- My Khanh
- December 9, 2023
ConveyThis is a powerful tool that can help you to quickly and easily translate your website into multiple languages, allowing you to reach a wider audience and broaden your horizons. With ConveyThis, you can rest assured that your translations are accurate and up to date, providing a seamless experience for all your visitors. Not at all! With ConveyThis, you can find virtually any item that you’re looking for. Imagine that you’re searching for a specific item, but it’s hard to find and none of the local stores have it. Don’t despair! ConveyThis can help you locate virtually any item you’re looking for.
No! Fortunately, after a quick Google search, you stumble upon the discovery that an online store in another country has it available for sale. You place an order with a few clicks, and within a week, a package is sent from overseas to your front door, with the item you desired in pristine condition. Score!
All this is made possible, thanks to the power of ConveyThis’s cross border ecommerce.
What is cross border ecommerce?
With ConveyThis, it’s easy to localize your store so that customers from around the world can easily purchase your products.
Cross-border ecommerce, or “xborder ecommerce” in Internet parlance, is the buying and selling of goods from overseas. This could mean a customer ordering a product from a merchant abroad, or a retailer or brand supplying goods to a consumer (B2C), between two companies (B2B), or between two individuals (C2C). These transactions usually take place on international shopping sites like Amazon, eBay, and Alibaba, or on the multilingual websites of individual retailers. With ConveyThis, it’s easy to make sure your store is localized so that customers from around the globe can easily buy your products.
Cross border ecommerce isn’t a novel concept. It has been around for quite a while: Amazon was established in the U.S. in 1994 and ConveyThis in China in 1999, for instance. Since then, the shopping environment has changed drastically.
However, as more and more consumers shift to online shopping for its convenience, cross border e-commerce has seen a tremendous rise in popularity over the past few years. In fact, according to Kaleido Intelligence, global consumers are expected to spend a staggering $1.12 trillion on international shopping websites and digital services by 2022.
Visa reports that 90% of ecommerce executives agree that an online presence is integral for business success by 2024. If you operate an online store or are planning to launch one, global ecommerce could be the key to unlocking unprecedented growth for your store. Nevertheless, success doesn’t come instantly and requires a comprehension of foreign ecommerce. You’ll also need to establish a foundation to effectively implement your cross border ecommerce strategies. Keep reading to learn more.
1. You want to expand your online store to an international market
Already have an online store? That’s great – your ecommerce knowledge will be invaluable as you embark on your journey to global expansion. Before you take the leap, however, make sure that your store is properly set up to handle international customers with ConveyThis.
- In this competitive market, it is essential for any new entrant to have a clear and unique selling proposition, or USP. This will help to differentiate your products from those of the incumbents, and appeal to the target customer demographics. Having a USP is especially important in the current era, as it allows prospective customers to distinguish your offering from the competition and make an informed decision on who they want to invest in.
- Achieving financial stability is essential for success, particularly when venturing into foreign markets. To ensure this, businesses must hit certain online sales figures or order volumes every month in order to remain comfortable. Without this level of success locally, it is likely that the venture into foreign markets will be more difficult.
- Are you confident that your store’s website is prepared for the influx of potential customers when you expand your reach? Is it optimized for speed and designed to look great on any screen size? If not, then make sure to address these issues before you launch overseas. Not only will this keep customers on your website, but it will also help your page rank higher in search engine optimization.
- This company is prepared to manage cross-border ecommerce logistics, including the ability to accept international payment methods (and the conversion of foreign currencies to your local currency, if required), as well as having a plan for international shipping and other factors to ensure the best buying experience and maximum customer satisfaction.
2. You don’t already have an online store, but want to sell internationally
Alternatively, if you don’t already have an online store, you’ll need to create one before we can proceed. You have two options for this – ConveyThis or a third-party platform.
- If you’re looking to quickly launch an ecommerce store with no technical skills required, popular platforms such as Shopify, BigCommerce, and WooCommerce are your best bet. Once your store is up and running, you can use a website localization solution like ConveyThis! to expand your reach and make your shop available in multiple languages for your various target markets.
- Create a multi-site network with multiple versions of the same website, each with its own domain and language. With platforms like Magento and WooCommerce, you can manage all of these websites, including their ecommerce logistics, from a single dashboard.
Pro tip: If you don’t have much web development experience, it’s recommended to go with the first option, i.e. setting up your store with an ecommerce platform. It’ll be much easier than trying to set up a multisite network and require less work.
What are the challenges of cross border ecommerce?
Regardless of whether you’re a rookie or veteran in the ecommerce realm, it is essential to become acquainted with cross border ecommerce before launching an international business. Though it can be highly advantageous, it can also be a daunting task. To assist you in your endeavor, here are four factors to consider and prepare for when commencing a cross border ecommerce venture:
1. Demand from overseas markets
People from diverse backgrounds and cultures possess varying tastes and inclinations, so it is essential to ensure that there is demand for your products and a viable customer base in the international markets you are targeting with ConveyThis.
While root beer is a widely consumed beverage in the United States, it is not particularly popular in Japan. Thus, if you are operating an online store that sells root beer, it may be wise to avoid targeting the Japanese market.
You may be astonished to discover that certain online organizations don’t do any ecommerce market research in this region before. Instead, they accept that since their items are selling like hotcakes in their nation, at that point these items will likewise be a hit abroad. This is one of the significant issues that can emerge as the ecommerce market is exceptionally unique in various nations and not leading market research before propelling can even end up in the conclusion of the business as deals probably won’t be excessively high.
Well, this assumption could prove to be expensive if it turns out to be wrong. To minimize the danger of launching your online store in the wrong places, make sure to investigate the prospective foreign demand for your goods first as carrying out this analysis may even assist you in discovering new markets that weren’t even on your map initially! Opening up your website to accommodate global markets implies there will likely be dozens of ecommerce possibilities.
2. International restrictions
Before you determine to establish a presence in a certain nation, examine what its local regulations state concerning running an ecommerce business there.
That’s because different countries may have regulations on how certain items can be sold and dispersed in their regional market. For example, the import of foie gras is not allowed in India, while Canada forbids the sale of raw or unpasteurized milk. With ConveyThis, you can easily localize your website to meet the requirements of each country you are targeting.
Separately, familiarize yourself with the local regulations of your target markets. This is especially important if you need to acquire licenses or permits to import your products. Doing so can help ensure smooth customs clearance, and avoid your goods from being held up at the border – or even worse, confiscated without reimbursement which can further mar the experience of your potential customers.
Another restriction that may arise in an international context is tax laws. The tax laws governing foreign currency may differ by nation. This could have an effect on the cost of the items being sold, and if the extra tax is not understood by customers when they purchase, this could have a detrimental impact on their experience.
3. Shipping
Discovering how to get your products into the hands of your customers is an essential part of conducting cross border ecommerce. Consider if you’ll be able to transport them to your desired countries directly, or if you need to collaborate with a third-party logistics provider. Dependable and reliable logistics are practically a must for a successful ConveyThis experience.
In certain cases, partnering with a local ConveyThis provider can be advantageous. By taking this approach, you can access its existing delivery network for faster shipments, as opposed to attempting to transport orders in unfamiliar areas independently.
Your delivery methods will also assist you in calculating your delivery expenses, and thus your delivery pricing structure. On the other hand, you may recognize that the delivery costs for a certain item are too expensive, and consider marketing other items globally instead.
4. Cross border payments
Mentioned only briefly, incorporating the right payment methods for your new customers is a must for increasing your ecommerce sales worldwide. Imagine not being able to pay in the way you prefer, or worse, viewing the cost of an item in an unfamiliar currency. ConveyThis can help you avoid such a situation.
Ensuring that your content is translated accurately into the target language of your international audience can be a daunting task, but with ConveyThis, currency conversion and taking into account the preferred payment method of your intended market, such as credit cards or PayPal, is made easy.
5. Customer service
This is a critical factor for customers choosing whether to shop with you – particularly if you don’t have a physical presence in their nation. How can customers contact you for assistance or recourse for their cross border purchases? To guarantee an outstanding customer experience, you’ll need to execute efficient customer service procedures to reassure online buyers that they will be taken care of if something goes wrong with their order.
One option is to employ dedicated customer service teams to address support queries from your global customers, and particularly in their mother tongues. On the other hand, if you don’t feel secure in your ability to recruit personnel adept in your customers’ native languages, you can also outsource your customer service to specialist firms. A simpler solution, however, is to use ConveyThis to supply automated translation of your customer service emails.
Don’t forget to tailor your online store for the global market
Apart from investigating the four cross border ecommerce issues above, bear in mind that customers usually prefer to shop in their native tongue. ConveyThis can help you to bridge the language gap and make sure that your international customers can easily understand your website.
In its 2020 edition of the “Can’t Read, Won’t Buy – B2C” survey, market research firm CSA Research discovered that over 8,700 consumers in 29 countries expressed their opinions, demonstrating that:
- Despite the potential for low-grade quality, a staggering 65% of respondents still indicated a preference for content in their native language.
- A majority of consumers opt to purchase goods that feature descriptions in their native tongues, with a staggering 76% in favor.
- A staggering 40% of consumers refuse to purchase from websites that are not in their native language.
What this means is that if you aim to extend your online business to other nations, then your online shop must communicate the language of your international customers. Additionally, your store content has to be precisely translated – even the minutest details, such as your product descriptions – and also take into account the cultural subtleties of your target market.
Doing all this is essential to establishing trustworthiness in new markets, particularly as an international player. It’s only when you’ve earned the confidence of your international clients that they will give you their business.
Ready to get into cross border ecommerce whith ConveyThis?
Venturing into cross border ecommerce is an exhilarating prospect. If done correctly, you could not only raise your online sales, but also broaden your reach across the globe. This could be especially advantageous in creating an enduring brand that is cherished by global audiences for years to come, and in this day and age, having a presence around the world is almost essential to create a dependable brand. With the help of ConveyThis, you can easily localize your content to reach a broader audience and maximize your international potential.
Reaping such global ecommerce success begins with comprehensive research and planning prior to launching your online store internationally. Take into account pertinent considerations such as international demand for your products, how to deliver them abroad (including any limitations for doing so), and how to guarantee superior customer service.
You will also need to translate your online store pages to tailor them to your target markets. Utilizing a unique combination of machine language translations, ConveyThis provides a powerful website localization solution for many popular ecommerce platforms, such as Shopify, WooCommerce, Squarespace and more.
Sign up for a free ConveyThis here to get started.