Talha Ishtiaq Khan, General Manager at SkyNet Worldwide Express
Talha Ishtiaq Khan, General Manager at SkyNet Worldwide Express

Digital platforms have made it easier for businesses to reach international customers. Businesses of every size can now reach consumers beyond their domestic markets and around the world. ECDB forecasts that global cross-border e-commerce revenues will reach US$1.2 trillion by 2026, extending access well beyond large enterprises. But this access to international customers doesn't guarantee success in serving them. Fulfilling a cross-border order involves considerably more than just completing the sale. For any business in the global market, the decisive factor may be the infrastructure that operates after the transaction is complete.

For years, the United States De Minimis Framework has shaped the way businesses of all levels qualify imports. From 2016 onward, US customs rules have allowed shipments valued under US$800 to enter the country duty- and tax-free under a simplified clearance process, a provision known as the de minimis exemption. But since August 29, 2025, all shipments into the US are subject to duties, taxes, and customs entry, no matter their value or origin. For a small or medium seller, this may expand the process and the price.

The impact of customs charges extends beyond the seller to the end customer. Even before the 2025 customs rule change, an Avalara Survey from 2024 revealed that 58% of consumers who buy cross-border products experienced surprise customs charges upon delivery. The survey relays that some consumers found this shocking, with 75% of shoppers reconsidering future purchases with the businesses. This charge that a buyer wouldn't expect could turn a successful sale into a disappointing experience. Even if the product met their standards, the experience is what they'd end up remembering the next time a purchase is to be made.

For many businesses, the challenge in cross-border e-commerce may no longer be finding international customers, but delivering their orders reliably. Digital commerce has made selling easier, while the physical side of the process remains complex. Customs, compliance, transportation, and last-mile delivery may still need to be managed market by market. And for businesses in emerging markets, bridging this gap could determine whether international expansion succeeds or stalls. This would require logistics infrastructure that matches the expectations digital commerce has created.

"The customer base has moved from traditional corporate and walk-in courier clients towards e-commerce businesses," Talha Ishtiaq Khan, General Manager of SkyNet Worldwide Express Pakistan, says. "These customers need international delivery, customs support, and technology integration instead of a standard courier service."

Khan has spent over two decades in the logistics industry, specializing in scaling international cross-border e-commerce networks across the globe. In his view, logistics providers are trying to adapt to this shift by moving beyond traditional courier services to support the wider infrastructure that international sellers can depend on. He's seen this change in market expectations certainly within Pakistan, as well as across emerging markets globally.

"Customers don't want any hassle. Once they have given us a shipment, they don't want any problems," Khan explains. "Every stage, from line haul to customs clearance and final delivery, is our responsibility." He notes that sellers expect technology as standard, including apps, tracking, and visibility over where a shipment might be through the delivery process. He elaborates that many global carriers still depend on manual logistics processes. Khan believes that AI is emerging; however, it has scope to grow in logistics, as wider adoption of technology hasn't taken place yet throughout the industry.

According to Khan, providers like SkyNet Worldwide Express are aiming to build services around each customer rather than offering a fixed menu. "This could mean a quick delivery option, or custom API integrations and technology set up for the seller's own systems," he says. Despite a common misconception, the company focuses mainly on smaller businesses rather than large retailers. He added that large retailers already have access to global logistics resources. Smaller sellers often do not, and that's where their support matters.

He posits that businesses expanding abroad need to place emphasis on treating delivery as part of the growth strategy, and not an operational detail left until after the launch. "Sellers should understand each target market's customs before launching products there," he explains. He stresses the need to find carriers that can handle the journey end to end.

Khan feels that global e-commerce can begin anywhere now. Those that succeed will be those backed by physical and technological infrastructure capable of keeping the borderless promise of digital commerce. "The click is the easy part," he emphasizes. "What happens after it is where global brands are built."