The world keeps getting smaller. Boundaries are fading and through the internet you can reach people in the farthest corners of the world. These are perfect conditions for making your web shop a success abroad! But be wary, there’s a lot to consider if you want to be successful in another country. You may not have thought of certain important aspects. That’s why we have listed these 10essential steps for making your international e-commerce website a customer magnet.
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Read up on the laws and regulations on e-commerce in the country you are targeting. Examples are rules on import/export, tax, and consumer protection.
Study your target audience. Consumer behaviour can differ significantly between countries, even in a borderless Europe. Map out the purchasing habits, preferences, and relevant characteristics such as the demographics of your potential customers.
Develop a marketing strategy to reach potential customers in the targeted country. Which online, or even offline channels are you going to use? How will you address your customers?
Register your company and make sure you have the required permits. This is usually only necessary if are looking to set up a physical office or a local distribution centre.
Research the logistical options thoroughly. Which is the most reliable, quick and price conscious way to deliver your products abroad? And how will you deal with returns?
Determine the payment process. It’s best to take no chances. Which payment options are you going to offer? Which methods are mostly used in the targeted country? And which payment service provider will you engage with?
Set up a properly functioning website in the language of the targeted country. Don’t underestimate this step! You can read more about this in our whitepaper How to Boost Your International Ecommerce Revenue.
Ensure the continuity of your multilingual web shop. How will you keep your website interesting for search engines? How will you make sure that your content is always up to date? And what about backlinks?
Find local influencers and/or bloggers to help you promote your products in the targeted country. For example, you can team up with a marketeer who knows your target audience through and through.
Safeguard your website’s performance continuously, take your customers’ advice to heart and never rest on your laurels. Otherwise, you will surely miss out on revenue.
As you can see there’s a lot to be arranged, not only long before you’ll launch your multilingual web shop but also in the run-up to it. Of course, you can take many of the preliminary steps at once. Also, the order in which you take them is not set in stone. It should be clear that going live is not the final destination of your website, rather the starting point of an ongoing process of optimalisation, adjustment and renewal.
In the steps mentioned above we frequently hint at cooperation. Cooperation with: Developers who know ecommerce – a translation agency specialised in multilingual web shops – perhaps a marketing agency in your targeted country –maybe even an export or legal expert. It’s great if you have all the necessary expertise in-house already. But for most retailers in ecommerce expert partners are a must.
Would you like to take stock of what your multilingual web shop needs in terms of utility and cost effectiveness? Please contact us for more information. We’re happy to advise you!
