New tax rule may cool ardor for cross-border purchases

Luo Tong has been shopping at international online retailers like Shopbop for years now. She usually receives her parcel within a week of her order and has rarely been taxed by customs.

But this time, she has waited three weeks and her parcel still hasn't arrived. Luo's friend, who has been ordering rice powder from Germany, was recently taxed for the first time, she says.

For a long time, Chinese consumers have turned to cross-border e-commerce sites, such as Tmall and JD for lower prices when buying overseas products.