Holike Overseas Case

The Holike overseas expansion case refers to the typical practice of the Chinese custom home furnishing brand Holike entering overseas markets through its own brand or deep cooperation models, covering aspects such as product localization, channel development, and brand establishment. Its core lies in aligning mature domestic flexible customization capabilities with the housing layout standards, environmental regulations, and consumer preferences of overseas target markets, and establishing a localized delivery system through exhibitions, distributors, or engineering cooperation. For practitioners in the overseas expansion of custom home furnishing, the key reference value of this case lies in verifying the feasibility of "domestic intelligent manufacturing + overseas local services," especially in the modular output of cabinet bodies and last-mile installation coordination, providing a reusable path for avoiding tariffs and shortening delivery cycles.

In-Depth Case Study of Holike's Overseas Expansion: A Replicable Overseas Path for Chinese Custom Home Furnishing Enterprises

I. Definition and Background

Holike's overseas expansion refers to the systematic business activities of Guangzhou Holike Creative Home Co., Ltd. (stock code: 603898) in promoting products such as custom wardrobes, cabinets, wooden doors, and finished furniture to overseas markets through its own brand or ODM methods. Compared with peers such as Oppein and Suofeiya, Holike's overseas scale is not the largest, but its path choice—starting from Southeast Asia, using engineering channels as a lever, and cross-border e-commerce as an incremental driver—has high reference value for medium-sized custom home furnishing enterprises.

Industry background: Why must we pay attention to overseas expansion?

Three structural pressures are forcing Chinese custom home furnishing enterprises to go overseas:

1. Domestic growth has peaked. China's newly completed housing area has continued to decline since peaking in 2021. The custom home furnishing industry has shifted from incremental competition to stock-market rivalry, and price wars are compressing profit margins.

2. Production capacity needs an outlet. The intelligent manufacturing bases invested in and built by leading enterprises over the past five years have formed enormous production capacity, which is difficult to absorb relying solely on the domestic market.

3. Supply chain advantages spill over. China's custom home furnishing industry has formed globally comparative advantages in flexible manufacturing, information systems (such as Kujiale and 3vjia), and panel processing precision, and possesses the capability to export them.

Scope of application: This article applies to custom home furnishing enterprises with annual revenue of RMB 500 million to RMB 5 billion, an established domestic manufacturing and informatization foundation, and that are evaluating or launching overseas business. It does not apply to pure OEM factories or small and micro enterprises that have no awareness of independent brands.

II. Detailed Explanation of Core Content

2.1 The Three Stages of Holike's Overseas Expansion

Stage	Time	Core Actions	Key Characteristics
Exploration period	2015–2018	Participating in the Canton Fair and overseas exhibitions, taking orders through ODM	Passive order-taking, no brand
Channel-building period	2019–2022	Establishing distribution outlets in Southeast Asia, entering engineering supply chains	Emergence of independent brand
Brand + e-commerce period	2023–present	Cross-border e-commerce independent websites, TikTok channels, overseas warehouses	Integration of brand and performance

Holike's publicly reported overseas layout is concentrated in the Southeast Asian market, including engineering cooperation with local developers and building materials merchants, as well as obtaining B-end inquiries through platforms such as Alibaba International Station. Its 2023 annual report mentioned "continuously advancing overseas market expansion," but did not separately disclose the proportion of overseas revenue, indicating that the overseas business is still in the cultivation period.

2.2 Core Model: Three Parallel Lines of Engineering Channels + Distribution Network + Cross-Border E-Commerce

(1) Engineering channels (B2B)

This is the path that Holike first successfully established for overseas expansion. Specific process:

• Step one: Obtain inquiries from overseas developers/contractors through the Canton Fair, Vietnam Building Materials Exhibition, Indonesia Building Exhibition, and others
• Step two: Carry out detailed design according to project drawings and provide quotations for whole-house customization solutions
• Step three: Produce in domestic factories and export in full-container shipments (usually FOB Guangzhou/Shenzhen)
• Step four: Local cooperative installation teams complete delivery

Key standard references: Exported panels must comply with the formaldehyde emission standards of the target country, such as EU EN 13986, U.S. CARB P2, and Japan F☆☆☆☆. Most Southeast Asian countries follow or refer to EN standards.

(2) Distribution network (B2C light model)

Develop branded dealership stores in core Southeast Asian cities (such as Bangkok, Jakarta, and Ho Chi Minh City). Holike's model is: local distributors are responsible for store operations and installation, while Holike provides products, design software training, and brand authorization. This model requires low investment and enables rapid expansion, but is difficult to control.

(3) Cross-border e-commerce (D2C)

Obtain small and medium-sized B-end customers through Alibaba International Station and Made-in-China.com, while exploring TikTok Shop and independent websites for C-end consumers. The difficulties of cross-border e-commerce in custom home furnishing lie in: non-standard products, bulky logistics, and installation services. Holike's response strategy is to modularize and standardize products and launch a "quick-install wardrobe" series suitable for cross-border logistics.

2.3 Checklist of Key Capability Building

Capability Item	Specific Requirements	Investment Cycle
Product localization	Adapt to local apartment layouts, climate (moisture-proof/termite-proof), and aesthetics	6–12 months
Certification compliance	CARB P2, EN 13986, FSC, etc.	3–6 months
Overseas warehouse/transit warehouse	For Southeast Asia, it is recommended to set up a transit warehouse in Singapore or Vietnam	6–12 months
Multilingual design system	Overseas version or localized deployment of Kujiale/3vjia	3–6 months
Overseas installation training	Standardized installation manuals + videos + local training	Ongoing
Cross-border payment and settlement	Combination of letters of credit, T/T, PayPal, etc.	1–3 months

2.4 Overseas Adaptation of Digital Systems

The Kujiale design system and MES production system used by Holike domestically need overseas adaptation:

• Design side: Add English/Thai/Indonesian interfaces and adjust standard cabinet dimensions (such as switching between imperial and metric systems)
• Production side: When export orders and domestic orders are produced on mixed lines, they need to be labeled and distinguished in MES to avoid confusion in panel specifications
• Logistics side: Connect with freight forwarding systems to achieve full-chain tracking from factory to port

2.5 Risks and Compliance Points

• Anti-dumping risk: The United States once imposed anti-dumping duties on Chinese wooden furniture (such as the 2019 anti-dumping investigation into wooden cabinets and bathroom vanities). Before export, the tariff policy corresponding to the HS code must be verified.
• Formaldehyde standards: EU EN 13986 and U.S. CARB/EPA TSCA Title VI are mandatory requirements.
• Intellectual property: Avoid appearance design infringement, especially in European and American markets.
• Exchange rate risk: It is recommended to use forward foreign exchange settlement tools to lock in profits.

III. Comparison with the Chinese Market/Other Solutions

Dimension	Domestic Market	Holike's Overseas Expansion Model	Pure ODM OEM Overseas Expansion	Cross-Border E-Commerce Major Seller Model
Brand	Independent brand	Independent brand + ODM in parallel	No brand	Independent brand
Channels	Distribution + full renovation + e-commerce	Engineering + distribution + cross-border	Order-taking at exhibitions	Platform traffic
Profit	Medium-low	Medium	Low	Medium-high
Investment	High	Medium	Low	Medium
Control difficulty	Low	Medium-high	Low	Medium
Suitable enterprises	All	Medium-sized enterprises with a manufacturing foundation	Pure factories	Enterprises with e-commerce DNA

IV. Typical Application Scenarios

Scenario one: Vietnam apartment fine decoration engineering

For a mid-to-high-end apartment project in Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam, the developer needed batch customization of wardrobes and cabinets. Holike connected through local building materials merchants and provided an overall solution from design to installation. Because Vietnam's climate is humid, Holike added moisture-proof agents to the panels and used aluminum alloy skirting instead of wooden skirting. The project was exported on an FOB basis, and a local cooperative installation team completed delivery. Public reports show that Holike has had multiple similar cooperations in Southeast Asian engineering channels.

Scenario two: Thailand dealership storefront

In a home furnishing mall in Bangkok, a Holike branded dealership store displays whole-house customization solutions. The distributor purchases finished cabinet bodies and hardware from Holike and completes installation locally. Holike provides design software training and store SI standards. Under this model, the distributor bears rent and labor, while Holike bears product and brand output.

Scenario three: Alibaba International Station inquiry conversion

A contractor in the Middle East found Holike through Alibaba International Station, with an inquiry for hotel guest room wardrobes. After Holike's foreign trade team quoted a price, the customer conducted an on-site factory inspection, and the deal was finally completed by T/T. Although such small and medium-sized B-end orders are not large in value, the repurchase rate is relatively high.

V. Common Questions FAQ

Q1: Where are Holike's main overseas markets?

According to public reports, Holike's overseas business is mainly concentrated in Southeast Asia (Vietnam, Thailand, Indonesia, Malaysia), while also covering markets such as the Middle East and North America through cross-border e-commerce. Southeast Asia is the focus because of geographical proximity, cultural proximity, and relatively friendly tariffs.

Q2: What is the biggest difficulty in overseas expansion of custom home furnishing?

Non-standard products + bulky logistics + installation services. The domestic closed loop of "design-production-installation" in custom home furnishing is difficult to directly replicate overseas. Holike's solution is: product modularization, installation standardization, and local cooperation.

Q3: What certifications are required for exported panels?

It mainly depends on the target market: the EU requires EN 13986 and CE certification; the United States requires CARB P2 or EPA TSCA Title VI; Japan requires F☆☆☆☆; most Southeast Asian countries refer to EN standards. It is recommended to obtain at least CARB P2 and EN 13986, which have the broadest coverage.

Q4: How should payment terms and risks for overseas engineering orders be controlled?

It is recommended to use "advance payment + full payment before shipment" or letters of credit. For new customers, the advance payment ratio should not be less than 30%. Short-term export credit insurance from Sinosure can be purchased.

Q5: Can small and medium-sized custom enterprises without Holike's scale go overseas?

Yes, but it is recommended to start with cross-border e-commerce or a single engineering order, rather than setting up overseas stores from the beginning. The minimum viable path: open a store on Alibaba International Station → obtain inquiries → domestic production → FOB export → find local installation partners.

VI. Practical Recommendations

1. Do certifications first, then discuss orders. CARB P2 and EN 13986 are the stepping stones; without certification, you do not even have the qualification to quote.

2. Start from Southeast Asia, do not head straight to Europe and America. Southeast Asia has low tariffs, nearby logistics, and cultural proximity, making the cost of trial and error the lowest.

3. Simplify products. In the early stage of overseas expansion, do not push whole-house customization; focus on core categories such as wardrobes and cabinets to reduce SKUs.

4. Find the right local partners. Installation and after-sales are the fatal weakness of custom home furnishing overseas expansion; reliable installation teams must be found in the target country.

5. Make good use of cross-border e-commerce platforms. Alibaba International Station and Made-in-China.com are low-cost channels for obtaining B-end inquiries and are suitable for the initial stage.

6. Establish overseas warehouses or transit warehouses. For Southeast Asia, it is recommended to set up a transit warehouse in Singapore or Vietnam to shorten the delivery cycle.

7. Pay attention to anti-dumping policies. Exporting wooden cabinets to the United States requires checking anti-dumping duty orders to avoid pitfalls.

8. Digital systems first. The overseas adaptation of design software and MES systems must be completed before taking orders; otherwise, when orders come, they cannot be handled.