How to sell on Xiaohongshu: A guide for overseas brands entering China

Thinking about reaching customers in China through Xiaohongshu? The platform combines lifestyle content, product discovery and online shopping, giving overseas brands another way to enter China’s e-commerce market. However, opening a store involves more than creating an account and listing products. Overseas companies generally need to apply for a specialist, authorised or flagship store and provide the relevant company and brand documents. This guide explains how to sell on Xiaohongshu, covering eligibility, store types, the application process, deposits, fees and the practical considerations to understand before applying.

If you need to pay suppliers in mainland China or manage money in different currencies, you could also consider a Wise Business account. Wise offers transparent fees and uses the mid-market exchange rate. Product and feature availability depends on where your business is registered and the outcome of verification.

Learn more about Wise Business

Benefits of opening a store on Xiaohongshu

Unlike a traditional e-commerce platform, Xiaohongshu combines content sharing with online shopping. Businesses can reach potential customers through content showing how products are used in everyday life. Overseas businesses may want to consider the following benefits:

• Content and shopping are closely connected¹˒²: Businesses can showcase products through shoppable posts, livestreams and search, then direct interested users to their stores. However, the platform's zero-cost trial programme is only available to eligible individual or sole-trader stores. It does not apply to the brand-based store types available to overseas companies.
• Eligible businesses may receive additional visibility and campaign support¹˒²: Once a business joins Xiaohongshu's e-commerce platform, eligible new merchants or products may receive tasks, campaign opportunities or additional exposure. Eligibility and traffic depend on the current platform rules and the opportunities available through the merchant portal.
• Several content formats are available³: Businesses can market products through livestreams, shoppable posts and search. Xiaohongshu reports around 300 million monthly active users, giving businesses another way to reach potential customers.

Can an overseas business open a store on Xiaohongshu?

A company registered overseas can apply to sell on Xiaohongshu, but an overseas individual cannot directly apply for an individual, sole-trader or standard corporate store. Under Xiaohongshu's current merchant recruitment standards, these three store types are only available to mainland entities. Companies registered outside mainland China may use their overseas registration documents, with translations where required, to apply for brand-based store types such as specialist stores, authorised stores and flagship stores. Official flagship stores and marketplace flagship stores are invitation-only.⁴

An overseas company will generally need the documents below. The exact requirements depend on where the company is registered, the store type, its relationship with the brand and the product category.

Xiaohongshu reviews the applicant, brand, product category and proposed business operations, and may request further documents. Check the latest list on the merchant recruitment page and in the merchant portal before submitting an application.⁴

Types of Xiaohongshu account

Before applying, it is important to distinguish between a standard Xiaohongshu account, a professional account and a store. They serve different purposes, and professional-account verification is separate from the process of opening an e-commerce store.

Overseas businesses should therefore not assume that upgrading to a corporate professional account and paying a CNY 600 verification fee is a standard prerequisite for opening an e-commerce store. If you also need professional-account features, check the latest verification requirements on the professional-account platform separately.

Types of Xiaohongshu store

Eligibility requirements and operating models vary across Chinese marketplaces, so overseas businesses should check which store types are available before applying. Xiaohongshu offers several store types, differentiated mainly by the applicant, brand qualifications and application method. Overseas companies can generally apply only for brand-based stores, such as specialist, authorised or flagship stores. Some store types are invitation-only.⁴

For an overseas company, a specialist, authorised or flagship store will generally be the main option. The store types available still depend on the business's relationship with the brand, its product category and Xiaohongshu's review requirements.

How to open a store on Xiaohongshu

An overseas business can prepare its application in the following order:

1. Confirm eligibility for the applicant, store type and product category: Check the company's place of registration, product category and relationship with the brand before choosing a specialist, authorised or flagship store, or another type available to overseas entities. Some stores and categories are invitation-only or require additional qualifications.
2. Open the e-commerce merchant recruitment portal on a computer: Sign in to the Xiaohongshu e-commerce merchant recruitment page and select the option to apply. Applications for specialist, authorised, flagship, official flagship and marketplace flagship stores can only be submitted through the desktop site.⁴
3. Submit documents for the overseas company and person responsible: Upload the overseas registration documents and identification for the person responsible or authorised representative. Documents that are not in Chinese or English must be accompanied by a translation that meets the platform's requirements.
4. Submit the brand and category qualifications: Depending on the store type, upload the trademark registration, brand authorisation, proof of purchase, evidence of corporate relationships, and the relevant industry and product qualifications. The scope, authorisation level and validity period of the brand documents must meet the platform's requirements.
5. Wait for the review and sign the agreement: Xiaohongshu considers the applicant, brand, category and operating circumstances when deciding whether to approve the application. The platform may ask for additional documents. Check the review timeapplication portal for the estimated review time.
6. Pay the applicable deposit and fees: After approval, pay the deposit in the currency and amount shown in the merchant portal. Check the category technical service fee and the payment-channel technical service fee for cross-border orders.
7. Set up settlement and logistics before listing products: Complete the store settings, cross-border settlement arrangements, logistics plan and product information before listing products and beginning to sell.

Costs and fees for opening a store on Xiaohongshu

Overseas businesses should not assume that the zero-cost opening offer for individual or standard corporate stores in mainland China applies to them. The costs to consider include:

• Category deposit⁸˒¹¹: Xiaohongshu currently lists the standard deposit for cross-border categories as USD 400. Other amounts may apply to particular product categories or higher-risk circumstances. The amount shown in the merchant portal is the final amount payable.
• Variable deposit⁸: The platform calculates this from the store's settled sales for the previous calendar month. If settled sales exceed CNY 50,000 but do not exceed CNY 100,000, the deposit for an overseas merchant is USD 400. It rises to USD 700 if settled sales exceed CNY 100,000 but do not exceed CNY 500,000, and to USD 2,800 if settled sales exceed CNY 500,000. The higher of the two deposit amounts will apply: the category deposit or the variable deposit.
• Risk deposit⁸: An additional risk deposit may apply if the platform pays after-sales costs or customer compensation on the store's behalf and the base deposit remains below the required amount for longer than the permitted period. The amount payable depends on the platform's notice and the merchant portal.
• Technical service fees¹²: The basic technical service fee depends on the product category. Cross-border product orders are also subject to a 0.7% payment-channel technical service fee, calculated on the amount paid for the products plus the amount paid for shipping.
• Professional-account verification fee: This is only relevant if the overseas business applies separately for a corporate professional account. Its verification fee, validity period and annual-review arrangements are separate from the fees for opening a store. Check the current professional-account platform for details.
• Logistics, taxes and cross-border settlement costs: Shipping from overseas may involve international transport, customs declarations, import taxes, returns, collection and currency conversion. Estimate these costs separately based on the sales and fulfilment model.

A deposit is not automatically refunded in full when a store closes. While the store is operating, a business may apply to withdraw an excess amount if the deposit balance is higher than the required amount and there are no outstanding payments or refunds in progress. After closing the store, the business may apply to withdraw the remaining deposit once conditions such as no outstanding negative balance and settlement of all orders have been met. Under the platform rules, an eligible request is generally processed within one to seven working days. Deposits cannot be withdrawn within seven calendar days of being paid.⁸

What overseas businesses should consider

An overseas business selling to customers in mainland China through Xiaohongshu needs to consider both the platform rules and its cross-border operating arrangements:

• Applicant and brand eligibility: A company registered overseas cannot use an individual, sole-trader or standard corporate store as an alternative route. If the business cannot provide documents proving trademark registration, brand authorisation or the purchasing relationship, it may not qualify for a brand-based store.
• Category compliance and cross-border import requirements: Categories such as cosmetics, food and health products generally require additional qualifications. Cross-border products may also be subject to customs, import and product-labelling requirements. Prepare the relevant documents for the specific category.
• Content needs to fit the community: Visibility on Xiaohongshu depends heavily on content and content based on real-life product use. Direct sales copy may receive less engagement, so a business will need to invest time in suitable images, video and written content. This makes content planning an important part of Xiaohongshu marketing for overseas brands.
• Restrictions on advertising claims and wording⁷˒¹⁰: Avoid absolute or exaggerated claims such as “national-level”, “highest-level” and “best”. Businesses must also follow platform rules on directing users to external sites, account names and commercial promotions.
• Cross-border logistics, after-sales service and money management: An overseas business needs to manage delivery times, returns, customer compensation, the platform's settlement currency and currency-conversion costs. All of these can affect margins and cash flow.

Manage supplier payments and business costs in China with Wise Business

Selling through Xiaohongshu may involve payments in different currencies, from paying suppliers and logistics providers to covering platform fees. When comparing banks and payment providers, consider where your business is registered, which currencies you use and where you need to send or receive money.

Wise Business is one option for managing international payments.Businesses can manage and convert multiple currencies, pay overseas suppliers and receive payments through one account. Here’s what it offers:

• Free self-service account setup: Open your account online in minutes with no monthly fees and start enjoying hassle-free payment services right away.
• Manage global funds with ease: Get paid in 23+ currencies in one account, including local account numbers for 8+ major currencies, so you can receive local transfers for free.
• No hidden exchange rate markups: All fees are transparent, with real-time market exchange rates, and fees as low as 0.26%. Save more on every transaction.
• Instant cross-border payments: Send money to 140+ countries. Quick processing — over 60% of remittances arrive within 20 seconds. Track your payments in real-time.
• Easily handle bulk payments: Upload a CSV file and the system will process up to 1,000 payments at once. You can also integrate Wise’s API for fully automated payment workflows.
• Professional invoicing tool: Create and send invoices, add your account details or payment links, making payments simpler and quicker.
• Boost team collaboration: Add team members to your account, work together on payments, download statements, and track transactions more efficiently.

Learn more about Wise Business

Sources checked on 21 August 2026.