terms of green energy equipment , global solar and energy storage installations hit new highs, and the export volume of new energy maintained double-digit growth . In the past year , the "new three items" of foreign trade have been on the rise, and this demand is not limited to Europe, but also extends to Southeast Asian countries as well as New Zealand, Austria and other countries. According to data from Alibaba International Station, the sales volume of containerized energy storage increased by 81% year-on-year , while the overseas demand for sodium-ion batteries increased by 408% year-on-year .

In the field of "green environmental protection", as Europe's environmental protection requirements are further improved, products made of degradable and pure natural ingredients such as straw, paper products, and organic cotton continue to be hot-selling. On Alibaba International Station, the "three new environmentally friendly things" have also emerged : straw tote bags, environmentally friendly paper packaging, and rice water anti-dandruff shampoo.

In the field of "personalization", whether it is outdoor sports, hardware tools, or small machinery, products that meet the personalized and DIY needs of overseas consumers may seem niche, but in fact they have unlimited potential.

Take outdoor sports as an example. Overseas consumers do not follow the usual path. Niche sports have become "high-profile", and pickleball, baseball, and badminton may become the "three major balls" in the international market . Among them, due to the inclusion of pickleball as a performance event in the 2024 Paris Olympics, the sales of pickleball rackets have increased by 209 % . In the past two years, emerging outdoor leisure products such as camping and mountaineering have remained hot-selling.

It can be seen that "customization" has become a hot word in overseas trends, and the personalized needs of overseas Generation Z have boosted flexible production machinery . The global DIY market will exceed US$285.7 billion in retail sales in 2025, and the governments of the five ASEAN countries will continue to increase their investment in infrastructure . The sales of hardware tools that meet the one-stop purchasing needs of overseas buyers have increased by more than 30 % .

In the field of "intelligence", AI has accelerated the trend of hardware intelligence and popularized "lazy" smart homes . Consumer electronics-related smart wearable devices, smart audio and video products, and smart small appliances allow overseas consumers to pursue "smart" health while staying at home and "lying down" easily.

Data from Alibaba International Station shows that the sales of wearable devices, VR glasses, smart speakers, etc. have all increased by more than 30% ; and no effort has been spared in spending money on "cat masters". The sales of smart pet litter boxes and feeders have increased by 102 % and 128% year-on-year respectively .

On the same day, Qin Fen , head of the industry and merchant business department of Alibaba International Station, also sorted out the keywords of digital foreign trade in 2023 in the official live broadcast. "Substitutes for big brands", "Stay at home and enjoy yourself", "Green and environmental protection" and "black technology" have become keywords for overseas consumers throughout the year.

(Photo: Qin Fen, head of the industry and merchant business department of Alibaba International Station)

It is worth noting that Alibaba International Station has fully started country-specific operations since the second half of this year. At the end of October, the North American Pavilion, European Pavilion and Southeast Asian Pavilion were launched , specifically targeting the local needs of key countries and the categories of platform merchants . "Country-specific product selection" has become one of the most important keywords for Chinese foreign trade companies this year and in the future. In addition, Alibaba International Station also provides more comprehensive cross-border logistics support for foreign trade companies based on the characteristics of different markets.

At the same time, Alibaba International Station was the first to implement AI foreign trade applications this year, with Business Assistant and OKKI AI launched one after another, making small and medium-sized foreign trade companies on the platform the first wave to enjoy the benefits of AI foreign trade.

" Under the wave of AI, digitalization has become a must for small and medium-sized foreign trade companies. All industries need to improve their AI capabilities, digital intelligence capabilities and flexible customization capabilities to meet new trends such as diverse and small-volume overseas procurement needs. " Qin Fen said.

Alibaba International Station

Digital Foreign Trade

Blue Ocean Track