For many Chinese e-commerce businesses, gaining a foothold in the American market can be challenging. Faced with the lingering perception that Chinese products are shoddy or subpar and their websites are fake or untrustworthy, Chinese companies face an additional hurdle of overcoming these negative stereotypes that other foreign businesses don't. Given this reputation, it’s no wonder many American shoppers think twice before buying from a website that appears Chinese, even if it seems local.
The good news is that American consumers are becoming more accustomed to shopping from popular Chinese ecommerce sellers, such as Temu and Shein. Although these inroads will help Chinese firms gain acceptance from American shoppers, Chinese firms still need to focus on establishing and maintaining trust in order to remain competitive in a growing and crowded market.
To cultivate trust, Chinese companies must create websites tailored to the American market while avoiding common mistakes that could hurt their brand and sales. Here are four ways Chinese and other APAC e-commerce sellers can establish trust with American consumers.
1. Prioritize Grammar
Poor grammar is one of the easiest ways for U.S. consumers to spot a Chinese website. Many Chinese companies tend to skip hiring native English speakers to translate or write their website content, simply because it's too expensive or they don't realize its importance. As a result, Chinese websites usually have more grammatical issues than other foreign sites. What they don’t realize is that when American shoppers see these mistakes, they associate them with low-quality products and services. It gives the impression that the company doesn’t care about its business, its products, or its customers.
Chinese companies looking to break into the U.S. market should consider investing in a native English speaker to proofread their website content and make sure it meets American standards. This is especially true for key webpages like the homepage, FAQs, and shipping and returns policies. While AI and translation services can help, they still aren't reliable enough to be the primary source for writing.
Offering clear and grammatically correct customer communications is equally important. Make sure your customer service emails and transactional emails use proper English and flow well. Consider using American-style names for customer service agents so that the “from" name in an email does not sound too foreign. Names written in Chinese characters can trigger distrust and increase the chances of being marked as spam.
Once you've addressed the biggest issues in your communication, I suggest brands set up a proofreading process for all future customer-facing content— even if that means bringing someone in to review each piece.
2. Have Clear Shipping and Return Policies
For many Americans, when shopping with an unfamiliar brand, one of the first things they do is check the shipping and return policies. Long shipping times are a tell-tale sign that the item will come from China or another APAC country.
What to consider with shipping: Be as upfront and clear as possible. If an item takes 20 business days to arrive, make the information easy to find. Consider using use a formatted table for better readability. If items usually arrive more quickly, it's fine to mention that, too—just set the expectation that it might not be the case every time. You might even want to include a testimonial from a satisfied customer who received their product sooner than expected.
When it comes to shipping, always send a confirmation email that includes up-to-date tracking information. Too often, companies send shipping confirmation emails without updated tracking, leaving customers in the dark. This forces customers to contact customer service for delivery updates, which can leave customers feeling frustrated and undervalued.
What to consider with return policies: Consider offering a flexible return policy, especially for items that have different sizes, like clothing. If you can, offer return and satisfaction guarantees that give customers peace of mind, without straining your budget.
Because Americans expect hassle-free returns, make them as easy as possible. This could mean partnering with a returns management service for international returns or allowing shoppers to keep and donate their unwanted items. Be sure to clearly state the timeframe for returns, any conditions that must be met (e.g., unworn items with tags attached), and any return shipping costs.
To help reduce returns due to incorrect sizes, include size charts on your product and customer service pages. This not only improves return rates but also shows that you prioritize your shoppers’ needs.
3. Focus on Customer Service
People want to know they can easily reach customer service if they need to. Make sure you have a "Contact Us" page that includes various ways to get in touch, including email, phone (if possible), a US-based address, live chat, and a “Contact Us” form.
Use a professional email address that matches your domain name (e.g., support@yourbrand.com) rather than a generic one, like Gmail. This adds legitimacy to your brand and reassures customers that they're communicating with an established business. Including a “contact us” form should not be the only contact method.
When receiving inquiries, respond promptly. Waiting two or three days after a customer service request is sent is too long for shoppers, especially if they recently placed an order. If you need additional time to look into an order, respond and let them know you are looking into their issue and will get back to them with more information shortly. Again, you may want to have responses for the most common questions proofread and available as templates for customer support staff.
If you offer social media pages, ensure they are updated and you respond to customer inquiries. Shoppers will look at social media profiles when considering shopping with an unfamiliar brand. Generic product posting, fake followers, and unresponsive comments are warning signs for consumers.
4. Leverage Authentic Product Reviews
Product reviews are a powerful way to build trust because they give potential customers real insights from other users and help establish credibility. You can showcase these reviews on product pages, your website, social media, and in email marketing. Here are a few tips for using product reviews effectively.
Only display genuine customer reviews. Fake or manipulated reviews can severely damage your brand's credibility. If a customer spots a fake review, they will likely leave and not return. Implement verification processes to ensure reviews come from actual purchasers.
Maintain proper grammar. While you can't control how customers write their reviews, you can encourage them to share detailed feedback through post-purchase email follow-ups. Detailed reviews feel more authentic, even if there are minor grammatical errors. What matters most is the genuine insight they provide.
Use customer testimonials on pages and email. If you have reviews highlighting the quality of your products, fast shipping, or excellent customer service, make sure to display them in places where customers are likely to make decisions. This includes your shipping, returns, and FAQs pages, as well as your "About Us" section and in your email marketing—especially in those cart abandonment messages.
Conclusion
By focusing on these four key areas — grammatical accuracy, clear shipping and return policies, customer service, and authentic product reviews — Chinese e-commerce brands can significantly enhance their credibility and build trust with US customers. Remember, trust is built over time through consistent, positive experiences and can be quickly undone with one bad one. Implementing these strategies will help create a solid foundation for long-term success in the US market.