Set Up Your Website to be a Global Online Ecommerce Business -
With all the new trends, evolutions, and reinventions of the internet and ecommerce is easy to forget what made the online world an effective tools for business: access as well as connection and access. If you have an ecommerce site, every online shopper across the globe can walk through your doors.
Take into consideration the size and the potential impact of the market you are targeting:
- It was estimated that there would be 2.05 billion online shoppers around the globe in the year 2020. But only about 20% ( 256 million) resided within the United States.
- Exporting outside of the United States isn't just for large 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 the sales of your business, and is an effective strategy when you are planning your company for the an increase in sales. Examples:
- International sales are a great way to balance seasonal cycles in the business.
- businesses that are selling outside of the United States are on average 17% more successful than those that don't sell outside the United States.
- International sales can assist your expanding business to fill the void if your business is in excess of manufacturing, service, or wholesaling capacity.
Begin to plan your expansion into the international market
If your international e-commerce wish-list list is never ending, keep in mind that you do not have to jump in immediately. Study your website data to find out which countries your customers are from, then begin by incorporating localized website content and experiences that are engaging customers. For a start, select one or two market or areas and study about them as you go. You'll soon discover which products or services are the most in the market and which are most popular in particular areas. Additionally, you'll get valuable market intelligence you can use when you add additional countries to your international expansion list.
The front end: building your shopper experience
The online storefront of your business is usually the first point where international shoppers get to experience your company's products and services. Welcoming shoppers from all over the world with localization elements to provide the best possible shopping experience.
Language
Marketing
Currency
User experience
Websites that have interactive content, such as videos and gift searchers, as with API integrations that are advanced, perform well in regions with high-speed online access, however, they may not appear as good or run similarly smoothly in locations that do not have the same level of connectivity. According to a study by Digital 50% of consumers who shop online will drop shopping carts if they do not load quickly enough.
The other end of the spectrum: supporting your business internationally
Going international isn't only about what customers can see on your site. You must allow customers to buy and to receive products.
Payments
Payouts allow you to offer your products in over 18 countries, accept 135 currencies, and enable local payment methods. There are some things to think about when selecting and installing the payment gateway that will help you achieve global eCommerce success:
- Establish the trust of your customers. Certain customers might be skeptical about purchasing products from overseas vendors and those who are more cautious may put your payment experience in the spotlight. Offering digital wallets like PayPal as well as Apple Pay can help to establish trust.
- Redirect or integrate? Certain payment gateways are widely known and even preferred, in foreign markets however, others aren't so familiar. Some countries have a situation where redirecting to an outside site to make the payment process is seen as unsecure and less trusted. On the other hand certain countries, it is possible that an external site will be more dependable. Research which payment gateways are reputable and respected by - your markets across the world.
- Security and compliance. If you integrate your payment gateway with intake data from customers, you must ensure your stored information is secure and protected. This PCI Security Standards Council website can be a great starting point to begin your investigation.
Taxes
Shipping
Your checklist for international success
- Review website user and client data to determine which international market segments are the most lucrative to your company.
- Select a plugin program to help translate your site's content into the languages of the markets you are targeting.
- Make sure you have multi-currency capabilities on your website.
- Select a payment processor that is trusted and well-known across every one of your global marketplaces.
- Automate tax collection for different countries so you're charging customers the correct tax.
- Keep costs transparent shipping options, delivery methods, track your package, and provide support to ship internationally.