Global Trade & E-Commerce Data Board

A compact reference for B2B sellers, distributors, and operators — at a glance.

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A

U.S. & Houston Strategic Context

Why Texas matters for B2B distribution

U.S. Exports by State · 2025

$2.1T
Texas 🤠
21.8%
California
9.1%
New York
7.4%
Louisiana
4.5%
Illinois
3.9%
Florida
3.8%
Georgia
2.9%
Michigan
2.8%
Ohio
2.7%
Penn.
2.5%
Kentucky
2.5%
Arizona
2.2%
N. Caro
2.1%
N. Jers
2.1%
Mass
1.9%
Tenn
1.8%
Texas $450B (21.8%) — exceeds the next 3 states combined. Source: U.S. Census 2025.

Top Cities by GDP · Nov 2025

Top 15
  1. 1🇯🇵Tokyo$2.55T
  2. 2🇺🇸New York–Newark$2.49T
  3. 3🇺🇸LA–Long Beach$1.62T
  4. 4🇬🇧London$1.47T
  5. 5🇰🇷Seoul$1.42T
  6. 6🇫🇷Paris$1.39T
  7. 7🇺🇸Chicago$1.25T
  8. 8🇯🇵Osaka–Kobe$1.19T
  9. 9🇺🇸San Francisco$1.15T
  10. 10🇨🇳Shanghai$1.15T
  11. 11🇨🇳Beijing$1.10T
  12. 12🇺🇸Washington DC$1.09T
  13. 13🇺🇸Dallas–Fort Worth$1.08T
  14. 14🇺🇸Houston ★ (Cube-Age HQ)$1.01T
  15. 15🇺🇸Boston–Cambridge$1.01T
Houston #14 globally — 8 of top 15 are U.S. metros. Source: CEOWORLD Magazine 2025.
B

Global Macro

Where the money is — economies & companies

World's Largest Economies (PPP) · 2025

$210T
🇨🇳China
$41.2T
🇺🇸United States
$30.8T
🇮🇳India
$17.3T
🇷🇺Russia
$7.3T
🇩🇪Germany
$6.2T
🇬🇧UK
$4.6T
🇫🇷France
$4.6T
🇧🇷Brazil
$5.0T
🇮🇩Indonesia
$5.0T
+ Other countries: $81.4T. Total world GDP (PPP): $210T. Source: IMF/Rosstat.

Most Valuable Companies · Market Cap

Top 15
  1. 1🇺🇸NVIDIA$4.86T
  2. 2🇺🇸Alphabet (Google)$4.05T
  3. 3🇺🇸Apple$3.94T
  4. 4🇺🇸Microsoft$3.15T
  5. 5🇺🇸Amazon$2.72T
  6. 6🇹🇼TSMC$1.94T
  7. 7🇺🇸Broadcom$1.90T
  8. 8🇸🇦Saudi Aramco$1.77T
  9. 9🇺🇸Meta$1.71T
  10. 10🇺🇸Tesla$1.48T
  11. 11🇺🇸Berkshire Hathaway$1.03T
  12. 12🇺🇸Walmart$995B
  13. 13🇰🇷Samsung$963B
  14. 14🇺🇸JPMorgan Chase$846B
  15. 15🇺🇸Eli Lilly$825B
12 of top 15 are U.S. companies. Source: CompaniesMarketCap.
C

E-Commerce & B2B Sellers

Where buyers are, what they buy, how to ship

Top 20 Online Stores · Annual Sales

$5.6T total
  1. 1🇺🇸Amazon$846B
  2. 2🇨🇳Pinduoduo$781B
  3. 3🇨🇳TikTok Shop$656B
  4. 4🇨🇳Taobao$585B
  5. 5🇨🇳Tmall$569B
  6. 6🇨🇳JD.com$548B
  7. 7🇺🇸Walmart$198B
  8. 8🇸🇬Shopee$126B
  9. 9🇨🇳Temu$93B
  10. 10🇨🇳Shein$84B
  11. 11🇺🇸eBay$78B
  12. 12🇨🇳AliExpress$73B
  13. 13🇦🇷Mercado Libre$63B
  14. 14🇺🇸Apple$59B
  15. 15🇰🇷Coupang$56B
9 of top 15 are Chinese platforms. Cross-border B2B opportunity is enormous.

Top Cross-Border Shopping Categories

% of buyers
Apparel & Footwear
47%
Consumer Electronics
19%
Accessories (Jewelry/Bags)
18%
Beauty & Personal Care
17%
Home & Garden
16%
Sports & Leisure
15%
Toys
11%
Home Appliances
10%
Books / Media
9%
Food & Beverage
9%
Sample n=30,970 cross-border buyers. Source: IPC.

Amazon Shipping Strategy 2026 · FBA vs FBM vs Hybrid

Pick by SKU
FBA Fulfilled by Amazon
✓ PROS
  • Prime badge: +20–30% conversion
  • 1–2 day delivery
  • Buy Box priority
  • Amazon handles CS & returns
✗ CONS
  • Storage: $0.75–$2.40/cu ft/mo
  • Fulfillment: $3.22+ per unit
  • 2026 surcharge: +3.5%
  • 180+ day inventory penalties
FBM Fulfilled by Merchant
✓ PROS
  • No storage fees, controlled cost
  • No upfront inventory
  • Good for tests / small batches
  • Choose your own logistics
✗ CONS
  • Delivery: 7–15 days
  • No Prime badge (unless SFP)
  • Conversion 15–25% lower
  • Self-handle CS & returns
HYBRID 2026 winning strategy
🎯 STRATEGY
  • Top 20% SKUs → FBA (Prime traffic)
  • Long-tail / slow movers → FBM/3PL
  • Heavy / low-margin → FBM
  • New product tests → FBM first
  • Mature bestsellers → FBA
📊 RESULT
  • Successful 2026 sellers use 2.3 modes on average
Hybrid is the 2026 winning approach — match shipping mode to SKU velocity & margin.
D

Demographics & Buying Power

Where the customers will be — and what they earn

Population Change Forecast · 2025–2050

+1.4B

↑ Top Growth (2025–50)

  • 🇨🇩 DRC+93.4%
  • 🇨🇫 CAR+92.6%
  • 🇦🇴 Angola+90.3%
  • 🇸🇴 Somalia+89.3%
  • 🇹🇿 Tanzania+83.7%
  • 🇸🇩 Sudan+64.9%
  • 🇲🇽 Mexico+12.9%
  • 🇺🇸 U.S.+9.7%

↓ Top Decline

  • 🇧🇦 Bosnia−21.8%
  • 🇱🇹 Lithuania−20.2%
  • 🇺🇦 Ukraine−17.9%
  • 🇯🇵 Japan−14.6%
  • 🇰🇷 S. Korea−12.6%
  • 🇮🇹 Italy−12.3%
  • 🇨🇳 China−11.0%
  • 🇷🇺 Russia−5.5%
Top 10 fastest-growing are all in sub-Saharan Africa. Source: UN World Population Prospects.

U.S. Household Incomes · 2023

Median $80,610
Over $200K
14%
14%
$150–200K
10%
10%
$100–150K
17%
17%
$75–100K
12%
12%
$50–75K
16%
16%
$35–50K
10%
10%
$25–35K
7%
7%
$15–25K
7%
7%
Under $15K
7%
7%
Middle class ($53K–$161K, blue) = ~45% of households. Source: Pew Research / Census.

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