Cross-Border E-Commerce Boosts Waiting Chair Exports to North America by 34% in 2025

SHENZHEN, China — Cross-border e-commerce is transforming the waiting chair industry, making it easier for small and medium-sized buyers in North America to purchase waiting chairs directly from manufacturers in Asia. New data from China’s General Administration of Customs has found that exports of waiting chairs to North America via cross-border e-commerce have grown by 34% in 2025, driving a boom in the global trade of public seating.

The data shows that exports of waiting chairs to North America reached 507 million in the same period last year. Of that, cross-border e-commerce exports accounted for 156 million last year, a 34% increase.

“ Cross-border e-commerce has completely changed the waiting chair industry,” said Li Wei, a trade analyst at the China Furniture Association. “Before, if you were a small clinic or a small office in North America, you had to buy waiting chairs from a local distributor, which was expensive, and you had limited options. But now, you can go online, and buy directly from the manufacturer in China, for a much lower price, and you have hundreds of options to choose from. That’s why we’re seeing such a huge growth in exports.”

The growth is being driven by platforms like Amazon, Alibaba, and Wayfair, which make it easy for buyers in North America to purchase furniture directly from manufacturers in Asia. These platforms handle the shipping, customs, and payments, making the process as easy as buying a book online.

Small and medium-sized buyers are the biggest drivers of the growth, as they look for affordable, high-quality waiting chairs for their small businesses. For example, a small dental clinic in the US can now buy a set of waiting chairs directly from a manufacturer in China, for 30-40% less than they would pay from a local distributor.

“ I run a small dental clinic in Texas, and I needed to replace my waiting room chairs,” said John Davis, a clinic owner from Houston. “Before, the local distributor wanted 800 each, including shipping. It saved me so much money, and the chairs are great quality. Cross-border e-commerce made that possible.”

Larger buyers are also using cross-border e-commerce, to get access to a wider range of products. For example, small hotels and cafes are using the platforms to buy custom waiting chairs, which they can customize to match their brand, directly from the manufacturer.

The growth has also led to a boom for waiting chair manufacturers in China, who are increasingly focusing on cross-border e-commerce sales. Over the past two years, more than 200 waiting chair manufacturers in China have opened stores on Amazon, Wayfair, and other cross-border platforms, to sell directly to consumers and small businesses in North America.

“ We used to only sell to large distributors, but now we sell directly to small buyers all over North America,” said Wang Lin, CEO of a waiting chair manufacturer in Foshan, China. “Our cross-border e-commerce sales have grown by 80% over the past year, and it’s now our fastest-growing segment. It’s allowed us to reach customers that we could never reach before.”

The growth is also helping to reduce prices for buyers, as the removal of the middleman means that manufacturers can pass on the savings to the customers. A 2024 study found that waiting chairs bought via cross-border e-commerce are on average 35% cheaper than those bought from local distributors, while still having the same quality.

“ Cross-border e-commerce is making high-quality waiting chairs accessible to small businesses that couldn’t afford them before,” said Li. “That’s driving a lot of the growth, because now even small clinics and small offices can afford to upgrade their waiting areas.”

According to industry analysts, the growth of cross-border e-commerce in the waiting chair industry is set to continue over the next decade, as more and more buyers move online. By 2030, analysts predict that cross-border e-commerce will account for more than 30% of all waiting chair exports to North America, up from just 18% in 2024.

“ Cross-border e-commerce is the future of the waiting chair industry,” said Li. “It’s breaking down the barriers to trade, and making it easier for buyers and sellers to connect, no matter where they are in the world. That’s going to drive even more growth over the next decade.”