Amazon (88%) and brand-owned websites (75%) are the leading sales channels for cross-border ecommerce. That’s according to “Going Global, Smarter: The Ecommerce Leader’s Guide to Scaling Internationally,” a just-released study by Passport, a prominent cross-border ecommerce solutions provider.
Passport commissioned Drive Research, a global consulting firm, to survey executives at U.S.-based ecommerce firms expanding internationally. The 43-question survey, conducted in Q1 2025 with 100 respondents, solicited the firms’ cross-border priorities, tactics, tools, challenges, and more.
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According to the study, most companies (63%) opt to handle international fulfillment and shipping through a U.S.-based third-party logistics provider. This strategy streamlines logistics by keeping inventory in one location, minimizing the complexity of managing operations across various countries.
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Local destination fulfillment expedites delivery and eliminates many customs hurdles. Yet 47% of surveyed executives cited inventory management concerns for not pursuing that method.
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Sixty-nine percent of survey respondents plan to increase international advertising in 2025. Still, many cite profitability barriers to their global expansion efforts. The top challenges include entering new markets (42%), high expenses (38%), and dealing with duties and tariffs (37%).