How to Optimize Your Ecommerce Site for International Sales

The recent decade has seen so many businesses pop out of scratch. And so many small businesses have started going global all of a sudden.  The World Trade Organization (WTO) has many member countries, and there are also more than 200 regional trade deals in existence. These deals lower taxes on goods bought from each other, making trade easier and cheaper.

You must be wondering how is all this happening!

Selling internationally means you can reach more customers than just selling at home. It helps you find new customers and keep existing ones. This makes your business more profitable and increases sales.

Creating a strong international ecommerce website is a great first step for exporting. To create a good international trade record, a well-designed e-commerce website is essential. There will be lots of things to consider. In a different country, think about the currency the prices as well as the payment methods you want to offer.

You should also consider cultural differences and sensitivities. It helps you research, understand customers, find new contacts, and enter new markets. Let’s talk about international trades and website optimization in detail.

Understanding International Markets

Do you wish to sell your amazing products across the world? Going global is exciting, but you need to be ready.

• Identifying Target Countries

You need to identify the countries where your products are in demand. That’s where you are going to sell your products. This will also help you compare the cost of shipping and logistics. Also, consider the cost of taxes and tariffs and optimize ecommerce store accordingly.

Here are the statistics of retail e-commerce sales CAGR by country that can help you make a decision.

Image Source: Statista

• Market Research and Analysis

After Identifying Target counties, you need to do Market research is figuring out what people in country need and want. It’s like checking different countries to see what kind of products people are buying. Creating a demand for something you can supply is the foundation of any successful business. You must be aware of the local market in order to attract the interest of a specific audience.

Image Source: Statistics

• Understanding Cultural Differences

Proper ecommerce store optimization is incomplete without knowing the cultural differences. Understanding cultural differences is like learning how to say “hello” in a new language. You must research the rules and regulations for selling your products in those countries.  This way, you can sell your products in a way that makes people feel happy and respected!

Here are some references where you can read about the rules, regulations, and documents required to sell products in different countries and regions.

• Country Commercial Guide: https://www.trade.gov/country-commercial-guides
• Legal Agreements: https://www.termsfeed.com/blog/legal-requirements-online-sales/
• For Europe: https://europa.eu/youreurope/business/selling-in-eu/selling-goods-services/index_en.htm
• For US: https://www.trade.gov/foreign-regulations

Strategies for International Success

Taking your business global opens doors to exciting new markets.  Here’s a breakdown of key strategies to ensure a smooth and successful international launch.

• Localize Your Content and Language

Going global with your business lets you enter exciting new markets with new languages. Begin by translating your website into different languages. Adjust product descriptions and marketing messages to fit different cultures. Speak directly to your audience by using their local language on your international ecommerce website. Adapt cultural references and formats to match local preferences.

As you can check the below images – the same website has content in different language which changes depending on users location.

• Unique Messaging

Just a website and ads won’t work. You need to talk with your audience. Create messages that meet the specific needs and interests of each market. A single approach won’t work for everyone! You have to customize your messages to connect with each market. You should emphasize features that are important to local needs and preferences.

• Unique URLs

A country and language-specific URL is the most crucial thing for good online ranking and visibility. To sell globally, businesses need to adjust their eCommerce site design and navigation for each country. This ensures you provide a smooth experience for international shoppers. It also helps meet all their expectations.

Use country-specific URLs with relevant domain extensions (like .co.uk or .fr) to enhance user experience and local SEO. A more relevant URL will make the website more credible.

• Optimize for Local Search Engines

For trading in different countries, it’s important to optimize your ecommerce store for local search engines. Use keywords and phrases relevant to the local market. Make sure your website content is easy for search engines to understand. Hiring SEO experts can significantly aid in this process, ensuring that your site is effectively optimized.

Go ahead and research local keywords, optimize page titles and meta descriptions. Use infographics to improve your visibility in local search results. Build backlinks from local websites to help with this.

It’s best to get help from professionals. Use local schema markup to help search engines understand your website content. Regularly check your website’s performance.

• Currency Conversions and Multiple Payment Options

Okay, so you need to consider currency conversion optimization for ecommerce website. Ensure your website supports multiple currencies. Show prices in the customer’s local currency.

Displaying prices in local currency gives your website a local feel. It also helps customers compare prices. A good, modern platform should detect the shopper’s location. It should show prices in their currency. If this isn’t possible, a “currency selector” should let the shopper choose their preferred currency.

Make payments easy for international customers by providing clear currency conversions at checkout. Offer popular payment methods in each country, like credit cards, digital wallets, and WeChat. This gives customers another reason to choose your business over local competitors.

• Consider Shipping Returns and Taxes

Customers won’t stay satisfied until you offer shipping and delivery options that fit each region. Think about delivery times, shipping costs, and local carriers. You need to tell customers about your shipping, delivery, return policies, and Tax Details.

Make sure your website shows shipping options and costs clearly. Keep a reliable process for fulfilling orders. Consider working with local logistics providers to make shipping easier.

• Multilingual/Local Customer Support

Providing multilingual customer support can significantly enhance trust and satisfaction among international shoppers. By offering assistance in their native languages, you create a more personalized and comfortable shopping experience. This can include translating FAQs, live chat support, email correspondence, and even phone support.

Local customer support is equally important. Use regional words and expressions to resonate with customers, making them feel understood and valued. Additionally, consider localizing your support team to ensure they are familiar with cultural nuances and local preferences, which can greatly improve the quality of interactions and overall customer satisfaction.

• Local Marketing and Promotions

Each market has its own competition in every country. Adjust your marketing campaigns to fit each market’s culture and media habits. Create targeted campaigns that match each market’s culture and social media use. Use popular advertising channels in each market. Many e-commerce brands use influencers, like celebrities, for social proof.

However, popular influencers in one country may not be well-known in other regions. Use local social media platforms and work with local influencers. Run localized promotions to reach your audience effectively.

Conclusion

Optimizing your international ecommerce website to maximize sales can be complex. However, these tips can help make it easier for customers. Go ahead and try them out!

Think about localization, local SEO, and shipping when expanding globally. Also, consider multiple payment options, legal issues, and great customer support. You also need to do conversion optimization for ecommerce websites. When you do anything perfectly, your business will undoubtedly grow and increase profits.

All you have to do is establish a very strong online presence. Online presence depends on having a good international website. Make sure it is well-optimized for search engines. Create social media accounts for your company, products, and services. Also, do not forget to work with local business owners and distributors. If you follow all these, your business has to give you profits very soon!

Ready to expand your ecommerce business globally? Partner with LogicRays Technologies for expert guidance and top-notch solutions. Contact us today and let’s grow your international presence together!