Going cross-border has its advantages for a business as the market for a product can grow exponentially. However, it is important to remember that selling locally can be very different from selling in another country, even if the country is a geographic neighbor. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
The goal of this guide is to inform merchants about the opportunities and challenges international business presents, as well as what it takes to start a global ecommerce operation, and how to prepare for the transition process. <\/p>\n\n\n\n Global ecommerce is an ecommerce subindustry consisting of online businesses that expanded from their local to foreign markets, reaching customers beyond political borders. <\/p>\n\n\n\n According to data from Statista<\/em>, an average of 71%<\/a> of online businesses eventually expand their market from local to international. <\/p>\n\n\n\n Expanding an ecommerce business<\/a> to a global market can benefit both merchants and consumers. <\/p>\n\n\n\n Merchants benefit from going global in the following ways: <\/p>\n\n\n\n Consumers benefit from global ecommerce shops in the following ways: <\/p>\n\n\n\n Achieving global reach is a step towards growing a business but presents several challenges. Get acquainted with the obstacles ecommerce merchants face before they can sell internationally and how to overcome them. <\/p>\n\n\n\n In-store experiences and personal interactions are crucial sale-driving factors in traditional brick-and-mortar retail. <\/p>\n\n\n\n Ecommerce lacks that human touch but makes up for it with personalization techniques<\/a>, live engagement platforms, and quality customer support. Global ecommerce shops that successfully implement both make customers feel seen, heard, and valued. <\/p>\n\n\n\n Note: <\/strong>For more information on how to provide a flawless customer experience, refer to our guide Omnichannel Customer Experience \u2013 Everything You Need to Know<\/a>. <\/p>\n\n\n\n Going global means competing against a vast sea of online businesses, which is why it is crucial to find a way to stand out. <\/p>\n\n\n\n Some of the features of a unique and recognizable online business are: <\/p>\n\n\n\n Note: <\/strong>Get acquainted with the latest Ecommerce Website Design Trends<\/a>, and discover 12 Web Design Tips<\/a> that will improve the look, feel, and performance of your online shop. <\/p>\n\n\n\n Multi-currency payment processing<\/a> allows customers to pay and merchants to receive funds in their local currency. <\/p>\n\n\n\n Some of the challenges associated with multi-currency solutions are: <\/p>\n\n\n\n Note: <\/strong>CCBill\u2019s payment processing solutions<\/a> are trusted by online businesses of diverse sizes and niches across 196 countries. Going global is easy when you have solutions that accommodate the needs of your ecommerce store, so get in touch<\/a> today! <\/p>\n\n\n\n Ecommerce marketing<\/a> for international businesses is far more complex than for local ones. Global ecommerce marketing strategies<\/a> must consider and overcome the following factors: <\/p>\n\n\n\n Merchants can overcome these obstacles by: <\/p>\n\n\n\n Any store designed to be launched on a global scale must be built upon reliable technical infrastructure and be accessible to prospects from any country. <\/p>\n\n\n\n These goals are achieved by optimizing the following factors: <\/p>\n\n\n\n Customers expect around-the-clock customer support and multiple shipping options to choose from. <\/p>\n\n\n\n Whether they are outsourcing or hiring internally, global ecommerce merchants must invest in 24\/7\/364 support. A clever and affordable method is to employ an ecommerce chatbot<\/a>, and forward assistance requests to live personnel only when necessary. <\/p>\n\n\n\n Global fulfillment operations are complex, but customers demand options. Some customers prioritize quick shipping times and are willing to pay extra for it, while others prefer waiting for their products longer if it means that shipping is free. Because of this, merchants must partner with several fulfillment providers to ensure timely deliveries and accommodate all their customers\u2019 needs. <\/p>\n\n\n\n In-person experiences are the best way to build trust with prospects, but what can businesses do when such experiences are not an option? This is often an issue for online-only businesses and retailers testing foreign markets. <\/p>\n\n\n\n Fortunately, as the ecommerce industry evolved, marketing experts discovered ways to assure prospective customers that a brand or product can be trusted, such as: <\/p>\n\n\n\n Another way to reassure customers is to establish a return policy that allows returns and exchanges under reasonable conditions. However, handling returns on a global scale is something not all ecommerce businesses can afford. <\/p>\n\n\n\n In such cases, merchants should analyze their customer base, communicate with their fulfillment providers, and identify countries they can afford to allow returns to. The return policy must then clearly state from which countries customers can return or exchange products. <\/p>\n\n\n\n Make it clear to customers that they will receive what they order and that they have options if they are unhappy with their purchase. Also, assure them that their data is being handled according to the highest security standards. <\/p>\n\n\n\n Note:<\/strong> Learn more about your customers and their shopping experience both online and in stores in our article Online Shopping vs. In-Store Shopping<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Before going global, merchants must investigate good business opportunities and establish an expansion plan. <\/p>\n\n\n\n Product demand and shopping trends are different in every country. Aligning marketing and sale efforts with local habits brings the best results. <\/p>\n\n\n\n Product demand also influences storage and fulfillment operations. A best-selling product should be kept in warehouses near the countries with the highest demand to ensure fast shipping. <\/p>\n\n\n\n Analyze your product offerings and different countries\u2019 shopping trends and select fulfillment providers based on those insights. <\/p>\n\n\n\n Identifying market gaps in different countries and being the first to fill them gives global ecommerce brands a good head start on a local market. <\/p>\n\n\n\n Conduct thorough market research to find these market gaps. Sometimes it is as simple as having a mobile-friendly shop, and other times it is more complex, like demand for a unique product that has not been introduced to that market yet. <\/p>\n\n\n\n Before expanding to international markets, merchants must establish expansion goals. An ecommerce store going global should: <\/p>\n\n\n\n Owners of brands with physical stores can also consider the option of opening physical stores across the world. <\/p>\n\n\n\n Now that you are familiar with the challenges, it is time to build an expansion strategy. The following steps explain the process. <\/p>\n\n\n\n Product pricing depends on the following factors:<\/p>\n\n\n\n Some businesses take customers' purchasing power into account, as well.<\/p>\n\n\n\n There are two ways to go about international pricing:<\/p>\n\n\n\n Note: <\/strong>Having trouble deciding on a pricing model? Explore the best subscription pricing models<\/a>, brush and learn more about the benefits of dynamic pricing<\/a>. <\/p>\n\n\n\n Going global means marketing and selling to customers who use numerous different payment methods. Global ecommerce businesses must strive to provide the payment methods their customers prefer and expand the options over time. A recent trend to consider is Buy Now, Pay Later (BNPL). <\/p>\n\n\n\n Note:<\/strong> For more information on different payment options, refer to our article Preferred Payment Methods for Online Shoppers<\/a>. <\/p>\n\n\n\n Decide whether to hire internally or outsource customer service and support. Determine which languages you will provide support for by looking at the existing or expected demographic of your business\u2019s audience and customer base. <\/p>\n\n\n\n Note:<\/strong> For tips on how to provide top-level customer support, check out our article Ecommerce Customer Service: Benefits and 10 Best Practices<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Customers want a variety of shipping options, so partnering with several fulfillment providers is a must. The right selection of fulfillment providers ultimately depends on the conditions set by the provider, (such as price, guarantees, delivery times, regions the company covers, and similar) and how well they suit a business. <\/p>\n\n\n\n Analyze your business\u2019s and customers\u2019 needs and compare offers by providers before making the final decision. Prioritize affordability for customers. Also, follow world news to learn about any events that could impact shipping times and keep your customers updated. <\/p>\n\n\n\n Note: <\/strong>Use our guide What Is Ecommerce Fulfillment<\/a> to help you create an effective ecommerce fulfillment strategy. <\/p>\n\n\n\n Selling internationally means complying with local laws and regulations. This will affect: <\/p>\n\n\n\n![\"Merchant](\"https:\/\/ccbill.com\/kb\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/11\/global-ecommerce-how-to-go-cross-border.png\")
<\/figure>\n\n\n\nWhat is Global Ecommerce?<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
Global Ecommerce Statistics<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
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Benefits of International Ecommerce <\/h2>\n\n\n\n
Merchant Benefits <\/h3>\n\n\n\n
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Consumer Benefits<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
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Challenges of Global Ecommerce & How to Overcome Them <\/h2>\n\n\n\n
Lack of Personal Interaction with Customers <\/h3>\n\n\n\n
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\n\n\n\nGreater Competition<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
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\n\n\n\nMulti-currency Payment Processing<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
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\n\n\n\nComplex Marketing Operations <\/h3>\n\n\n\n
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Technical Infrastructure <\/h3>\n\n\n\n
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Difficulty Meeting Customer Expectations <\/h3>\n\n\n\n
Establishing Trust with Customers<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
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\n\n\n\nHow to Prepare for Going Global \u2013 3 Things to Consider<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
![\"Ecommerce](\"https:\/\/ccbill.com\/kb\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/11\/how-to-prepare-to-go-cross-border.jpg\")
<\/figure>\n\n\n\nProduct Demand<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
Market Gaps<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
Expansion Goals<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
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How to Build an International Ecommerce Strategy in 7 Steps <\/h2>\n\n\n\n
![\"Ecommerce](\"https:\/\/ccbill.com\/kb\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/11\/how-to-build-an-international-commerce-strategy.jpg\")
<\/figure>\n\n\n\nPricing<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
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\n\n\n\nPayment<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
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\n\n\n\nCustomer Service<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
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\n\n\n\nShipping and Logistics<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
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\n\n\n\nCompliance with Laws<\/h3>\n\n\n\n