Make Your Website Ready to be a Global Online Ecommerce Business -
With all the new trends of change, innovations, and reinventions of the internet and ecommerce, it's easy to forget the reasons that made the internet so powerful as a marketing tool: accessibility, connection, and the ability to reach. If you've got an e-commerce site, every online shopper anywhere on earth can stroll through your doors.
Think about the impact and size of your market potential:
- It was estimated that there would be 2.05 billion online shoppers in the world in 2020, but just 12% ( 256 million) lived within the United States.
- Exporting to in the United States isn't just for big companies. Out of the more than 300,000 U.S. companies that export items, 97% are small or medium-sized businesses.
Broaden your brand
International sales can increase sales, and it's an effective strategy when you are preparing your business for potential growth in the future. As an example:
- International sales are a great way to even out seasonal business cycles.
- Businesses that sell outside the United States are on average 17 percent more successful than businesses that do not sell outside the United States.
- International sales may assist your expanding business to fill the void if your business is in excess of manufacturing, service, or wholesaling capacity.
Start planning your international expansion
If your international ecommerce to-do checklist seems endless, be aware that you don't need to jump in immediately. Examine your website's data to determine which country your visitors are from, then begin creating localized content on your website and experiences that are engaging users. To start, choose just one or two market or regions , and then learn as you move. You'll soon discover which products and services are most in demand and where. You'll also gain market intelligence you can use as you add more nations to your expanding your international checklist.
The front end: building your shopper experience
Your online storefront is often the initial point at which customers from all over the world can are exposed to your products, brand, and services. Welcome shoppers from many countries by incorporating localization features to give them the best possible experience.
Language
Marketing
Currency
User experience
Sites with interactive content including videos, gift searchers, as with API integrations that are advanced are able to perform better in areas with high-speed online access, but might not look as good or run as seamlessly in regions without this level of connectivity. Based on an research conducted by Digital Half of consumers who shop online will drop their shopping carts if pages don't load fast enough.
The reverse end: helping your business internationally
Going international isn't only the content that customers see on your site. You must make it easy for shoppers to pay for and receive products.
Payments
Payments can help you sell in 18 different countries, take 135 currencies and allow local payment options. There are some things to consider when choosing and creating an international payment gateway to ensure eCommerce success:
- Build the trust of your customers. A few customers are wary of purchasing from foreign vendors, and the extra-cautious ones could put your experience with payments under a microscope. Offering electronic wallets, such as PayPal and Apple Pay can help to increase trust.
- Redirect or integrate? Certain payment gateways are well known, even preferred, in foreign markets, while others aren't as familiar. In some countries, a redirect to an outside site to make the payment process is seen as unsecure and is trusted less. On the other hand certain countries, the external website may be trusted more. Research which payment gateways are reputable and popular with - your markets across the world.
- Compliance and security. If you are integrating your payment gateway with intake details about your customers' payments and data, it is important to ensure that the data stored is safe and protected. The PCI Security Standards Council web page is an excellent place to start your research.
Taxes
Shipping
A checklist for success on the international stage
- Review website user and client details to figure out which market segments are the most lucrative for your company.
- Pick a plugin to help translate your site's content into the local languages of your market.
- You can enable multi-currency options on your website.
- Select a payment processor that is trusted and well-known across the world's market.
- Automate tax collection across various countries, ensuring that you are charging your customers the right tax.
- Be transparent about the costs and delivery options, as well as package tracking, and support in international shipping.