International eCommerce Strategy: Best Practices

Do you need to prepare your international eCommerce strategy? Then don't miss the best practices in this blog post.

Translation and Localisation

Best Practices for a Successful International eCommerce Strategy

Two women searching in their laptop best practises for International eCommerce Strategy

Doing global business has never been easier. The political and geographical barriers that exist on maps seem to be absent for the internet. This offers great opportunities for expansion for anyone willing to seize the momentum. However, to turn this promise of growth into an experience, it is necessary to adopt a specific international eCommerce strategy.

Are you wondering how some companies go global successfully? They focus on a marketing plan that includes content localisation, smart partnerships, design, and usability of the international eCommerce platform, among other factors. Read on to discover key practices to boost the ranking of your website in the search engines.

Tailoring Your Local Strategy

Some international eCommerce solutions do not require significant shakeups. If your current strategy is working perfectly in the local market, it is natural to hesitate about why you should change it.

First, distinguish the steps of your marketing plan that you can stick to from those that will require some adjustments to continue performing well. Then, pay attention to which practices are efficient. Also, which ones represent competitive advantage and make your brand stand out. In other words, do not reinvent the wheel. Just be confident about your achievements.

Building Key Alliances

Your international eCommerce strategy can benefit from collaborating with local figures. They can help you to showcase your brand’s attributes and values. Here are some options:

Collaborate with influencers who promote your brand and the quality of your products. They can be celebrities or social media influencers.
Work with local suppliers for the manufacture and distribution of your product. This will help build trust with your prospects and establish reasonable costs and timelines.
Establish partnerships with local SEO specialists and translators specialised in localisation. By doing so, you will adapt your multilingual eCommerce to each target country and achieve a positive presence.

#OptimationalTip: Consider co-promotions with companies and individuals with whom you have a partnership. This can benefit you both.

Investing in a Scalable Platform

To gain a secure foothold in the global market, one of the international eCommerce solutions you need is investing in a suitable platform. It may sound tempting to use a popular one from your home country, but be sure it can support international expansion. So, be sure to test it and analyse which are the available customisation options. Consider Multilingual eCommerce functionality, user-friendly management, and plugin compatibility.

Focusing on Design and Usability

How do shoppers see your brand? The user experience they get from your platform influences their perception of your business. Some international eCommerce websites that make a positive impact address the following aspects:

The design is simple, and the navigation is intuitive. And if you feel lost, you can easily go back to the home page.
The organisation of categories and menus is neat and uses broad terms.
The search bar is easy to locate and brings up the results you expect.
The purchase flow is easy to understand and the CTAs (Call to Action) are self-explanatory.
The product images are of high quality and show different angles and details.

#OptimationalTip: Video marketing is a trend. Besides displaying photos of your products, videos can be a very convenient tool. Especially for usage or product assembly demonstrations.

Providing Reliable Customer Service

Your international eCommerce Strategy must prepare for bigger challenges than those you face locally. Unfortunately, this means that some things may not turn out the way you want them to. For example, sometimes inventory may be outdated, a product may be faulty, or delivery may not arrive on time.

As customers and companies, we know that some situations exceed our goodwill and even the best logistics can fail. However, you must ensure that customers find the attention they need to solve any problem that arises.

Make sure your international eCommerce provides support in different languages and localise your Help and FAQ sections. Moreover, offer assistance by various means—phone, email, and social media. A bad experience can turn into a good relationship with your customers if you address their problems in time while showing empathy.

Creating an International eCommerce Strategy to Win Back Doubtful Clients

Do not discard customers who seem to be reluctant. While it is true that not every curious person who adds an item to their wishlist will end up buying, a large percentage of them will. Hence, it is vital to prepare strategies for Middle-of-the-Funnel (MoFu). And even for those who quit at the Bottom-of-the-Funnel (BoFu). Some tips include:

Recommend products according to abandoned items in the shopping cart.
Offer special discounts for products on the wishlist.
Create an engaging email campaign to incentivise. For example, you can feature dates of new promotions and offer tips. Also, you can share information that may be of common interest, etc.
Share positive testimonials from other people; the ones who had bought first and how they rated it—not only the item but the shopping experience as well.

Gain more insight into the Sales Funnel.

#OptimationalTip: Some international eCommerce websites propose unique offers to encourage new customers, such as free shipping or exclusive deals. These proposals have a close expiry date to convince customers “in the heat of the moment.”

Get ready: Preparing your international eCommerce strategy

While global business expansion may seem complex at first, setting up thorough planning will prepare your brand for the challenges. And in the end, it will be worth it because the rewards will far outweigh the initial investments and any pitfalls you may face. Now you have the essential practices for a winning international eCommerce strategy; all you need to do now is to deploy them.