Cross-border online sales picking up steam

Independent agents and e-commerce giants jump into the fray, causing tougher competition

Shanghai leads Chinese cities in many areas, from per capita income to the number of skyscrapers. Now it has a new feather in its hat: its residents spend more than any other Chinese on cross-border online shopping.

During last year's Black Friday promotion in the United States in November, Chinese consumers' overseas payments via Alipay tripled from a year earlier. Alipay is China's leading third-party payment platform affiliated with Alibaba Group Holding Ltd.